Edward F. King, current executive director of the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority, has been chosen to replace Stephanie Negriff as Santa Monica’s new director of the Big Blue Bus, the City’s system of public transportation.
“Ed King is an exceptional manager with a proven track record in operations management and transportation planning for several large organizations,” said City Manager Rod Gould in a statement announcing the appointment on July 21. “He brings in-depth experience ranging from transit system improvements focusing on service quality and reliability, to strategic transit service planning. He is known for strong management, staff development, and budgeting skills.”
During his tenure as executive director of the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority, he oversaw all regional and fixed route transit services as well as the capital program for procurement of buses, para-transit vehicles, trolleys, and bus stop amenities. He focused on operational and funding management improvements including increasing system-wide ridership and on-time performance. Before becoming director of the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority, King was deputy director of Valley Metro Regional Public Transit Authority in Phoenix, Ariz. where he oversaw transit operations, fleet and facility maintenance, customer service, and capital programs. He also served as vice president, operations, and system security for Long Beach Transit; deputy executive director for operations for Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority in Clearwater, Fla.; general manager of operations for Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority for Tampa, Fla.; and deputy director North Suburban Mass Transit District of Des Plaines, Ill.
“I am honored to have been selected as the next director of the Big Blue Bus for the City of Santa Monica,” said King. “I look forward to establishing collaborative relationships with our stakeholders as well as working with the City and Big Blue Bus employees to provide transportation services that improve and enhance the quality of life for the residents and visitors of the City.”
King received a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from Roosevelt University, in Chicago. He and his wife have three grown children.
As Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus director, King will receive a base salary of $182,040. The Big Blue Bus Department has 419 employees; and an annual budget of $58.9 million. It oversees transit service delivery to over 22 million customers a year, and a system that spans 52 square miles across the most densely populated area of Los Angeles County. The appointment follows a nationwide recruitment that attracted more than 50 candidates and interviews with seven finalists over the past month.
