Cecil O. Blandon
Director of Maintenance
First Transit de Panamá
Transporte Masivo de Panamá, S.A. (MiBus)
- One Word to Describe Yourself: Enthusiasm
- Alma Mater: Arizona State University
- Favorite Book: “Red Dragon” by Thomas Harris
- Favorite TV Show: “Americans”
- Favorite Movie: “Mad Max”
- Favorite Hobbies: Four-wheeling, camping, fixing cars
- Favorite Transit System (other than one they work at): TransMilenio in Bogotá, Colombia. They have approximately 10,000 buses in their total urban transit system and he was impressed at how everything operates. It was awesome seeing articulated and bi-articulated buses at work, loaded with people.
Bus maintenance and parts are in Cecil Blandon’s blood. He started his transit career in the United States Marine Corps as maintenance management chief in 1997. After learning the nuts and bolts of more than 2,500 pieces of equipment, Blandon joined First Transit in 2006 as a parts manager in Phoenix, Arizona, at Valley Metro.
Blandon was promoted to director of maintenance in 2009 at Valley Metro. While there he worked First Transit’s procurement team to purchase products for a fleet of buses and spends time with the customer to ensure their needs are met. He was instrumental in bringing technology to the Valley Metro operations, making sure that technicians were equipped with wireless devices to diagnose repairs and get the fleet back on the road, saving money and time.
In 2015, was tapped to be one of the operations leaders on the ground for First Transit’s newest partnership in Panama. As the director of maintenance for First Transit’s Panama operations, he oversees maintenance for more than 1,200 buses.
Blandon has numerous technical certifications and has completed training from some of the leading associations in the U.S. He completed parts specialist training from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE); holds a certificate from Haldex for foundation brakes and automatic brake systems (ABS); and completed the coursework needed to be a diesel and non-diesel inspector for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
"The accomplishment that I’m most proud of is my time served in the U.S. Marines. It was an experience I will never forget filled with great memories of teamwork and hard work."
“Two things that have always stuck with me since the Marines are to lead by example and to take care of your employees.Employees need leadership and mentorship to help guide them to their goals in life. I like being a part of the public transit industry because you help provide solutions to current and future generations.”
"I like being a part of the public transit industry because you help provide solutions to current and future generations."
"What I enjoy about what I do is that there isn’t a boring day. I can have a schedule planned out on what I am going to do and wham … things changed all of a sudden. Public Transit is very dynamic and you must be a fast thinker with excellent multi-tasking"
