The Dallas Area Rapid Transit board of directors selected Florida transit executive Nathaniel Ford Sr. as the agency’s next CEO and president.
The board approved Ford’s contract on July 21 in a 9-4 vote, with some board members expressing concern about “red flags” and compensation.
The overview
Ford has served as CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority in Florida since 2012, according to a DART news release. Prior to his work in Florida, he served as CEO of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.
“Mr. Ford brings decades of executive leadership in public transportation, a proven record of organizational transformation and a deep understanding that transit is about much more than buses and trains,” DART Board Chair Randall Bryant said in the release. “Today, we are turning the page. The board has made its decision and now it’s time to get back to what matters most, serving the people of North Texas.”
A closer look
Several board members tried to delay the vote at the July 14 meeting to allow more time to vet the candidate, but the motion failed.
Ford answered questions from the board members during executive session in the July 21 meeting, which board member Doug Hrbacek said brought up additional concerns.
“In an effort to address the existing red flags with this candidate, questions have been asked and the answers have uncovered additional red flags,” said Hrbacek, who represents Carrollton and Irving.
Board member Enrique MacGregor, who represents Cockrell Hill and Dallas, said Ford has been subject to an “unusual” level of scrutiny. Although MacGregor said he could not share details of the board’s discussions with Ford, he said the issues included concerns about inappropriate spending, time in the office, trips, declining service levels and ridership and a potential conflict of interest.
“These so-called red flags are not red flags. We’ve had a chance to go through every single one of them,” MacGregor said. “I am satisfied that every single issue has been addressed and there is a rational explanation for each of them.”
Anthony Ricciardelli said he opposed the high salary proposed for Ford and could not support the employment contract “irrespective of the candidate.”
How we got here
Former CEO and president Nadine Lee stepped down from her position in March after close to five years as head of DART.
Her resignation came after three cities held elections in May to withdraw from DART, with only Highland Park voting to leave the transit agency. DART approved a new funding and governance plan earlier this year to share more revenue with its member cities and add more suburban representation on the board of directors.
“DART conducted the longest, most transparent president and CEO search in the history of this agency,” Bryant said at the July 21 meeting. “We found one of the most talented, sought-out transit executives.”
