One word to describe yourself: Pragmatic
Alma Mater: University of Central Florida
Fast fact about yourself: I have been an electric guitar player for over 20 years.
What’s your best experience on transit and what made it memorable? Being on the first Tri-Rail train to service MiamiCentral Station was a very memorable and exciting experience.
Vince Sciullo, project manager of public affairs, South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), has enhanced Tri-Rail’s visibility, increased customer engagement and contributed to its overall success since 2014. His expertise in marketing, public relations and collaboration ensures Tri-Rail’s strategies align with SFRTA’s organizational goals and support the regional public transportation vision. His hands-on involvement in website management, public engagement, surveys and regional mobility events enhances the customer experience and promotes sustainable transportation.
Sciullo joined SFRTA in 2014 as a corporate and community relations liaison, where he played a role in strengthening SFRTA's engagement with businesses, organizations and communities served. As the outreach team evolved, his role expanded, leading and developing strategic partnerships and supporting agency initiatives. He was promoted to project manager of public affairs to lead marketing projects, manage stakeholder communications and enhance the agency’s visibility through public engagement initiatives.
He also collaborates with internal teams to ensure that outreach efforts effectively support SFRTA’s strategic goals. His ability to coordinate across SFRTA's departments ensures that all marketing and service programs result in cohesive, effective campaigns that reflect Tri-Rail’s broader mission and objectives in response to the community’s needs and expectations. He has been a key team member in the promotion of the new service into downtown Miami, in the implementation of first-last mile services at Tri-Rail stations and in the coordination efforts to update, test and launch a new mobile application, among other projects.
Sciullo is responsible for planning, coordinating and executing a variety of marketing campaigns that promote Tri-Rail’s services and initiatives. His strategic approach has significantly increased Tri-Rail awareness and ridership, directly contributing to the growth and success of the organization. His creative approach to promotions has expanded Tri-Rail’s reach, both within the community and in the broader transit industry.
He also regularly attends public meetings and forums and supports customers who are new to the system, providing them with the information and assistance they need to navigate the transit network smoothly. Sciullo also helps design, execute and analyze rider surveys, using public feedback to inform the agency’s marketing and operational strategies. Additionally, he collaborates with partner transit agencies to coordinate and participate in regional mobility events, further strengthening Tri-Rail’s connections with the broader regional transportation network.
Sciullo is actively involved in the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) Florida Young Leaders group. As vice chair of public transportation for CNU Florida Young Leaders since January 2024, he has worked to promote sustainable, walkable urban spaces through educational tours and events across the SFRTA service area (Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, Fla.). His leadership in this organization reflects his broader commitment to advancing public transportation and urban mobility in South Florida.
He is also actively involved in local transit advocacy organizations, including the Transit Alliance in Miami-Dade and Better Streets Broward, as well as transportation demand management organizations like WPB Go in the city of West Palm Beach. He advocates for walkable streets, bikeable neighborhoods, better public transit, mixed-use zoning, parking reform and more in the tri-county region.
Sciullo holds a social marketing in transportation certification from the Center for Urban Transportation Research and an MBA in management from Nova Southeastern University, along with a Bachelor of Science in marketing from the University of Central Florida.
Is there a specific experience that led you to where you are today?
After moving back home to South Florida after college, my first job required a very long highway drive. The commute was miserable, and I couldn’t believe people tolerated this every day. It got me thinking for the first time about public transit, so when I started working at Tri-Rail a year or so later, I immediately understood and appreciated the value premium transit provides a community. It’s been a gradual progression of learning from colleagues, regularly riding the system and talking with the public about how to make the system better that I attribute to my professional development.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I really enjoy that each day can be pretty dynamic. Some days I’m out in the community talking with riders or helping support our partner agencies’ efforts to promote various plans, programs or new services and other days I’m working on projects with my colleagues to improve the customer experience. Our public affairs team work closely alongside all our agency departments such as planning, IT and operations. You get a very wholistic view on how a transit agency operates with so much cross-departmental collaboration. There’s always a new project or challenge to tackle.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
I think with any public sector job, you have to balance the desire to implement improvements quickly, with all the various governmental approvals required and ever-changing political climate. Sometimes that means an effort you’re really passionate about, even one your riders are asking for, ultimately doesn’t come to fruition. You have to be nimble enough to pivot and not take things personally.
What is the accomplishment you’re most proud of and why?
I’m most proud of SFRTA’s efforts to deliver Tri-Rail service into MiamiCentral Station in downtown Miami. It was truly a team effort. The project was very complex and had no shortage of hurdles. Playing a small part in a project of such scale and regional significance was a very rewarding professional milestone.
What is an accomplishment you would like to work towards in your career?
In the short term, I’m excited to work on delivering improvements to Tri-Rail’s passenger information systems, website and mobile app, fare structure and payment systems. I think many of us who work for transit agencies would say that being part of new lines and station openings are a career highlight, so I’m hoping to be part of many more of those in the future.
What is your best advice/tip/best practice you can share from your area of expertise?
I think that regardless of what department or area of expertise you work in for a transit agency, the number one thing I recommend is to be a regular rider of your system. This is critical for those of us in the marketing/outreach/public affairs space. You need to meet your riders where they are, so you can see and feel what they experience every day. This will be your best guide in how to tackle problems and provide effective solutions.
About the Author
Brandon Lewis
Associate Editor
Brandon Lewis is a recent graduate of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Lewis is a former freelance editorial assistant at Vehicle Service Pros in Endeavor Business Media’s Vehicle Repair Group. Lewis brings his knowledge of web managing, copyediting and SEO practices to Mass Transit Magazine as an associate editor. He is also a co-host of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast.