Jason Williams

jwilliams@enquirer.com

Dwight Ferrell, the former Atlanta streetcar manager and executive for several large public transportation agencies across the U.S., has been named the new CEO and general manager of Greater Cincinnati's largest transit agency.

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority board approved the hiring at Tuesday's monthly meeting.

Ferrell replaces Terry Garcia Crews, who abruptly resigned in July.

Ferrell most recently was the top administrator of Fulton County, Georgia – Atlanta is the county seat – before reportedly being fired Oct. 1 after butting heads with the county's employees' union. He's also no stranger to controversial streetcar projects – having been abruptly removed from overseeing Atlanta's streetcar two years ago.

Ferrell arrives at a critical time for SORTA. Besides running the Metro bus system and its $93 million annual operating budget, the transit authority will take over operations and maintenance of Cincinnati's streetcar system. Metro also is in the process of trying to attract new riders and play a role in the city's efforts to lure Millennials to live and work in the urban core.

"We believe he understands the importance and impact transit can have on emerging communities and economic development," SORTA Chairman Jason Dunn said. "Dwight gets that we need the community, corporate partners and political stakeholders to fully be engaged and to do so, it will take relationship-building, trust, access and leadership. Frankly, he's a likable guy."

Challenges await Ferrell, 57, who was born in Cleveland and grew up in Dallas. Early next year, SORTA will have to decide whether to hire the local transportation union or an outside contractor to perform daily streetcar operations – a decision that could increase annual operating costs.

Metro leaders want to expand service across the region to help people better connect to jobs, but the agency needs local funding help from more than just the city of Cincinnati. Half of Metro's operating budget comes from city income tax payers, and Mayor John Cranley has said the transit authority needs help from neighboring cities and counties in order to better connect people to suburban job centers.

Ferrell said it's critical for him to establish relationships with political and business leaders across the region.

"My No. 1 priority is to be involved and not be isolated," Ferrell said. "First, let's engage so people can understand and value the transit system we have. Then we can talk about how to add to it. There has to be additional funding in order to expand, and I'd like to be part of that solution."

Ferrell describes himself as a "budget hawk."

"It's always my priority to bring a project in on time and on budget," he said. "Citizens pay taxes and want good service. I believe in delivering good performance."

Ferrell has been a public administrator for more than 30 years, having spent most of his career with public transportation agencies. He started his career as a bus driver in Dallas. He's held executive leadership and management roles with transit authorities in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, New Orleans and Austin, Texas.

Ferrell was Fulton County's manager for a year. Earlier this fall, the county's employees' union started calling for Ferrell to be fired because he was "unresponsive to its concerns," according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"I'm proud of the work I did in Fulton," Ferrell said. "There was only one individual who made an issue of it. My relationship has always been good with the unions. We don't always agree, but we've worked toward a common goal."

Ferrell previously spent four years with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), the ninth-largest public transit agency in the U.S. He was project manager for Atlanta's streetcar for two years, but he was abruptly removed from the job in September 2012.

Like the Cincinnati streetcar, the costs and merit of Atlanta's downtown rail project also have been a source of ongoing public debate.

"When the (previous) project director was released, I was asked to take on that role in addition to still being deputy general manager," Ferrell said Tuesday. "I went there to move the streetcar project forward out of crisis, and I did that. I was doing two jobs for two years, and it was a natural transition point."

Ferrell also was MARTA's chief operating officer. He was a candidate to be the agency's CEO and general manager, but resigned in late 2012 after MARTA hired someone else.

Follow Enquirer transportation watchdog Jason Williams on Twitter @jwilliamscincy.