The Victor Valley Transit Authority (VVTA) Board of Directors unanimously selected Nancie Goff as its new CEO after an extensive nationwide search. Goff will assume her new role on April 1 and will replace long-time CEO Kevin Kane, who is retiring after 24 years of providing valuable service to the agency.
Goff started as a clerk typist in 1994, rose through the ranks to COO and will transition to her newly appointed role as CEO next month.
“It’s a privilege to lead such an award-winning agency and to have the support of a board that is so dedicated to the benefits of public transportation within our communities," Goff said.
Goff’s role within VVTA was integral to the merger with Barstow Transit in 2016. This achievement led to the expansion of services to the community, bus upgrades, technology, equipment and passenger shelters for transit riders in Barstow, Calif.
"We want to express our heartfelt thanks to Kevin Kane, who has been a strong leader for Victor Valley Transit over the last 24 years”, stated VVTA Board Chair and City of Victorville Mayor Pro Tem Liz Becerra. “We are extremely fortunate to be bringing Nancie Goff on board, who will no doubt continue Kane’s strong leadership and direction while forging a new legacy of her own.”
As the executive director of VVTA, Kane arranged the finance and construction of a large, Gold and Silver LEED-certified transit facility with administrative offices, operations offices, a maintenance facility and covered parking for transit coaches. Under his leadership, VVTA created a consolidated transportation service agency that provided services to residents in Trona and Big River. These residents previously had no lifeline services to the court system and medical facilities in San Bernardino County. They created a volunteer driver program and a nationally recognized vehicle rental program. Kane led the way in transitioning his fleet and operations to zero-emissions and has 12 battery-electric buses (BEBs) providing transit services in the Victor Valley and Barstow communities.
Under Kane’s leadership, VVTA operates out of two facilities, the primary operations and maintenance facility in Hesperia and a second in Barstow. The agency has always been environmentally conscious, starting its transition to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueled buses in 1998 to reduce its Green House Gas emissions. By 2012, 100 percent of its’ fixed-route fleet was CNG, utilizing Renewable Natural Gas. After implementing the California Air Resources Board’s Innovative Clean Transit regulation (ICT), VVTA purchased its first BEBs in 2018 and put them into service in 2019. The agency is adding hydrogen fuel cell powered buses, with the goal of 100 percent of its' fixed-route fleet being zero emissions by 2035.
"Kane has had such a dedicated and outstanding career, a proven track record of leading this agency and having a strong voice within the industry. I will strive to build on his momentum in delivering outstanding transit service to our community,” Goff said.
Under the leadership of Goff, VVTA will continue to focus on building ridership by bringing focus to, and being responsive to, the needs of the community. The agency is set to launch a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) this year that will involve outreach to current and potential customers, drivers, staff and stakeholders. The COA will study opportunities for improving services while being responsible with taxpayers’ dollars. The study will include the immediate and future needs of transit in our communities. In addition, VVTA will continue to expand its Micro-Link transit service and look for more ways to provide fare-free transportation for area students.
With the selection of Goff as CEO of the VVTA, all transit agencies in the nation’s largest geographic county are now led by women, which is a historic first. Goff joins Erin Rogers (Omnitrans), Cheryl Sallis (City of Needles Transit Services), Cheri Holsclaw (Basin Transit), and Sandy Benson (Mountain Transit) in leading the five transit agencies in San Bernardino County. Never before have all five agencies had women in the top leadership or managerial role at the same time.
“It’s such an honor to serve VVTA and to be grouped alongside these remarkable women. I look forward to building on our momentum for delivering outstanding transit service,” Goff said.
Goff is a native of the Victor Valley and was born at the former George Air Force Base. She has been part of this community her whole life. Goff has three decades of experience in the transit industry. Before her career in transit, she attended Victor Valley College and graduated with degrees in Business Management and Liberal Arts.
