TBARTA taps David Green as new leader

David Green is the new executive director of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (TBARTA).

The authority’s Governing Board chose Green Friday from a list of four candidates.

Green most recently served as Chief Executive Officer for the Greater Richmond Transit Co., where he successfully launched a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route and helped the agency win a nearly $25 million federal grant.

The board selected Green based on his “in-depth knowledge of the Federal Transit Administration funding process,” according to the agency’s announcement.

Federal funding will be an integral part of implementing regional transit solutions, which the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott laid out as a priority for the agency during the 2017 Legislative Session. 

That’s when the agency’s name was changed to indicate it was a “transit” agency and not a “transportation” agency.

“While all the candidates interviewed had the ability to lead this agency, Mr. Green presented the most complete financial and technical expertise, as well as outstanding leadership qualities, which the Board laid out as being crucial at the beginning of this search,” TBARTA Chair Jim Holton said.

The board will now negotiate a contract with Green, which will be brought to the board Oct. 26 for final approval.

Interim Executive Director Michael Case — who resumed leadership responsibilities after former Executive Director Ray Chiaramonte resigned in June — will continue serving as the agency’s head until Green’s contract is approved and a start date determined.

Case will resume his previous role as principal planner and project manager once Green begins.

TBARTA is overseeing the planning process for a proposed 41-mile bus rapid transit route connecting downtown St. Petersburg to Wesley Chapel along Interstate 275.

The route would operate in dedicated lanes for portions, while utilizing buses in shoulders, express lanes and general purpose lanes in other parts. The plan is not yet final.