Candidate Statements for Small Operators Seat

John Andoh, Redding Area Bus Authority

John is a young, enthusiastic transit professional with twenty-three years of experience in the public transit industry.  John presently serves as the Transit General Manager for the Redding Area Bus Authority in Redding, CA and also serves as a part time transit manager for the Cities of Burlington, NC and Escalon, CA.

John is a very strong advocate of public transportation and he strive to use buses, trains and ferries as much as he can to show support towards public transit, including commuting to and from work on public transit and interacting with the riders that he serve.  

My focus, if elected to serve on the Executive Committee is to represent well the small urban and rural providers in Northern California in regarding to working with others in solving funding challenges, regulatory requirements, zero emission bus transition, reviewing legislation impacts and be a voice for rural and small urban providers in Northern California.

Public transit has been a true passion of John since he was 13 years old, growing up riding Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority services and volunteering there as a summer intern. His work includes transit planning & transit capital projects, transit IT projects, contract management, and direct operations of fixed route and paratransit service.  John’s experience spans small urban, large urban, and rural transit systems with the implementation, planning, and management, strategic planning and providing leadership of fixed route, demand response, taxi scrip, mileage reimbursement, vanpool, and dial-a-ride services to address the transportation needs of the communities by innovating transit agencies to be mobility agencies and is a very innovative, creative and outside the box thinker.   He is a Certified Community Transit Manager and Supervisor from the Community Transportation Association of America.  He has a masters of science in Public Administration and a graduate certificate in Transportation Management.

Diana Chang, Culver CityBus

I would be honored to represent the small-size operators on the California Transit Association’s Executive Committee. With over 18 years of dedicated service in public transportation and leadership at Culver CityBus, I have gained invaluable insights into the unique challenges and opportunities faced by small-size operators.  I also bring a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to advancing the interests of small-size operators.  

Throughout my career, I have led citywide and subregional public transit and mobility initiatives aimed at reimagining transportation, fostering community connections, and enhancing quality of life of the communities that we serve. My background in architecture and urban planning and my experience in public transportation have equipped me with the expertise needed to navigate the complexities of the transportation landscape.  As the Chief Transportation Officer for Culver CityBus, I have led a talented team in planning, operating, and implementing innovative public mobility services and infrastructure projects.  I also led initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, improve service quality, and foster innovation. Through proactive engagement with stakeholders and policymakers, I have successfully advocated for policies that support the advancement of public transit as the backbone of mobility.

If elected, I am committed to leveraging my experience and expertise to advocate for the needs and perspectives of small-size operators within the California Transit Association. I will work to promote policies and initiatives that support the growth and sustainability of our sector, ensuring that all operators have a voice in shaping the future of transit in our state.

Furthermore, I am passionate about fostering collaboration and sharing best practices to drive innovation and excellence across the industry. I believe that by working together, we can overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and build a more resilient and equitable public transportation system for all Californians.

Thank you for considering my candidacy. I look forward to the opportunity to serve and represent the interests of small-size operators on the Executive Committee.

Rachel Ede, Santa Rosa CityBus

Thank you for your consideration of my candidacy to serve on the CTA Executive Committee representing California’s small operators.  I am the manager of Santa Rosa CityBus, a directly-operated municipal transit system in Sonoma County. I am currently serving my fourth term as a member of CTA’s Small Operators Committee and served as Chair from 2020-2022 during the heart of the COVID pandemic.  I have also served on CTA’s COVID-19 Transit Crisis Relief Task Force and PEPRA and 13c) Task Force.  I have been fortunate to serve in a variety of roles during my 24 years in public transit.  Born and raised in southern California, I began my transit career with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, a state-wide transit system operating fixed-route and flexible services in rural, suburban, and urban areas.  After completing a master’s degree in Regional Planning I returned to California and served as a planning consultant working primarily to support small urban and rural transit and paratransit operators throughout the state.  I joined the Santa Rosa CityBus team in 2011, leading the comprehensive restructuring of the CityBus system before taking on the Transit Manager role in 2017.  I have found the post-COVID period to be the most challenging and rewarding period of my career, as we work to rebuild and maintain our transit workforce, sustain our services in the context of unprecedented cost pressures, implement transformative multi-operator transit integration initiatives, and transition to a zero-emissions fleet. 

I recognize that there is a diversity of concerns and challenges facing small transit systems around the state, and as a member of the Executive Committee I will prioritize being open and accessible, and listening and learning in order to best represent your interests within the Association.  Some common goals I believe we share are ensuring that our ideas and realities are represented in state-level policymaking related to implementation of SB 125 and the Transit Transformation Task Force, the Innovative Clean Transit rule, and TDA reform, and that we have the resources required to maintain our workforce and sustain and expand our services to meet our communities’ needs into the future.

As the manager of a small system with limited staff and resources I value the role CTA plays in supporting and advocating for California’s public transit systems and the essential work we do.  It would be a privilege to represent the small operator community as a member of the Executive Committee, and an honor to have your vote.

Martin Erickson, Ventura County Transportation Commission

The combination of my work experience, education and deep understanding of California’s transit history and needs makes me uniquely qualified to serve on CTA’s Executive Committee representing Ventura County. As the Executive Director of the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC), I serve a 17-member board of directors that reflects Ventura County’s diverse transportation and transit needs. In many respects, Ventura County is a microcosm of California (with urban, rural, coastal, agricultural, and suburban elements). Finding and forging transportation solutions across our county has been a compelling challenge, yet we have achieved success despite the enormous challenges of the past few years.  My previous experience as a Deputy City Manager for the City of Oxnard also gives me an important understanding of the needs of cities, critical partners for CTA and for the renewal and re-birth of effective transit. Additionally, my thirty plus years of legislative advocacy ranging from chambers of commerce, transit districts, counties, cities, and now VCTC gives me a unique perspective having seen what’s worked well, and what has not, in California’s transit history. I also serve on the board of Mobility-21, southern California’s largest public/private partnership advocating for regional transportation and transit issues. While my communication and team building skills have allowed me to forge coalitions out of multiple stakeholders, often with competing interests, I believe my greatest strength is creativity through developing and implementing innovative mobility policies and practices. SB 125 requires innovative leadership and creative transit solutions to tackle our mobility challenges and as a member the CTA Executive Committee team I can help deliver those results. Thank you for your support.

Michael Tree, Golden Empire Transit District

I’m interested in serving on the CTA Executive Committee, representing the Small Size Operator caucus, for a variety of reasons, including the desire to continue using the influence of the CTA to push the Governor and Legislature to protect and enhance the ability of public transit to provide quality service.  I believe we will have unique opportunities and challenges moving forward and I’m up for the challenge of working collaboratively to make progress for our agencies and riders.  I also believe CTA should have geographic representation from a transit agency leader in the Southern end of the Central Valley.  I have nearly 30 years of public transit experience and hope for your vote.