People on the move: San Joaquin RTD, MCTS, Idaho Transportation Department

The San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD), Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) and the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) have announced changes to their respective leadership teams.    

San Joaquin RTD appoints next interim CEO

The San Joaquin RTD Board has appointed Bearnard Veasley as its next interim CEO, effective immediately. The agency notes Veasley is a military veteran who has more than 30 years of leadership in transportation operations, logistics and public service. His appointment follows the recent departure of former Interim CEO Kimberly Turner.

A San Joaquin RTD Board Spokesperson said that Veasley “has managed large, complex transportation systems and delivered results in safety, reliability and efficiency. He is ready to step in on day one and provide the steady leadership [San Joaquin] RTD needs.”

Veasley has led transportation operations across multiple large school districts. At Stockton Unified School District, he oversaw service for more than 36,000 students and managed a 150-bus fleet and workforce. He also led operations in Simi Valley Unified and McKenzie County School District, managing fleet performance, compliance, budgeting and service delivery across large geographic areas.

MCTS names next COO

MCTS has named Brian Wojcik as its next COO. He brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across public transportation, public safety and financial services. Most recently, he served as senior manager of bus operations at the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), overseeing a workforce of more than 600 employees across dozens of bus routes, managing regulatory compliance, labor relations, budget oversight and service delivery.  

Prior to joining CTA, he served for a decade as a police officer and held a licensed financial advisory role at Prudential Financial. He succeeds Kevin Pumphrey, who is retiring after 28 years of service to MCTS.

“We are excited to welcome Brian to MCTS and bring his wealth of knowledge and operational leadership experience to Milwaukee County,” said MCTS President and CEO Steve Fuentes. “At the same time, we extend our deepest appreciation to Kevin Pumphrey for his 28 years of dedicated service as COO and beyond. Kevin’s deep institutional knowledge and history with MCTS have made him an invaluable asset, and he will be greatly missed.”  

Wojcik holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Benedictine University and has completed leadership development programs at DePaul University and FEMA Incident Command Systems training. His first day at MCTS will be April 27.

ITD Director to retire

Scott Stokes will be retiring on June 30 as the director of the IDT. Stokes has served ITD for 35 years.

Stokes was appointed as ITD’s director in May 2022, having served as the department’s chief deputy for 15 years prior. He began his career at ITD in 1991 and has held various positions, including state bridge engineer and district engineer in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for over a decade. Under his leadership, the department experienced significant increases in transportation funding.

“Director Stokes led the department during an unprecedented period of investment in Idaho’s transportation infrastructure through the Leading Idaho initiative, delivering projects that will strengthen our economy and benefit communities for generations,” said Idaho Gov. Brad Little. “Scott understood that strategic transportation investments are about more than roads and bridges—they are the backbone of economic prosperity, connecting Idaho businesses to markets, supporting workforce growth and keeping our state competitive. His decades of service reflect a deep commitment to building a safer, more efficient transportation system that supports opportunity across every region of Idaho.”

Stokes notes that he has “been most fortunate to be part of this very dedicated team who serves Idaho in transportation during a great period of growth and need and the support of our governor, legislature and transportation board has allowed us to make long lasting improvements.”