STEVEN R. BECK
Professional Experience

My Career

From driving and washing buses to leading complex operations, I've built my career by understanding the service as well as the organization behind it.

Selected results

The scope of the work. The impact of the decisions.

20% ridership growth

At Concho Valley Transit District, secured funding to remove midday fixed-route service interruptions through “Dump the Lunch,” providing continuous all-day service.

More than $1 million recovered

At Durham’s Lewisville Charters operation, collected outstanding revenue and reduced outstanding collections by 90% within 90 days.

Three months accident-free

At Mountain Metro’s fixed-route operation, rebuilt the safety culture through mandatory monthly meetings and regular driver reminders, earning RATP Dev USA safety recognition.

Career experience

From the driver's seat to executive leadership.

Since beginning as a bus driver in 2007, I've led urban and rural transit, university transportation, paratransit, medical transportation, charter and event service. My responsibilities have grown to include contract transitions, labor relations, financial recovery, procurement, service planning and passenger technology.

JULY 2023–PRESENT · HTG • Wilson, North Carolina

General Manager

Leading community transportation, demand response and Medicaid transportation. The daily work connects staffing, dispatch, fleet availability, safety and customer service.

FALL 2022–APRIL 2023 · HTG / DCTA • Denton, Texas

Interim Safety and Training Manager

Served in an interim safety and training leadership role for Denton County Transportation Authority through HTG.

JANUARY–AUGUST 2022 · HTG • San Saba & Belton, Texas

General Manager

Led Hill Country Transit District’s transition from in-house management to contracted management through HTG. Oversight covered nine counties and approximately 9,000 square miles, with approximately 150 full-time-equivalent staff and a fleet of 120 buses.

MID-DECEMBER 2020–2021 · IndyGo • Indianapolis, Indiana

Director of Transportation

Managed eight transportation managers, 36 supervisors and 470 full-time-equivalent drivers, with oversight of the Downtown Transit Center and Red Line bus rapid transit (BRT) service. Responsibilities included operator work assignments, policy development, staff development and union grievance hearings. Worked on the inductive charging station program and on outsourcing one local route.

Worked with the NCAA and Marion County Emergency Operations to coordinate traffic flow, bus movements and transportation operations for the 2021 March Madness tournament. Also worked with the Indy 500 to coordinate cooling buses and service adjustments.

Returned to work at midnight to assist and coordinate the emergency transportation response on the ground following a critical incident at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis. Coordinated transportation of employees to a secure location away from the site and ensured my team received appropriate support and counseling afterward.

2020–DECEMBER 2020 · RATP Dev • Bowling Green, Kentucky

General Manager — Bowling Green

Led the transition from a contractor responsible for both management and operations to a management contractor overseeing a separate operations contractor. Introduced Token Transit for mobile fare collection.

Responsibilities & results
  • Led the change in contracting structure, moving management and operational delivery into separate contractor roles.
  • Oversaw the operations contractor under the new management model.
  • Implemented Token Transit mobile fare collection, giving passengers a digital fare payment option.
2019–2020 · RATP Dev / Mountain Metro Transit • Colorado Springs, Colorado

General Manager — Fixed-Route Operations

Improved employee morale and rebuilt the safety culture in fixed-route operations. Reduced preventable and non-preventable accidents, achieving three consecutive months without an accident.

Responsibilities & results
  • Reintroduced mandatory monthly safety meetings and reinforced expectations through regular driver safety reminders.
  • Led improvements in employee morale while making safety a consistent part of daily operations.
  • Achieved a three-month accident-free streak following the operation’s accident experience over the preceding seven months.
  • Received a RATP Dev USA safety award and ranked as the company’s highest-performing General Manager for subrogation claims.
2018–2019 · RATP Dev / Concho Valley Transit District • San Angelo, Texas

General Manager — Concho Valley Transit District

Led urban and regional transit across 12 West Texas counties spanning approximately 15,400 square miles—a service territory larger than nine U.S. states. Secured funding for “Dump the Lunch,” eliminating midday fixed-route service interruptions and introducing continuous all-day service, increasing ridership by 20%.

Responsibilities & results
  • Directed a multidisciplinary team spanning assistant general management, finance and accounting, grants and administration, safety and compliance, road supervision, dispatch, facilities, maintenance, and fixed-route, demand-response and rural drivers.
  • Found funding to eliminate the fixed-route lunch break through the “Dump the Lunch” initiative, providing continuous all-day service and increasing ridership by 20%.
  • Led CVTD during the year it earned the Texas Transit Association’s 2019 Outstanding Urban Transit System Award, recognizing the organization’s collective work.
  • Introduced Remix route planning, maintenance management software and Token Transit mobile fare collection.
  • Rebuilt procurement after the Council of Governments (COG) decentralized purchasing to its individual agencies. Hired a procurement manager who turned CVTD’s procurement function around; the following year, the COG adopted CVTD’s procurement team to handle purchasing across the entire organization.
  • Service area: Tom Green, Coke, Sterling, Reagan, Irion, Concho, McCulloch, Crockett, Schleicher, Menard, Sutton and Kimble counties.
2017–2018 · First Transit / DCTA • Denton, Texas

Assistant General Manager

Oversaw operations, customer service, call center, safety and training for DCTA’s Denton Connect, Lewisville Connect, Access paratransit and University of North Texas fixed-route services. Supervised route planning, supported union negotiations and grievance handling, and served as General Manager in the GM’s absence.

