The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and Marin Transit have made changes to their leadership staffs.
NCDOT appoints next secretary of transportation
NCDOT has appointed Daniel Johnson as secretary of transportation, assuming service on Oct. 1, 2025. Appointed to the office by North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, Johnson holds eight years of experience serving in senior executive roles at NCDOT, most recently as deputy secretary and general counsel.
The agency notes that Johnson’s service with NCDOT advances a career that has largely been in public service. Following his graduation from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he accepted a commission in the U. S. Navy and served as a surface warfare officer on the USS Blue Ridge.
Upon completion of his military service, Johnson worked for former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland, focusing on issues related to military affairs and veterans. After returning to UNC-Chapel Hill for his law degree, Johnson served as an assistant district attorney in Wake County before going into private practice.
Marin Transit announces the retirement of its general manager
Marin Transit announced the retirement of General Manager Nancy Whelan on Sept. 23. Whelan has served the agency for more than 11 years and committed over 45 years of her career to public transportation.
“Serving in this position has been a great honor, and I’m extremely proud of what Marin Transit has accomplished during my tenure,” Whelan said. “While we’ve faced many challenges over the past 11 years, especially in supporting our customers and the community during the COVID pandemic, we’ve also made historic progress towards a greener and more connected future. I am especially proud of the focus our board has placed on providing services to everyone in Marin - youth, older adults and individuals with disabilities.”
Under Whelan’s leadership, Marin Transit achieved significant milestones, including:
- The introduction of battery-electric buses in 2018.
- Acquiring its first property for fleet maintenance, enabling a zero-emission transition by 2040.
- Expanding mobility services for older adults and people with disabilities through Marin Access services.
- The development of the Marin Access Operations Facility at 3000 Kerner Boulevard.
- Bring back ridership after the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing pre-pandemic ridership by 10% in 2025.
“There is still far more to be done but I have full faith that our talented and highly motivated staff and leadership, working alongside our Marin County and state partners, will shepherd the agency into a successful new chapter,” Whelan added.
Whelan’s contributions to the agency were recognized with the WTS Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring her commitment to sustainable and equitable transit.
“Nancy’s leadership has shaped Marin Transit into a model of innovation and community focused transit service,” said Marin Transit Board of Directors President Eric Lucan. “Her dedication to expanding access, improving rider experience, fostering strong partnerships and mentoring the next generation of transit professionals has left a lasting impact on transit in Marin County. We are deeply grateful for her years of service and wish her all the best in retirement."
Whelan will retire as Marin Transit’s General Manager, effective Dec. 31, 2025.
About the Author
Noah Kolenda
Associate Editor
Noah Kolenda is a recent graduate from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism with a master’s degree in health and science reporting. Kolenda also specialized in data journalism, harnessing the power of Open Data projects to cover green transportation in major U.S. cities. Currently, he is an associate editor for Mass Transit magazine, where he aims to fuse his skills in data reporting with his experience covering national policymaking and political money to deliver engaging, future-focused transit content.
Prior to his position with Mass Transit, Kolenda interned with multiple Washington, D.C.-based publications, where he delivered data-driven reporting on once-in-a-generation political moments, runaway corporate lobbying spending and unnoticed election records.