The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) have made new appointments to their respective leadership teams.
AC Transit appoints new general manager (GM) and CEO
The AC Transit Board of Directors has appointed Salvador “Sal” Llamas as its new GM and CEO.
AC Transit says Llamas’ appointment follows an extensive national search led by Krauthamer & Associates, a firm with over 50 years of experience placing executives across transit, aerospace, financial services, technology, banking, defense, healthcare and education sectors. The selection process also included listening sessions with communities, as well as with employees – whose input helped shape the priorities and desired leadership qualities for the transit district's next general manager.
"Each finalist for the GM-CEO position demonstrated strong strategic leadership and vision. However, what set Mr. Llamas apart was his well-established relationship with our diverse workforce of approximately 2,300 employees, as well as his deep familiarity with the Bay Area and its unique transit demands," said AC Transit Board President Diane Shaw. "As AC Transit's chief operating officer, he has shown a comprehensive understanding of our operating and capital budgets – an asset critical to ensuring the district's immediate and long-term stability. With the new fiscal year ushering in a period of undeniable transition, the board recognized the need for a solutions-oriented executive who can guide us through ongoing fiscal challenges with agility and foresight. We are confident that Mr. Llamas brings all these qualities and more to his new role as GM-CEO."
Llamas has been a member of AC Transit since 2012 when he joined as director of maintenance, later rising to COO in 2017. During the past 13 years, AC Transit says he has delivered measurable results, including a nearly 10 percent improvement in on-time performance and a 43 percent reduction in accident rates. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Llamas served as incident commander for the district’s emergency operations center, guiding AC Transit through one of its most challenging periods.
He led major strategic initiatives, including the development of the transit asset management plan, the public transportation agency safety plan and the 5X5 Study, which is now considered a definitive roadmap for transit agencies transitioning to zero emission fleets.
"I am deeply honored by the board's confidence in me as the new GM and CEO. While AC Transit faces challenges ahead, I will rely on the core principles of 'improvise, adapt and overcome' as we begin this next chapter in transit," Llamas said. "My time with the district has only strengthened my resolve that our bus lines are essential lifelines, driving the success of the East Bay. That success takes a team, and AC Transit is home to some of the most ingenious professionals in the industry. Although the pandemic has shifted rider demands, it will not shift our time-honored commitment to equitable, reliable, accessible and, most importantly, affordable transit. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue our shared mission as general manager.”
Llamas holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and an array of leadership certifications, including the American Public Transportation Association, Eno Center for Transportation and the National Transit Institute. He is also dedicated to fostering new transit careers through his active involvement with Latinos in Transit.
Llamas will officially assume the role of general manager on May 15, 2025.
Santa Clara VTA appoints new director of strategy and transformation
Santa Clara VTA has appointed Sam Sargent as director of strategy and transformation.
Sargent brings over a decade of public transportation experience to this new role, which will focus on strategic board priorities, regional and ridership growth initiatives and organizational development.
Most recently, he served as director of strategy and policy at Caltrain, as the railroad completed its $2.4 billion electrification program. Sargent also led regional coordination for Caltrain, plus the ridership growth strategy initiative.
Prior to his move to the Bay Area, Sargent worked in a number of leadership roles at CapMetro in Austin, Texas. His work included the successful Project Connect property tax measure and the creation of the Austin Transit Partnership to deliver a multi-billion package of projects, including light rail.
A lawyer and planner by training, Sargent is a graduate of Boston University School of Law and served in various capacities for U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) before getting his start in public transportation.
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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.
