Darrell Johnson
Chief Executive Officer
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), CA
Member, APTA Board of Directors, Bus and Paratransit CEOs and High-Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail committees

How many people are employed at your agency? Please describe its scope.
The Orange County Transportation Authority is the county’s primary transportation agency, with about 1,500 employees and a $1.26 billion annual budget. With 34 cities and more than 3 million residents, OCTA’s mission is to keep Orange County moving with a range of services and programs including bus service, Metrolink rail service, funding for freeway and street improvements, the 91 Express Lanes toll road, rideshare and vanpool options, active transportation planning, taxicab administration and motorist services, and administration of the county’s half-cent sales tax for transpor­tation improvements (Measure M).

Our buses carry more than 52 million passengers annually, while Metrolink averages more than 4 million boardings annually in Orange County. The 91 Express Lanes handled more than 12 million trips last year and more than 44 million passenger trip miles were recorded through our vanpool program.

How long have you worked in the public transportation industry?
My career in transportation spans 22 years, with the last 10 years at OCTA. Prior to being selected by the board as CEO in March 2013, I served as the deputy CEO, the executive director of rail programs, and I held ­positions in planning, programming, project development, and capital program delivery. Before joining OCTA, I worked at Amtrak for 12 years, holding positions in operations, planning, and finance.

How long have you been an APTA member?
I’ve been involved with APTA since coming to OCTA 10 years ago.

What drew you to a career in public transportation?
I was studying political science in college and what intrigued me most was the development of the urban fabric—the mix of housing, schools, and of course, transportation. As an impressionable ­student, I thought, “Wow, you can actually make a career of planning those things and improving that urban fabric.” My interest ­gravitated toward transportation, with the thought that if you could improve transportation in any urban environment, everything else would be easier. Businesses would thrive because it would be easier for employees and customers to access them. Parents could get their kids to soccer practice on time or home faster for dinner. Those parents wouldn’t hesitate to enjoy the city because it would be fun and easy to get where they were going.

What have you found to be the most valuable APTA benefit or resource?
Working with transportation officials from across the country and understanding the perspective of the entire industry has been incredibly valuable when it comes to issues such as the use of alternative fuels or bus axle weights, safety, technology, finance, and so on. Having those discussions allows you to step back and see the big picture. Peer reviews are another valuable resource that APTA offers. One of my first actions as CEO was to initiate a peer review of our health, safety, and environ­mental compliance. Led by APTA, a team of industry experts with combined experience of more than 100 years was assembled to ensure that we are creating the safest ­atmosphere for our passengers and employees.

What do you like most about your job?
I like that I get to lead efforts to solve transportation puzzles and to overcome obstacles to build better systems that make communities easier to access. I’m privileged to be involved in projects from the initial planning to the end of construction, when you see how a project has improved the quality of life for people. I also like that no matter where I go or who I meet in Orange County, I know that I’m working for an agency that is helping people—whether they are aware of it or not.

What is unique about your agency? What would readers be surprised to learn?
Because OCTA deals with so many areas of transportation, I think that there are many factors that might be surprising.
For instance, we own more than 1,100 acres of preserved open space with ­habitat and species that are threatened or endangered. And we’ve already allocated up to $58 million to improve water quality in Orange County. This is all through our ­Measure M Environmental Mitigation Program, which dedicates funding for open space preservation and restoration and urban runoff reduction as mitigation for our freeway construction program.

Readers also might not know that OCTA owns the 10-mile 91 Express Lanes toll road, which has experienced more than 100 million trips since 2003, and that we administer the county’s taxi service.

OCTA also oversees the Freeway Service Patrol, a team of tow trucks that offers motorists on our freeways a free tow, a jumpstart, or a gallon of gas. This is all part of our vision to create an integrated and balanced transportation system that supports the diverse travel needs and reflects the character of Orange County.

Make sure you see Darrell Johnson's video, now that you've read this!