First Transit General Manager Luis Gonzalez began his early transit career as an operator for the University of Massachusetts. While at UMass, he moved from operator to trainer. He then went on to become a driver supervisor and late, a radio operator.
Gonzalez joined First Transit after his UMass graduation in 2004. He held interim positions on Cape Cod in Manchester, New Hampshire, as well as Northampton and Springfield, Massachusetts, through the First Transit Management Associate Program.
In November 2004, Gonzalez was promoted to assistant general manager of the Spartanburg Area Regional Transit Agency (SPARTA) in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He served in that position for six years before being named the general manager in August 2010.
During his tenure at SPARTA, Gonzalez has completed numerous projects. He implemented a bus replacement program, which placed four new low-floor buses into service; negotiated a multi-year collective bargaining agreement; and worked on bids for a number of purchases involved with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) grants program, including a modern security surveillance system for the facility.
Gonzalez has been instrumental in bringing hybrid bus technology to the SPARTA system with the inclusion of this technology in the new low-floor transit buses. The SPARTA system strives to constantly improve its customer satisfaction and increase transit usage. He has embraced this with the addition of passenger amenities: the design of effective routes and schedules and by time spent with SPARTA customers to ensure their needs are met. Ridership in Spartanburg and satisfaction with the service are both on the rise as a result of his strong management and customer service skills.
SPARTA is a system with 11 buses and eight fixed routes serving the city of Spartanburg. Gonzalez takes a hands-on approach every day — managing the operations and maintenance of the system; fixing fareboxes and buses; handling all procurements; and FTA and SCDOT compliance.
Gonzalez is active in the Transit Association of South Carolina (TASC) and actively participates in federal and state meetings and learning opportunities. His ongoing rise up the ranks from his days at UMass to his 10 years with First Transit, demonstrate his commitment to hard work and continuous improvement.
“I enjoy the fact that every day is something different.”
“My time at UMass Transit really paved the way for me in public transit. The experience and knowledge I gained has been beneficial to my career.”
“I would like to see public transit used as the main mode of transportation throughout the country and to see the choice rider be the majority of the passengers on the vehicle.”
