VIA Metropolitan Transit President and CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt has been named one of the best CEOs in the region by the San Antonio Business Journal. Each year, the Journal selects outstanding C-Suite executives for recognition based on leadership and achievements in their professional careers and in the community. Honorees will be celebrated during an awards ceremony in September.
Arndt joined VIA as deputy CEO and chief of business support services in 2012. Today, he leads the agency that provides transportation services to 14 member cities in the Bexar County region, including San Antonio—the seventh-largest city in the nation.
“It’s an honor to be recognized among distinguished peers for doing work that is also my passion — connecting people to opportunity through safe, reliable public transit,” Arndt said. “With the direction of VIA’s Board of Directors, and the dedication of our VIA team, we are championing sustainable growth in our community and a vision for multimodal transit solutions for the future.”
C-Suite Award winners excel in leadership, vision, team building and integrity, according to the Business Journal. Arndt was selected for his commitment to diversity, his work for causes championed by the community, and his efforts to transform transit in the region.
During his tenure as head of VIA, Arndt has made investments in innovation a priority, introducing the nation’s first free high-speed WiFi service to be implemented systemwide for an agency VIA’s size. He has spearheaded modern passenger amenities, including a one-of-a-kind collaboration with the first all-digital library in the United States. In 2017, VIA began a full fleet conversion from diesel to Compressed Natural Gas vehicles, leading to a 97-percent reduction in NOx emissions, compared to the diesel buses they are replacing. By the end of 2017, VIA will have installed 1,000 new shelters throughout their service area, ensuring that 95 percent of boardings will happen at sheltered locations.
Arndt holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration from the University of Houston, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame. He currently serves on several boards, including the Texas Diversity Council, South West Transit Association (SWTA), and the Texas Transit Association.
