Transit Career Stories

Transit Career Stories features inspiring narratives highlighting various career paths and personal experiences of current and former transit professionals who have built successful careers in public transportation. Hear directly from people who work in the industry as they share their career beginnings, paths, and what makes their work meaningful and rewarding.



Meet The Only Woman on Staff Fixing Milwaukee County Buses

Sharieka Thomas — Mechanic Apprentice, Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS); Mar. 25, 2026


Celebrating Women in Transit

Sabrina Herrera — Assistant General Manager, Sun Tran (Tucson, AZ); Mar. 19, 2026


From Stuck in Traffic to Blazing the Trail: The Rise of AVP Markeisha Haynes

Markeisha Haynes — Bus Operator, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus & Alternate Vice President Bus-West, SMART-TD; Mar. 16, 2026


Not Just a Bus Ride: How Kevin Lopez Brings Heart to the Job and Brightens a Passenger’s Day

Kevin Lopez — Bus Operator, LA Metro; Jan. 20, 2026


The Connection That Drives Us

Kerwin Rice — Bus Operator,  LA Metro; Dec. 2025


How Barbara Cline Built One of South Dakota’s Most Vital Transit Systems

Barbara Cline — Executive Director, Prairie Hills Transit (Spearfish, SD); Nov. 26, 2025


45 Years of Safe Operating: Honoring James E. Smith

James “Jimmy” E. Smith — Paratransit Operator, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA); Oct. 30, 2025


Know Your Operator: Nathan Michaelson

Nathan Michaelson — Relief Instructor, Metro Transit (Minneapolis-St. Paul); Feb 21, 2025