Safety, Strategy, and Career Paths — Transit Leaders Share It All Live from ThinkTransit

About this episode

Transit CEOs discuss safety, growth, and leadership challenges in public transportation during a live roundtable at the ThinkTransit Conference.

How Transit CEOs Are Tackling Safety, Growth, and Leadership — Live from ThinkTransit This week on Transit Unplugged , we take you live to Boston for a special CEO Roundtable recorded at the ThinkTransit Conference—featuring four of the most influential leaders in public transportation today. Host Paul Comfort sits down with: Jay Fox — Executive Director, Utah Transit Authority Nora Leerhsen — Acting President, Chicago Transit Authority Richard A. Davey — CEO, Massport (former MBTA & NYC Transit leader) Harry Wilson — Chair & CEO, MV Transportation Recorded in front of a live audience of transit professionals, this candid conversation explores what it really takes to lead large-scale transit systems in 2026. What You’ll Learn Leadership Paths to the Top From law and finance to teaching and federal service, each CEO shares the unconventional journey that led them to the top—and what they learned along the way. What CEOs Actually Do Running a major transit system isn’t just operations—it’s politics, people, culture, and constant decision-making at scale. The Reality of Safety in Transit A powerful, nuanced discussion on safety—from frontline presence and policing to the…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Comfort

Guests: Jay Fox, Nora Leerhsen, Richard A. Davey, Harry Wilson

Topics covered

• Transit leadership
• Safety in transit
• Career paths
• Public transportation
• Team performance
• Growth strategies

Keywords

• transit leadership
• safety
• career paths
• public transportation
• team performance
• growth strategies
• ThinkTransit

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Utah Transit Authority, Chicago Transit Authority, Massport, MV Transportation

Places: Boston

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