The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Board and SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards have agreed to a four-year contract extension that runs through January 2027.
“We are thrilled that Leslie will continue to lead SEPTA moving forward,” said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. “When Leslie came to SEPTA, she brought not only her expertise in transportation, but a vision for where she wanted to lead the authority. Her productive relationships with our funding partners in Harrisburg, as well as at the local and federal level, have served SEPTA well during what has been a very challenging time. This board is confident Leslie will continue to successfully advocate for the needs of SEPTA and the customers we serve.”
Richards started as SEPTA’s general Manager and cEO in January 2020, after serving as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) first female secretary. Among her accomplishments at PennDOT was the launch of the Transportation Investment Plan, a metric-driven strategic investment approach for the 12-Year Capital Program.
Just months into her SEPTA tenure, Richards began guiding the authority through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, she kept SEPTA focused on its core mission of providing critical transportation services for the city and region, both for the short- and long-term.
Richards, who previously served on the SEPTA Board, has been the driving force behind SEPTA Forward, the authority’s strategic plan – advancing major initiatives including Bus Revolution, Trolley Modernization and Reimagining Regional Rail. In addition, innovative programs such as SEPTA Key Advantage are helping with efforts to rebuild ridership and enhance mobility.
Richards has led efforts to implement a more equitable fare structure and prioritized capital improvement projects that are making the system more accessible for riders across all modes of travel. Internally, Richards has fostered a workplace environment that promotes efficiency, accountability, diversity, equity and inclusion.
“I am grateful to the board for its continued support, and I am excited about the opportunities that we have in front of us,” Richards said. “We continue to strive for a better SEPTA, one that our customers can count on to deliver service that is reliable, safe and secure. I am honored to have the opportunity to lead SEPTA’s talented and dedicated workforce in the coming years. We have accomplished a lot together, and I truly believe that the best is yet to come.”
