John Catoe

• President and CEO, The Catoe Group
• Former General Manager, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
• Named American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Outstanding Public Transportation Manager, 2009
• Former Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Former Chair, California Transit Association Executive Committee
• Former Director, Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines
• Former Director of Operations, Manager and General Superintendent of Operations, Orange County Transportation Authority

For over three decades John B. Catoe, Jr. has contributed greatly to the extension and enhancement of public transportation offerings throughout the U.S.

Named Outstanding Public Transportation Manager in 2009 by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Catoe made national headlines for orchestrating and executing safe, efficient, and reliable public transportation offerings to and from the 56th presidential inauguration events. Then serving as the General Manager for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Catoe heeded President Obama’s call to make these events the most open and accessible in history, opening METRO services to include 23 special rapid bus corridors and extended rush hour service running for 17 continuous hours.

Catoe served as the general manager for WMATA from 2007 through 2010, holding oversight of a $2 billion budget and more than ten thousand employees. During his tenure, he developed plans and secured funding for capital improvements to infrastructure. Prior to his post at WMATA, Catoe served as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) from 2001 through 2007.

While serving as the Director for the City of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus, Catoe expanded services by 40 percent and improved ridership by 36 percent. Under his leadership, the agency received the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission’s Metro Award for Efficiency, as well as APTA’s Outstanding Safety Award and two Outstanding Achievement Awards.

From 1979 through 1995, Catoe worked for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). While serving as the Agency’s Director of Transit Services, he managed the consolidation of the former transit district into the newly created authority.