People on the move: AC Transit, Baltimore DOT, CDTA, DDOT

The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT), Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) and the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) have each made new appointments to their respective leadership teams.   

AC Transit  

The AC Transit Board of Directors has appointed Kathleen Kelly as its new transit district's interim general manager. Kelly has held multiple past leadership roles with AC Transit including budget manager, strategic plan manager, chief transportation officer, assistant general manager, chief operating officer and interim general manager. This progression has provided her with a thorough understanding of AC Transit’s current operations, policies and organizational priorities, notes the agency. 

"Kathleen's extensive experience and deep knowledge of our operations will be invaluable as she steps into this leadership role," said AC Transit Board President Joel Young. "We are confident that Kathleen’s return will provide continuity and strategic direction as we continue to work together to serve our communities and enhance our transit services." 

As the principal of Kathleen Kelly Consulting, she has also served in several interim chief financial officer and interim executive director roles throughout the Bay Area. 

Kelly’s appointment began Dec. 16, 2024, taking over the responsibilities of Michael Hursh, who transitioned from his role as general manager and CEO to senior advisor on Dec. 14. 

Kelly will act as interim general manager as the board of directors undertakes a nationwide search for a permanent general manager and CEO. 

BCDOT 

Plans to appoint Veronica P. McBeth as the new director of BCDOT were announced by Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott. McBeth currently serves as the city’s deputy assistant secretary for transportation policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation. She will depart her role and will join BCDOT on January 13, 2025. 

"At this moment in our city's history we need a transportation leader that will transform the operations of the department, bring new, inventive ideas that will modernize our transportation infrastructure and strengthen the delivery of the department's core services - Veronica P. McBeth is that leader," Mayor Scott said. "With a strong knowledge of transportation policy, experience leading transportation initiatives at all levels of government, including right here at the Baltimore City Department of Transportation and her intentional commitment and focus on equity, Veronica will lead the department into the future." 

McBeth is a veteran of city, state and federal government having previously served as senior advisor at the Federal Transit Administration, transit bureau chief at BCDOT, government affairs manager at the Maryland Transit Administration and as a transportation planner in the private sector. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and earned a Master of Science in law in environmental law from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. 

"I am excited about this opportunity to come home and take all the best practices from around the country and make safe and impactful changes that my fellow Baltimoreans can see and experience daily. I want all residents to have a safe and reliable experience using our city's transportation system where they live, work, worship and play,” McBeth said. "Baltimore is a top tier city that needs to show the capabilities of our transportation resources by proper planning, investment, funding and execution. The infusion of money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was monumental and it's my charge as director to ensure that we have infrastructure investments that serve generations to come. I welcome this challenge and it is good to be home." 

Akilo will continue to serve as interim director until McBeth begins the role on Jan. 13, 2025. 

CDTA 

CDTA Vice President of Finance and Administration Michael Collins will be taking on the position of interim CEO after current CDTA CEO Carm Basile retires after more than 43 years with the authority. His final day at CDTA will be Dec. 31, 2024. 

“The board of directors is confident that Mike Collins is the right person to lead the organization during the ongoing search for a new CEO,” said CDTA Board Chairman Jayme Lahut. “Mike's experience and commitment toward providing innovative mobility solutions to the residents of the Capital Region, makes him the ideal choice. However, the board remains steadfast in their pursuit of appointing the most suitable candidate to lead CDTA into a successful future.” 

Collins has been with CDTA since 1986 and has held several positions throughout his career. He is a Capital Region native. He graduated from Nazareth College with a Bachelor of Science degree. Collins resides in East Greenbush with his wife, Keira. They have three adult children and three grandchildren. 

"As interim CEO of CDTA, I am privileged to uphold our legacy of serving the Capital Region community,”  Collins said. “With almost four decades of experience in the transit industry, I am enthusiastic about providing dependable transportation services, while fostering strong collaborations with local businesses and organizations." 

DDOT 

Detroit People Mover General Manager Robert Cramer has been named the new executive director of transit for Detroit, Mich.  Cramer will be taking over for G. Michael Staley, who announced he will be stepping down from his post. Staley will remain in his role until Jan. 5 and Cramer will assume the role starting Jan. 6.   

Cramer, who has served as general manager for the past two years, will resign his post at the People Mover, where he has overseen significant service and infrastructure improvements and operational successes.  He will remain heavily involved with the People Mover as a member of the Detroit Transportation Corporation Board, which runs the transit system.   

In his two and a half years as general manager of the People Mover, Cramer has overseen significant successes and progress, including:    

• Implemented the first free fare program in People Mover history, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Priority Waste. The first year of the program in 2024 resulted in an 80 percent increase in annual ridership, the largest percentage gain of any public transit agency in the country, according to the American Public Transit Association.    
• Completed $10 million in upgrades to People Mover system to offer an improved rider experience, including station technology and rail replacement.   
• Purchased replacement rail cars, equipment and parts from the Toronto Transit Commission to upgrade the People Mover fleet, which will be added to the system in 2026.   
• Carried more than 70,000 passengers during the NFL Draft, the most for any sporting event since Detroit hosted Super Bowl XL in 2006.   

“Robert has done tremendous things at the People Mover in a short period of time and has the system operating the best it has in decades,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “He has shown himself to be an outstanding leader and will do a great job taking DDOT to its next level with increased service levels and better schedule reliability in 2025.”  

Prior to coming to the People Mover, Cramer served as deputy general manager and then acting general manager of Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation from 2014 to2022, where he guided the regional transit agency through the challenges of the Covid pandemic. He also implemented the popular Frequent Affordable Safe Transit (FAST) regional rapid transit routes on Woodward, Gratiot and Michigan Avenues — including enhanced bus stop amenities, limited stops and high frequency.  

“DDOT’s dedicated staff provide essential service for Detroiters every day, connecting neighborhoods and opportunity,”  Cramer said. “I’m honored to lead the team to continue the progress made and be part of a first-class transit system.”  

Duggan says his goal is to have DDOT back to pre-pandemic service levels in 2025 and to continue to expand service.  Cramer will be aided in that goal with deliveries of 84 new buses over the next two years, which represents nearly 30 percent of the DDOT fleet. The new coaches will be mostly hybrid fuel, but DDOT also will be receiving four additional electric buses in 2025 and its first four hydrogen fuel cell buses in 2026.