What Happens When You Inherit a Transit Crisis?
From Transit Unplugged by Paul Comfort, SVP Modaxo
May 20, 2026 · 25 min · Season 8 · Episode 81
About this episode
Steve Fuentes discusses his transition to CEO of Milwaukee County Transit System amidst a transit crisis.
When Steve Fuentes arrived as the new President & CEO of Milwaukee County Transit System, he stepped directly into a perfect storm: major service cuts, labor tensions, budget deficits, and the looming transit fiscal cliff. In this episode of Transit Unplugged, Steve joins Paul Comfort to discuss how his 30-year journey at the Chicago Transit Authority — from part-time bus operator to senior leadership — prepared him for one of the toughest leadership transitions in public transportation today. Steve shares how Milwaukee is confronting post-pandemic ridership realities, redesigning service for modern travel patterns, and preparing for a full transit network redesign with Jarrett Walker & Associates. He also discusses labor negotiations, safety strategies, public safety officers, open-loop payments, and why transit leaders need to prepare now for the next generation of executive opportunities. Plus: Bears vs. Packers, leadership books, music tastes, and lessons learned from the jump to the CEO seat. 00:00 Milwaukee Setup 01:33 Meet Steve Fuentes 01:38 Boston Summit Highlights 01:52 Nora and Leadership Lesson 03:09 CTA Career Journey 04:36 Why Take the CEO Leap 05:49 Chicago…
People in this episode
Host: Paul Comfort
Guest: Steve Fuentes
Topics covered
- transit crisis
- leadership transition
- public transportation
- service redesign
- labor negotiations
- budget deficits
Keywords
- transit crisis
- Milwaukee County Transit System
- leadership
- service redesign
- labor negotiations
- budget deficits
- public transportation
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Milwaukee County Transit System, Chicago Transit Authority, Jarrett Walker & Associates
Places: Milwaukee, Chicago
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