Michael Bolton, deputy executive director of strategic services at Pace Suburban Bus, retired this month after a long and successful public transportation career. Bolton has more than 40 years of management experience in transit, having served as the executive director or general manager at three transit agencies; the program director of the Transit Operations Group at North Carolina State University’s Institute for Transportation, Research and Education; a principal with Multisystems Inc., a transit software and consulting company; and as vice president for business improvement at ATC/NEC (now Veolia Transit), then the second largest transit management firm in North America.
In his long career, Bolton has been a leader in introducing technology to transit. His Ann Arbor team deployed the first low floor fixed route transit vehicles in service in the United States. The same team developed the first smart bus specification, which eventually led to the development of the national standards that are the foundation of Pace’s Intelligent Bus System (IBS). At Multisystems, Bolton and his colleagues delivered a product that allowed a number of transit agencies to dispatch their schedules according to rules-based software. He was also part of the team that developed and delivered the Intelligent Transportation Systems training course for transit systems. At ATC/NEC Mike led the corporate effort to use a GE-like workout program to reduce the daily cost of operations and deliver increased profit to the corporation.
Of Bolton’s many accomplishments during his 13 years as deputy executive director at Pace, one that may have effected the most fundamental change in the way Pace plans service was his commitment to incorporating the analysis of accurate, thoughtfully collected data into every service restructuring and implementation. This strategy has led to service that better reflects the needs of Pace’s diverse market and landscape. Using this style of data-based, planning, Bolton brought innovation to Pace service through the successful introduction of non-traditional services like Call-n-Rides, RideShare, and fixed-route services operated with smaller buses to maintain fiscally viable service in less dense service areas. Bolton led the way to a modern restructuring approach in which routes aren’t simply eliminated to pave the way for new service, but are modified to maintain productive route segments while allowing service to adapt and grow to meet modern market demands.
Bolton carried his strong belief in data-driven decision making into his role as Pace’s project manager for the Ventra fare system implementation. The conversion of Pace’s aging fare system to Ventra brought Pace into the age of modern technology with an account-based fare system that works across all regional transit services and puts the customer experience first and foremost in design and function. The importance of the customer experience was a driving force in many of the projects Bolton drove forward during his career, including the service design for Pace’s Pulse rapid transit program, Bus-on-Shoulder program, and I-90 Market Expansion.
Bolton stayed on the forefront of consumer and community needs with Pace’s Triennial Customer Service Index survey program and was unwavering in his promotion of Pace’s Transit Supportive Guidelines to facilitate better public transportation access for residents. His advocacy for more efficient service is evident in his dedication to securing funding for and implementing Transit Signal Priority along many Pace corridors. Bolton also worked diligently with CMAP and to secure funding to expand service along the I90 corridor with 25 new vehicles, new bus routes, and three new Park-n-Rides. This project also included coordination with the Illinois Tollway on millions of dollars in transit supportive infrastructure investments.
Beginning with his college job as CTA bus operator along Archer Avenue and his days at the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) in its formative years, Bolton has lived his life in service to others. He has been a valuable member on many American Public Transportation Association (APTA) committees and has traveled extensively across the globe on behalf of transit in this country. His leadership and innovative spirit will be missed at Pace.
Bolton’s departure marks the end of one era and the beginning of another. Pace has announce the promotion of Lorraine Snorden to deputy executive director of strategic services at Pace Suburban Bus. Snorden brings a wealth of experience to this position where her energy and enthusiasm for public service will surely mean great things for Pace. Snorden has over 35 years of experience in transportation planning with increasing responsibility at all levels of Pace operations, including supervision and management. Snorden received her Bachelor’s Degree from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and conducted Master’s Degree work in Public Administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Snorden is a hands-on manager whose strengths include long range and short range visioning expertise; ability to apply planning issues to both operating and financial scenarios; project management, problem-solving, and decision-making. She’s been an integral part of many significant Pace projects, including system-wide service restructuring plans, community transit planning, Pace’s transit signal priority program in cooperation with regional stakeholders, the development of shoulder riding projects, development and implementation of ART/express bus corridors, and the development of locally-based fixed route system with regional connectivity.
In her most recent role as department manager of planning services, Snorden oversaw 20 planners who design, implement and schedule the suburban bus network in the most efficient and effective manner. Her team is responsible for forecasting manpower, assembling statistics on performance of service, quarterly service evaluation, on-time performance, new technologies, and long range and strategic planning.
In her new role, Snorden will continue to lead Pace’s planning team, but will take on the responsibility of managing Pace’s service analysis, market research, graphics, and rideshare departments. The deputy executive director of strategic services drives Pace’s strategic vision and works to secure resources and support for the growth of transit service in the region.
