SunLine Transit Agency CEO/GM Lauren Skiver Accepts Position with Transdev, a Global Transportation Provider

Skiver will wrap up her 9 years of leadership at the Agency in March 2023

(Thousand Palms, CA) – SunLine Transit Agency’s CEO/General Manager, Lauren Skiver, has accepted a position as Chief Operating Officer with Transdev U.S. – the largest private operator and integrator of multiple modes of transportation in the U.S.

In the past year under Skiver’s leadership, the Agency has won three awards including the Community Transportation Association of America’s Urban Transportation System of the Year, Transit Agency of the Year Award by the California Transit Association, and the Excellence in Transportation Awards by Caltrans for its public awareness campaign.

“Under Lauren’s tenure, a number of major initiatives have been implemented at SunLine Transit Agency,” said Glenn Miller, Chairperson of the Board for SunLine Transit Agency. “The Board sincerely thanks Lauren for her accomplishments leading SunLine. She has a tremendous amount of transit knowledge that will help agencies around the country, and we wish her the best in this exciting new role.”

In 2017, Skiver brought to the Agency the concept of “rethinking transit” – which evolved into a major initiative that delivered a “right fit” transit system known as SunLine Refueled. It included a consolidated fixed route network, a new microtransit service, and a commuter route to San Bernardino.

Skiver has contributed to the advancement of the public transportation industry as a whole. She led the charge for the development of the West Coast Center of Excellence in Zero Emission Technology and Renewable Energy, which provides a comprehensive workforce training program in transportation technologies. Her legacy at SunLine includes her role in helping the

Agency secure grant funding to further the Agency’s hydrogen program. Over the years, she worked closely with federal and state agencies to apply and obtain unprecedented levels of competitive funding for the region in the amount of $87 million. Additionally, she oversaw the implementation of new groundbreaking infrastructure, including the largest hydrogen production fueling station dedicated to transit in the U.S.

Efforts to strengthen the workforce were also implemented as Skiver worked to introduce a culture of excellence and performance management. She was instrumental in developing SunLine’s own university program (SunLine University) – designed to train and engage employees. The program includes four tracks to support staff from entry level through executive management.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with an extraordinary team to achieve a number of exciting milestones that have continued to reaffirm SunLine’s position as a leader in cutting-edge clean fuel technologies and transit service delivery,” Skiver said.

SunLine Transit Agency’s Board of Directors is in the process of seeking Skiver’s successor as Chief Executive Officer/General Manager.

To learn more about SunLine Transit Agency, go to SunLine.org.

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About SunLine Transit Agency

SunLine provides public transit services in California’s Coachella Valley spanning 1,120 mile-service area and carrying approximately 4.2 million riders. It has pioneered zero-emission bus deployments, particularly for hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEB). In 1993, SunLine’s Board adopted a voluntary policy of pursuing alternative fuel solutions that provide the lowest possible emissions, which led to SunLine becoming the first transit agency in the state to convert its entire fleet to compressed natural gas (CNG). SunLine is committed to transitioning its entire bus fleet to zero-emission by 2035. SunLine Refueled is a multi-tiered initiative that brings exciting new transportation alternatives to the Coachella Valley. To learn more about SunLine Transit Agency’s services and policies, go to SunLine.org.