- One word to describe yourself: Fabulous
- Alma Mater: University of Tampa, University of Alaska, Anchorage
- Favorite hobby(s): Apprentice herbalist
- Fun fact about yourself: I’m an urban farmer and beekeeper.
- Favorite station or stop that you have ever visited or frequent (and why): Union Station in Denver. A great place to hold a meeting before grabbing rail to the airport.
- Favorite route you have ever ridden or frequent (and why): The COASTER in Southern California is a beautiful way to avoid all traffic, take in the ocean views and still have dinner in Old Town San Diego. One of my favorite things in the world actually!
Crissy Ditmore is a 14-year veteran of the transportation industry and assists government partners in developing technology solutions while ensuring the public’s interest through a common-sense approach to policy. In her current role with Cubic, she works with transit agencies and transportation authorities in communities across the country to identify new technologies that support their overall transportation network including advancements in CAD AVL, fare collection systems, real time passenger information, traffic and congestion management and Mobility for All. She collaborates with policymakers at the state and federal level to maximize user experiences while ensuring equity, access and the attainment of broad regional goals.
Ditmore serves as board chair of the TravelSpirit Foundation North America and is a founding member of the Coalition for Smarter Transportation, which works toward refining open and accessible tools for an integrated mobility future while unifying public and private interests for the common good.
Ditmore began her career as a project manager for VPSI Commuter Vanpools, where she saw a doubling of the vanpool fleet in Anchorage, Alaska, during her first year. She is credited with organizing a series of successful grassroots campaigns to ensure transit funding was preserved through changes in municipal leadership and she worked with the Alaska State Transit Coalition to secure the state’s first, dedicated matching funds for federal grants and local projects. Additionally, Ditmore developed language to introduce the concept of commuter centers that was eventually included in a Department of Defense authorization bill. She also worked with industry associations to introduce and eventually pass the “private investment in commuter vanpool” funding regulation that expanded access to implement vanpool projects in regions that did not have matching funds to implement service.
Ditmore’s thesis research was published in Research in Transportation and Business Management's special edition on Mobility as a Service (MaaS) under the title “Vanpooling and its effect on commuter stress.” Ditmore called the effort one of the most difficult things she has attempted noting that there was no one pushing her to complete it and no reward at the end of the journey other than the satisfaction of completing the effort. However, she explains that she is extremely proud of the final result.
“The ever-changing nature of public transportation is fascinating and a great way to constantly learn and grow. The recent shift toward MaaS is exciting as we find better ways to meet customer needs. I especially enjoy the friendships made along the way since it seems no one really leaves transit. Colleagues shift between public and private sector, to and from leadership positions and more operational commitments. The people make our industry special, and those connections make coming to work a pleasure.”
“Everything we hope to accomplish lives or dies by policy. Whether that policy is local, state, federal, by regulation, law or statute, a deep understanding of policy is fundamental to a successful career in mobility.”
“[What I enjoy about the transit industry is] the opportunity to enhance the lives of people that we will never meet. I am definitely motivated by the positive impact our work has on the environment, healthcare, the economy, etc. There are few careers that touch so many aspects of life and public transit offers that opportunity in a meaningful way.”
