Developing transportation systems that ensure all riders have access to safe and efficient transportation is no easy feat. Planners, agencies and operators must constantly be on the pulse of evolving travel habits, such as remote work and multi-modal mobility, and greater global trends, such as the transition to electric vehicles.
For Women’s History Month, Optibus celebrates three of the many women who succeed in the incredibly complex task of keeping our cities moving efficiently and sustainably: Carry Buchholz, GM and Managing Partner of LVL Jäger, Elizabeth Stayner, Senior Transit Planning Manager at MV Transportation and Judy Rodriguez, Director of Transportation, Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA).
Carry Buchholz, GM and Managing Partner of LVL Jäger
Born in Ludwigsburg, Germany, Carry Buchholz has dedicated over a decade to providing quality transportation services in her hometown and the surrounding region. At Ludwigsburg Verkehrslinien Jäger (LVL Jäger), she helps to oversee the management of 220 employees and a fleet of 88 buses operating across five cities — Ludwigsburg, Kornwestheim, Asperg, Waiblingen, and Remseck — and has helped the business to become more sustainable, innovative, and efficient through the adoption and implementation of digital planning and scheduling software, contactless payments, and the roll-out of lower emissions buses. According to Tagesspigel, Carry is LVL Jäger’s third female managing director in a row, contributing to a rich history of women in transportation.
You can learn more about how Carry is making transportation more efficient in our LVL Jäger case study and in the video below.
Elizabeth Stayner, Senior Transit Planning Manager at MV Transportation
Elizabeth Stayner began her career as a bus dispatcher in the San Francisco Bay Area for MV Transportation, the largest privately-owned transportation company in North America, eventually working her way up the professional ladder to become the company’s Senior Transit Planning Manager. In her role, Elizabeth supports fixed route scheduling and planning, ensuring that buses arrive on time and provide quality services. In addition to improving the passenger experience, Elizabeth has helped to introduce digital tools that improve employee happiness through more consistent driver schedules, make transportation planning more efficient, and enhance communication between colleagues across the more than 250 public transit agencies and private companies that MV Transportation represents across the U.S. and Canada.
Judy Rodriguez, Director of Transportation, Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA)
Judy Rodriguez is currently the Director of Transportation at the Western Reserve Transit Authority. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Judy started her career at WRTA in 1998 as an Information Clerk. In 2001, she was promoted to Customer Service Administrator and then to Dispatcher in 2005. In 2013, Judy was promoted to Chief Dispatcher and in 2014 to her current position of Director of Transportation. Judy is a current member of the Technical Advisory Committee for the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and a member of the NEOride EZFare Committee and the OPTA Awards Selection Committee.
Want to know how Judy is solving the public transportation challenges we face in 2022? Judy will be on the panel for our webinar on March 31st, 2022 to give us answers. Register now!
