General Manager John B. Catoe, Jr.

John B. Catoe, Jr. has more than 27 years of experience in public transportation. As General Manager of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro), he oversees the second largest rail transit system and the fifth largest bus network in the United States with more than 10,000 employees, a $2.2 billion budget and a $3.1 billion five-year Capital Improvement Program.

Upon joining Metro in January 2007, Mr. Catoe immediately focused on a complete overhaul of the transit system with the goal of operating Metro in the most efficient and cost-effective manner without sacrificing safety or service for customers. Faced with an FY2008 budget shortfall of more than $100 million, Mr. Catoe made cuts and program changes that avoided a fare increase in 2007 and yielded $34 million in savings. He also launched an organization-wide safety improvement program to place greater emphasis on system safety for customers and employees. The five-year safety program aims to change the culture of the organization, increase accountability, reduce bus and rail accidents by 50 percent, create a safer work environment for employees, and reduce work-related injuries.

Mr. Catoe also worked toward a comprehensive fare policy for the authority. Along with approval of the first fare increase in four years came a commitment from the Metro Board to consider fare changes every two years, a huge step toward a predictable and understandable approach to fare increases.

For six years prior to coming to Metro, Mr. Catoe was the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. In that capacity, he oversaw the agency's multi-modal operations with more than 2,600 buses, three light rail lines, one heavy rail line, and the motorist aid program, which includes the Freeway Service Patrol and highway call boxes. He also oversaw the LA transit agency's planning, law enforcement, homeless assistance program, safety, and facilities.

Originally from Washington, DC, Mr. Catoe is a product of the local school system. His father was a DC cab driver. Catoe started his public transportation career at the Orange County Transit District in the personnel department as an Employee Training and Development Administrator in 1979 and when he left 17 years later, he was Director of Operations. In 1996, he became Director of Transit Services for the City of Santa Monica (Big Blue Bus), and under his direction, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recognized the agency as the number one transit agency in the nation in 1997 and 2000.

Mr. Catoe has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Redlands in Redlands, Calif.  He currently serves as the 2008 Chairman of Leadership APTA.