Clinton B. Forbes passes at 55

Clinton B. Forbes, Palm Tran’s executive director, died Nov. 2. He was 55.  

Forbes had served as executive director of Palm Tran since November 2015. Forbes had more than 30 years of leadership in public transportation and committed his professional life to improving public transportation services, fostering innovation and enhancing accessibility.  

“Palm Tran is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our executive director, Clinton B. Forbes at age 55. Since joining Palm Tran in 2015, his dedication, vision and leadership has elevated the agency to new heights. His departure is a tremendous loss to the community,” Palm Tran posted on X (formerly known as Twitter). 

“This news comes as a shock to the entire community. Clinton was a vibrant leader in Palm Beach County and tirelessly advocated for the betterment of our transit system. We are deeply saddened by Clinton's passing. His memory will serve as an inspiration to all who knew him,” said Palm Beach County Administrator Verdenia C. Baker.  

During his tenure as executive director, Palm Tran witnessed substantial advancements in service quality, efficiency and outreach. Forbes’ most notable accomplishments include:  

• Opening of a new $25 million, LEED certified Administrative Headquarters in Delray Beach, Fla. 
• Adding a new mobility-on-demand service known as Go Glades in the Glades region of Florida. 
• Restructuring the entire fixed-route bus network through the Route Performance Maximization project. 
• Introducing a robust performance management program known as Palm Tran Statistics. 
• Implementing a new Paradise Pass smart card and mobile fare payment system. 

in a statement on LinkedIn, the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) posted: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of longtime COMTO member and transit industry leader Clinton Forbes. Mr. Forbes was a loyal and active supporter of COMTO for more than 20 years as a member of several chapters and playing an integral role in establishing the COMTO Palm Beach County chapter. Mr. Forbes served on COMTO’s Board of Directors from 2016-2018. He received several National Awards, including the Gerald Anderson Service Award, Corporate Executive of the Year and Public Agency of the Year in recognition of his outstanding contributions and service within the transportation industry. Our hearts go out to his family, our Palm Tran family, his friends and colleagues. Mr. Forbes's commitment and impact on this industry will forever be remembered.”