Bruce Abel has been appointed as the Transit Director for Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit aka START, serving the Town of Jackson and Teton County. Abel is a seasoned transportation professional, having previously held roles such as the General Manager for Aspen’s Roaring Fork Transportation Authority and Assistant General Manager of Bus Operations for Denver’s Regional Transportation District. His experience includes managing a 60-bus transit system and overseeing operations at RTD’s 1,025 fixed-route and 380 micro transit buses.
Abel has been serving as START’s Interim Director since October 2021 and has already made significant contributions to the transit system. He quickly implemented the successful START OnDemand Micro transit service in East Jackson, and by fall of 2022, he expanded this service to include Melody Ranch, Rafter J, and South Park neighborhoods. This new service enables riders to transfer to START’s broader transit network at the Smith’s/Eagle Village bus stop.
According to Town Manager Tyler Sinclair, Abel immediately brought a strategic mindset and continuity to START’s operations. His leadership helped address service issues and rebuild the transit system’s ridership after the pandemic impacted ridership. Sinclair expressed his excitement about Abel joining the Town and County full-time.
Jared Smith, the START Board’s Chair, praised Abel as the right person to lead START Bus today. Smith believes that Abel’s extensive experience will benefit the growing transit agency and provide stability and consistency to staff from drivers to shift managers and administrators.
Abel is currently focused on ensuring that START is fully integrated into regional transportation planning, working on grants to replace aging buses, and completing the FY24 recommended budget for START based on START Board’s goals to move the community’s transit system forward.
Abel is pleased to see the snow melting after one of the most consistently snowy winters on record, which significantly impacted daily transit service delivery. He is committed to ensuring that START delivers reliable and efficient
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