After a 30-plus year career in the public transit industry, AVTA Executive Director Julie Austin has announced her retirement. She will leave the agency in early April of this year.
Austin joined AVTA as interim executive director on December 6, 2010, and was permanently appointed to the position on May 2, 2011. She is the third executive director to lead the agency since it was created in 1992. Under Austin’s direction, the transit system has flourished, with a long list of accomplishments that include improved financial accounting, enhanced customer communications, implementation of a “smart” bus system, and development of a ten year plan for growth.
“Julie’s leadership helped us manage through some complex and challenging conditions here at AVTA,” stated Board Chair Norm Hickling. “She leaves this agency a stronger, more efficient organization that is well prepared to fulfill our vision of improving mobility and serving as a catalyst for economic opportunity for those who live, visit, or work in the communities we serve.”
Austin’s extensive experience in the transit industry shepherded the agency toward excellence in financial reporting, with clean financial audits for the last three years, and numerous awards for exemplary work. In 2011 and 2012, Austin oversaw an $11 million expansion project of the AVTA facility that was completed on time and within budget. Austin’s engaging management style effectively motivated the entire AVTA staff to perform at a higher level. Under her guidance, AVTA has received industry recognition, including a Small Operator Excellence Award for 2011 from the California Transit Association, multiple First Place and Grand Prize AdWheel awards for marketing and advertising programs from the American Public Transportation Association, and the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.
“I’ve achieved my primary goal at AVTA, which was to fine-tune the business practices so that a new CEO could step in seamlessly, without any service or process interruptions,” said Austin. “AVTA is well positioned financially and organizationally to provide excellent service to its customers. I am thankful to the Board, staff and community for their energy, vision and dedication to continuous improvement.”
Her strong leadership supported the implementation of AVTA’s current electric bus demonstration project. In 2013, Supervisor Mike Antonovich and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors provided $1.9 million to the agency for the purchase of two zero-emission, all-electric buses from local manufacturer BYD. Austin has taken this project one step further by leading the agency in its effort to install wireless inductive charging for the electric buses. This project is now in the planning stages and is on the cutting edge of zero emission bus technology.
A proponent of partnerships, Austin is credited with immersing AVTA into the community as a valued and respected partner that supports local endeavors and participates in non-profit events in the region. During her tenure, several new programs were guided to fruition such as a Track-it, a real-time bus location information system, the Travel Training Program, and most recently, the Employment Travel Program, which provides curb-to-curb transportation to valley residents traveling to job interviews and employment centers.
Hickling reflected on the positive changes Austin’s leadership has brought to the transit agency. “Back in 2011, Julie spearheaded development of the agency’s Vision and Values,” said Hickling. “Today, in 2015, AVTA is a nationally recognized leader in public transportation, and the credit goes to Julie’s dedication and commitment to our core mission.”
Austin retires with more than 30 years of experience in public transportation and policy development.
Through the decades, she has served in numerous positions including as the executive director for Foothill Transit for eight years. Under her leadership, Foothill Transit, the second largest transit agency in Los Angeles County, was a two-time winner of the American Public Transportation Association’s Outstanding Transit System Award. She also worked at other agencies in executive management capacities and spent several years as a transportation consultant to agencies such as LA Metro, Long Beach Transit and Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus, focusing on transit performance, fare structure analysis, and funding issues. Austin’s contributions to the transit industry have earned her Congressional recognition.
Retirement holds promise for Austin who is looking forward to spending more time with her family at her home in Carlsbad, California.
