Tuesday is Michael P. Melaniphy first day on the job as the new president and CEO of the American Public Transportation Association. A 23-year veteran of public transportation, Melaniphy takes the place of Bill Millar, who retired after being APTA president for 15 years. Melaniphy, who was selected from a group of 180 other candidates, was unanimously approved by the APTA Board of Directors in July.
“It’s truly a humbling honor to have the opportunity to be the next President and CEO of APTA, Melaniphy told BUSRide in August. “When you start like I did as a bus driver – and I did it because it was the highest paying job on campus and I was putting myself through undergrad school – to go from that to APTA President is something you can dream about but would never allow yourself to think this could actually happen.”
Melaniphy had been MCI’s Vice President Public Sector; he has led public transit systems in Charlotte, NC, Wichita, KS, Hamilton, OH, and was an assistant general manager in Laredo, TX. He began his public transit career in college as a bus driver for Indiana University.
APTA Chair Gary C. Thomas, who is president/executive director of Dallas Area Rapid Transit of Dallas, TX said: “Michael Melaniphy has a proven track record in public transportation with broad-based experience in both the public and private sectors. He has the vision and leadership to ensure that public transportation continues to play an important role in the economic vitality of our country.”