Responsibilities & results
  • Supervised an Operations Manager, Customer Service Director, and Safety and Training Manager, with responsibility for operations, customer service, call center, safety and training functions.
  • Oversaw Denton Connect and Lewisville Connect fixed-route services, DCTA Access paratransit, and fixed-route services for the University of North Texas (UNT).
  • Supervised route planning across the services under management.
  • Served as the de facto HR lead during an HR manager transition. Established a required documentation and approval process: all submissions to HR required the appropriate form and my sign-off, including submissions from the General Manager.
  • Served as General Manager during the GM’s absence.
  • Participated in union negotiations, handled grievances and unemployment hearings, and revised employee handbooks.
  • Assisted with the 2018 Federal Transit Administration triennial review.
2016–2017 · Durham School Services • Lewisville Charters, Location 3017 • Texas

General Manager — Lewisville Charters

Led approximately 100 drivers and a fleet of 65 buses across the Carrollton Charter Hub and Lancaster office. Managed school transportation and charter services, including Dallas Cowboys / AT&T Stadium employee shuttles and Texas Rangers game-day shuttles. Collected more than $1 million in outstanding revenue and reduced outstanding collections by 90% within 90 days.

Responsibilities & results
  • Supervised a Charter Manager, Operations Manager, Office Manager, Maintenance Manager, Dispatcher, Safety Manager and Charter Coordinator, supporting approximately 100 drivers and 65 buses.
  • Directed two operating locations: the Carrollton Charter Hub and Lancaster office, under Lewisville Charters, Location 3017.
  • Managed the KIPP charter school transportation contract through the Lancaster office.
  • Managed the Manara charter school contract in Irving and the Cistercian Preparatory School contract through the Carrollton office.
  • Oversaw Lewisville Charter Center operations through the Carrollton office, including Dallas Cowboys / AT&T Stadium employee shuttles and Texas Rangers game-day shuttles.
  • Collected more than $1 million in outstanding revenue while reducing outstanding collections by 90% within 90 days.
2015–2016 · Transdev / CARTA • Charleston, South Carolina

Transit Operations Manager

Managed nine supervisors and dispatchers and 119 drivers in a union environment. Although my time in Charleston was short, lasting friendships were forged.

2012–2015 · Durham School Services • Macomb & McDonough County, Illinois

General Manager

Led school transportation, fixed-route transit and demand-response dispatch across two locations, supervising approximately 100 drivers, an Operations Supervisor and a Maintenance Director. Secured successful contract renewals in 2015 and oversaw the transit operation’s move into a new building in 2013.

Responsibilities & results
  • Oversaw Location 6021: Macomb School District 185, with 30 buses; Location 6023: Go West Transit, with 30 buses; and Location 6024: McDonough County Public Transit demand-response dispatch.
  • Supervised approximately 100 drivers, one Operations Supervisor and one Maintenance Director across two operating locations.
  • Secured successful contract renewals for Durham School Services in 2015.
  • Introduced a complete reworking of Go West Transit’s routes and system in 2012, with route numbering and branding oriented toward Western Illinois University.
  • Redesigned bus stop signs in 2012 to include text-based bus information and the new route numbers.
  • Oversaw the transit operation’s relocation to a new building in 2013, establishing facility protocols and procedures.
  • Responsibilities included accident investigation, route design, policy development and creation of standard operating procedures.
  • Received a National Express COO Challenge Coin for the 2012 blizzard event.
2010–2012 · Beck Bus — A Petermann Company • Macomb, Illinois

Transit Operations Supervisor → Assistant Director of Operations

Moved to Beck Bus when it took over the Go West Transit contract from First Student in 2010. Oversaw 30 buses and approximately 40 drivers. Upon completing my master’s degree in 2011, my title changed to Assistant Director of Operations.

Responsibilities & results
  • Oversaw a 30-bus transit operation with approximately 40 drivers.
  • Introduced Go West Transit’s Yellow Route in 2010.
  • Helped implement text-based “find my bus” information and real-time bus tracking to improve passenger access to service information.
  • Helped establish the system’s social media presence and served as its official photographer.
  • Worked on route design and run cutting to organize routes into operator work assignments.
  • Title changed from Transit Operations Supervisor to Assistant Director of Operations in 2011 following completion of my master’s degree.
  • Beck Bus, a Petermann company, was acquired by Durham School Services in 2012. The Beck Bus name was retired and the operation became Durham School Services.
2009–2010 · First Student / Go West Transit • Macomb, Illinois

Transit Supervisor

Moved into transit supervision in 2009 after beginning my career as a driver. Transferred to Beck Bus in 2010 when First Student lost the Go West Transit contract.

2007–2009 · Laidlaw / First Student • Go West Transit • Macomb, Illinois

Bus Driver

Began my transportation career behind the wheel, primarily driving Go West Transit’s Red, Green and Orange routes. Recognized as Driver of the Month in August and September 2007.

Recognition

Progress built with the people delivering the service.

Outstanding Urban Transit System · 2019

Served as General Manager when Concho Valley Transit District received the Texas Transit Association award. The recognition reflected the combined work of operators, dispatchers, maintenance, administration and leadership.

RATP Dev USA Safety Award

Recognized for the Colorado safety turnaround. Also ranked as the company’s highest-performing General Manager for subrogation claims, pursuing recovery when another party was responsible for a loss.

Recognition from the front line onward

Go West Transit Driver of the Month in August and September 2007; National Express COO Challenge Coin for the 2012 blizzard response.

My career began with the work passengers see every day. That experience continues to shape how I set expectations, support employees and evaluate operational decisions.

Read my leadership philosophy →