Columbia Business Monthly has named John Andoh, Executive Director/CEO of Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET), one of Columbia’s 50 Most Influential. The magazine makes its selection based on staff research and community nominations.
Andoh has a strong passion for public transportation and has been working in the public transit industry since age 13, working as an intern at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority in San Jose, CA. He first became a transit manager at the Riverbank-Oakdale Transit Authority working for a Board of Directors and implementing an intercity transit service and has run many systems since. He began leading The COMET in April of 2018. Since that time, the organization has seen remarkable progress.
“I am humbled to receive this award,” said Andoh. “To be able to do the job that I love is an honor in itself. To be recognized for providing transit services to the people of the Midlands is indeed a privilege.“
Andoh has overseen the preparation of short- and long-range transit plans and strategic plans for the transit systems he has managed. He has a robust understanding of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grants, funding programs, and compliance including obtaining direct recipient status from the FTA and preparation of compliance documents. He has a track record of starting many small urban and rural transit systems, as well as implementing transformational processes to make them efficient and progressive.