Former Big Blue Bus Director Stephanie Negritt passes at 67

Former Director of Big Blue Bus Stephanie Negriff passed away earlier this month. She was 67.

Negriff rose through the ranks to become Big Blue Bus director in August 2002, having previously served in various capacities, including assistant director of operations, manager of transit development and intergovernmental relations and senior administrative analyst. Negriff retired from Big Blue Bus in 2011, after 25 years of service. Prior to joining Big Blue Bus, Negriff held roles with transit agencies in Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

"Stephanie was a visionary leader who helped established a bedrock of enduring programs and services that continue to support our community's transportation needs," said Anuj Gupta, interim director of Santa Monica's Department of Transportation. "She led with care and compassion for Big Blue Bus staff and customers and embodied the agency's values of teamwork, community service, integrity, innovation and continuous improvement. She will be greatly missed."

While serving as director of Big Blue Bus, Negriff was responsible for the creation of Downtown Santa Monica's Transit Mall, the implementation of two bus rapid transit lines, and the completion of the Big Blue Bus campus expansion project. She also oversaw development of an award-winning, state-of-the-art bus maintenance facility and led the implementation of student and regional fare programs through innovative partnerships with Santa Monica College, UCLA and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Further, Negriff guided Big Blue Bus's transition to a clean energy fleet, which consisted of gas/electric hybrid, biodiesel and compressed natural gas vehicles. She was also instrumental in negotiating funding policies for the distribution of Prop C, Measure R and other regional transportation formula programs, to ensure economic sustainability for Big Blue Bus and other municipal transit systems in Los Angeles County.

Under Negriff's leadership, Big Blue Bus won the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award in 2011 and she was named APTA Outstanding Public Transit Manager the same year.

Negriff is survived by her husband, Larry, stepchildren Sonya and Liza, and one grandchild.