- One word to describe yourself: Passionate
- Alma Mater: Duquesne University (undergrad), University of Pittsburgh (grad school)
- Favorite book: "This changes frequently — it’s almost always the last book that I read."
- Favorite TV show: "Parks and Recreation"
- Favorite hobby(s): Weightlifting and reading
- Fun fact about yourself: "I was the 2012 Maryland State Powerlifting Champion for my weight class."
- Favorite station or stop that you have ever visited or frequent (and why): "I’ve always loved Washington Union Station because it was my first exposure to transit when traveling to D.C. as an elementary school student. I loved (and still love) the activity and the grandiosity of it."
- Favorite route you have ever ridden or frequent (and why): "After we launched BaltimoreLink I’ve become a big fan of the CityLink Silver because it’s frequent, on-time, and gets me to and from downtown."
Holly Arnold is known as the “go-to” person to get things done at MDOT MTA. Arnold has an extensive working knowledge of both the agency and the industry, and she actively works to make transit better. She is willing to jump in and help out with any task and no job is too small for her to take and make successful. She breaks down barriers and always asks questions.
Arnold regularly goes above and beyond required job duties. Historically, the Office of Planning has not played a direct role in non-project-specific agency outreach. Arnold saw a need for continued engagement with the community after the launch of BaltimoreLink, the MDOT MTA's largest bus network redesign in decades, and established a chief of engagement position to continue those efforts. Arnold regularly participates and frequently presents at community meetings and industry forums — she demonstrates to her team leadership through action.
During the MDOT MTA's Metro SubwayLink four-week emergency shutdown, Arnold worked with her team in the Office of Planning to mobilize transit ambassadors placed at strategic locations to assist riders. Arnold spent multiple hours acting as a transit ambassador herself, standing outside in the cold winter temperatures to assist passengers. She was in constant contact with the chief operating officer to assist in the smooth operations of the shuttle service.
Arnold has also spearheaded consistent improvements in the Office of Capital Programming. When Arnold started in the Capital Programming division at MDOT MTA, the invoicing process was incredibly tedious and manual. Arnold worked with colleagues to better understand the process, make improvements, and automate pieces of the process. This lead to an average 50 percent decrease in the amount of time it took to process an invoice. She also realized that the division had either outdated or no processes and procedures documented when she started. Arnold led an effort to document procedures and created a policy and procedure manual for both the Grants and Capital Programming division.
Under Arnold's lead, the Office successfully applied for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) grants, including: positive train control for the MARC Train, bus mini mid-life overhaul, bus hybrid battery replacement, and MDOT MTA "Beyond the Bus Stop." Arnold's innovation in the field doesn't end there. She currently leads MDOT MTA’s asset management program. Through her work on asset management, she realized that there was an opportunity to work with other MDOT agencies to further efficiencies. She spearheaded MDOT’s asset management workgroup and regularly participates to encourage cross-agency collaboration. This collaboration and information sharing has led to improvements in data collection and procurement.
Additionally, as a result of Arnold's work, MDOT MTA now utilizes FTA pre-award authority more effectively. When Arnold started in the position, federal receivables were close to $200 million. Through changing the way that MDOT MTA applied for and processed grants, Holly was able to reduce the receivables to less than $80 million within a year. Finally, Arnold is spearheading the Office of Planning’s 18 for 18 efforts to motivate staff and track status of key initiatives.
"I grew up on a farm in a rural area of Ohio where going anywhere required a car and 20 to 30 minutes of driving. I first starting using transit when I moved to Pittsburgh for college. I loved the freedom of jumping on the bus and reading a book while someone else did the driving. I quickly learned the Port Authority system and got hooked on the idea of transit. I read and learned about the benefits of transit while getting my Masters of Public Administration and wanted to work in an urban environment where I could advocate for transit. I moved to Baltimore and had a lucky conversation with a transit consultant that lead to a career doing what I love."
"I love working with a strong, motivated team. The people at MDOT MTA are constantly working to improve service for customers and do more. It’s inspiring to come to work and see people working hard to make a difference."
"Figuring out how to get the most done with limited resources. I enjoy the challenge of prioritizing needs and goals to accomplish the most possible."
"In the past year there has been a lot of transition in the Office of Planning and Programming, including a complete turnover of management staff. It would have been very easy to let the pace and momentum of the department slide and I’m incredibly proud of the team that we’ve put together and the projects that we are continuing to advance for the agency. This includes over 200 outreach events, managing a complex TIGER project, organizing three separate Transit Ambassador efforts, successfully applying for multiple discretionary grants, expanding our technical assistance capabilities for Locally Operated Transit Systems, and delivering the largest ever MDOT MTA capital budget, all while maintaining a high energy pace for the office."
"Ask questions and be open to trying new things. Just because we’ve always done something a certain way doesn’t mean we have to keep doing it that way. So ask the questions, learn why, and then determine how to move forward."
"I enjoy being part of an industry that makes a difference in people’s lives. A good commute can lead to a good day and have a huge impact on someone."
