Houston, Texas – Paul Jablonski, chief executive officer of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), was recognized as the outstanding public transportation manager in 2014 by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
“The San Diego region is exceptionally lucky to have Paul leading the public transportation effort,” said Harry Mathis, chairman of the MTS Board of Directors. “MTS has never been in better shape in terms of vehicles, facilities and sustainability. Thanks to Paul, MTS is one of the nation’s most efficient transit agencies and it is poised to meet the challenge of providing transportation choices of the future.”
The award was presented to Jablonski at APTA’s annual meeting and EXPO in Houston. APTA is an international association advancing public transportation and representing more than 1,500 public and private sector organizations. APTA members are engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne passenger services and high-speed rail. The award was based on Jablonski’s contributions to the transportation industry and for the achievements he has made over his 11-year career as the chief executive of MTS. APTA also cited his outstanding leadership over his 45 years in the public transportation business, both in the public and private sectors.
Jablonski joined MTS in 2003, shortly after many of the administrative and planning functions were transferred to the San Diego Association of Governments. Among his major accomplishments since then are:
• Setting a record for ridership in FY 2014 with more than 95 million trips.
• Leading a capital improvement program that includes a $660 million Trolley Renewal project, an on-going bus procurement process to get more than 80 percent of the fleet on compressed natural gas and the rebuilding of two major bus maintenance facilities.
• Launching a new network of Rapid bus service.
• Reorganizing MTS to consolidate functions with bus and Trolley divisions under the MTS umbrella.
• Leading a market-driven redesign of the entire bus network, resulting in an annual savings of $9 million and a 9.6 percent increase in ridership.
• Directing a preventative maintenance program that increased the average distance between road maintenance calls for buses from just 2,500 miles to nearly 12,000 miles.
• Renegotiating 14 labor contracts without a work stoppage.
• Reducing pension costs for management and represented employees.
• Helping MTS earn APTA’s Most Outstanding Transit Agency of the year in 2009/2010.
“I am proud of this award,” Jablonski said. “I am even more proud of the team of professionals at MTS that make our system the very best it can be for our passengers.”
MTS operates 93 bus routes and three Trolley lines on 53 miles of double-tracked railway. Every day there are about 300,000 passenger trips taken on MTS bus and Trolley services. For more information on how to use public transportation and save money, visit www.sdmts.com.
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Photo (from left to right):
MTS Chairman Harry Mathis, MTS CEO Paul Jablonski, MTS Vice Chairman Ron Roberts
