Shawn M. Donaghy
Chief Operating Officer and Vice President
Fort Worth Transportation Authority
- One word to describe yourself: Competitive
- Alma Mater: Northern Kentucky University
- Favorite Book: “Sea Fever” by John Masefield “All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.”
- Favorite TV Show: “Star Trek”
- Favorite Movie: “The Wrath of Kahn”
- Favorite hobbies: Coaching any sport my 5 wonderful children play and playing poker.
- Fun fact about yourself: When I was a kid (3 or 4 years old), I hopped on a Manchester, NH MTA bus, shut the door and started the bus up locking everyone outside the bus. I just wanted to take it around the block real quick
- Favorite Transit System (other than one they work at): A tie between TriMet and the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority
With a grandfather that was one of the original members of American Transportation Enterprises (ATE) and a father that’s the CEO of Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority, Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) Chief Operating Office and Vice President Shawn Donaghy was born into transit. Donaghy has been in transportation all of his career, starting in the airline industry on the logistics side.
Previously, Donaghy worked as the interim chief operations officer for the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, where he had started as a station manager for two divisions.
At The T, Donaghy is responsible for transit operations, fixed-route service, paratransit service, fleet maintenance, risk and safety, transit security, information technology and operational performance metrics. Since joining The T, he has reorganized the operations and maintenance departments for better efficiency and sustainability and is overseeing the implementation of major IT infrastructure upgrades.
In Cincinnati and in Fort Worth, making the technology accessible to the customer has been really important to Donaghy. And in Fort Worth, he likes the challenge of a smaller system serving a very large service area and turning the Fort Worth metroplex into a region that wants to use transit.
Situating The T for long-term growth in the region, he led the reorganization of several departments, including maintenance and operations. The progression planning of staff has improved the product they’re providing to the city of Fort Worth and at the same time, given people opportunities for growth within the organization.
His involvement in local and national organizations include a member of the Leadership Fort Worth Class of 2015, the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials and the American Public Transportation Association.
“The advice I always give everybody is that you have to run it like it’s your business, that it’s You Incorporated. You have to own your section of what you’re responsible for and you have to treat it like it’s your business. Your business is to serve your customer; don’t let any stone unturned.”
Fun Fact: When 3 or 4, he hopped on a Manchester, N.H., MTA bus, shut the door and started the bus up locking everyone outside the bus because he “wanted to take it around the block.”
MassTransitmag.com/12220359
