David Dech has been named by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) Governing Board to be executive director of the agency starting Aug. 15. The board approved Dech as executive director at its June meeting. He follows former Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven L. Abrams, who will complete 12 years of service with SFRTA and will remain onboard for a 30-day transition period at the request of the board.
Dech currently serves as vice president of rail operations for Capital Metro in Austin, Texas, where he helped open a new downtown station and complete the construction of five passing rail sidings. One of the key projects he worked on during his time at CapMetro was successfully completing the installation of Positive Train Control (PTC). When Dech joined CapMetro in March 2018, the agency’s PTC system was in the design phase; Dech moved it through final implementation four months ahead of the mandated federal deadline while maintaining on-time performance for commuter service.
Prior to joining CapMetro, Dech served more than two decades with Class 1 freight railroad CSX. He is a fourth-generation railroader and started his career as a switchman. He progressed through the ranks, gaining experience in several aspects of rail operations, maintenance and design, including in yards.
SFMTA says Dech joins during “a pivotal time” as the authority prepares to expand Tri-Rail service into downtown Miami.
“We expect Mr. Dech’s rail operations experience to play a key role in securing the future success of Tri-Rail in South Florida,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel A. Regalado, who chairs the SFRTA Board.
