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TransLink has named a new chief executive officer.
On Tuesday, TransLink announced the appointment of Kevin Quinn as the regional transit authority’s top boss following an international search. He replaces Kevin Desmond, who stepped down in February after nearly five years to return to the United States.
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Like Desmond, who was general manager for King County Metro Transit in Seattle before arriving in B.C., Quinn is from the U.S. He is the CEO and administrator of the Maryland Transit Administration, a post he has held since 2017.
VANCOUVER The new CEO of Metro Vancouver s transit provider is an American executive who will focus on post-pandemic recovery, TransLink says. The company announced its new hire Tuesday in a news release. Kevin Quinn, who will take over in mid-July as TransLink s CEO, is currently in that role for the Maryland Transit Administration. The system he s been serving includes buses, subway, light rail, paratransit and commuter bus and rail, and has strong parallels to TransLink, the company said. When Quinn takes over, he will lead the company in its post-pandemic recovery, TransLink said. The emphasis at that time will be rebuilding ridership, achieving financial sustainability, supporting employees and continuing to deliver a reliable and thriving transportation system for Metro Vancouver.
Quinn first joined the MTA in 2014 and became its CEO in 2017. It is the 13th largest public transit system in the United States, with modes such as subway, LRT, commuter rail, and bus services.
“We look forward to welcoming Kevin Quinn to the TransLink enterprise, which will benefit from his bold, innovative, and customer-centred approach to leadership,” said Tony Gugliotta, chair of TransLink’s board of directors, in a statement.
“As TransLink prepares to welcome back more customers to transit and launch a robust ridership recovery plan, we are thrilled to have Kevin lead TransLink into its next chapter.”
During his time with Maryland’s public transit authority, he focused on passenger experience, oversaw real-time tracking technology for bus and commuter rail services, introduced a mobile payment app, oversaw a complete overhaul and rebranding of the core transit system, introduced new high-frequency bus routes, and oversaw multi-billion dollar transit expansion p
The subway is a continuous westward extension of the existing Millennium Line from VCC-Clark Station to a new terminus station at Arbutus Street. Six underground stations will be built along the 5.7-km-long route, including a major interchange hub to the Canada Line at Broadway-City Hall Station.
“This is an exciting milestone for a critical infrastructure project that will transform the way people travel in and around the Broadway corridor and create good-paying jobs to support BC’s economic recovery,” said Rob Fleming, BC Minster of Transportation and Infrastructure, in a statement.
“Investments in public transit infrastructure are crucial to improving commute times, reducing carbon pollution and laying the foundation for strong economic growth.”
One initiative so far is a shuttle service from Capilano Mall to the ICBC vaccination site for people with mobility issues due to a lack of vehicle parking. This initiative will end today.
Next week, as another initiative, TransLink buses will be used to shuttle about 200 low-income seniors with mobility challenges preventing them from getting to their appointments. The public transit authority notes that many seniors are feeling a sense of anxiety and uneasiness about walking long distances by themselves, given the recent rise in anti-Asian racism over the past year.
As requested by Vancouver Coastal Health, the shuttle buses will move these seniors from designated stops in a neighbourhood to the vaccination site at Vancouver Community College.