A changing of the guard means new leaders for two of Fresno County’s transportation agencies.

Moses Stites will lead the Fresno County Transportation Authority — the organization overseeing the multibillion-dollar transportation tax Measure C — beginning Jan. 1.

On Tuesday, Stites told supervisors at their board meeting that he was stepping down from his previous role as general manager of the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency, leaving deputy director Janelle Del Campo to head the organization. Del Campo has been with the rural transit agency for eight years.

Stites has led the transit agency for more than 14 years. It connects the county’s 13 cities — excluding Fresno and Clovis — as well as its 39 unincorporated areas. The agency does drop-offs in Fresno and Clovis, connecting riders with municipal transit.

“Moses is a respected transportation leader with deep roots in our region,” said Fresno County Supervisor Buddy Mendes, chairman of the FCTA board. “His decades of experience, state, regional, and local agencies make him exceptionally well-equipped to guide FCTA through the next chapter of Measure C implementation.”

Stites Will Have to Balance Measure C’s Competing Interests

Stites takes over for Terry Ogle, who left the post in July. Ogle led the group after Mike Leonardo, longtime executive director, retired.

Overseeing distribution of the Measure C tax means working with competing interests for transportation funds. The authority balances the needs of the 15 cities as well as the county on various transportation projects, whether that be new road and highway projects, road repairs, or public transit funds.

The executive director serves as an at-will employee of the authority’s nine-member board, which is made up of representatives from both the east and west sides of the county, an urban and a rural representative, the Fresno mayor, a Fresno City Council representative, a Clovis representative, and two members of the public.

Before working at the rural transit agency, Stites worked at Caltrans as the District 6 director.

“Hopefully the board of the transportation authority will keep you on permanently. I think you would do a great job there. You have the No. 1 qualification: You speak Caltrans,” Mendes said.

Rural Transit an Essential Service: Stites

While at the rural transit agency, Stites oversaw the construction of a $22 million maintenance and operations facility in Selma.

Dating back to 1979, the rural transit agency has since expanded to providing between 600 and 800 daily trips for rural residents at an affordable cost, Stites told GV Wire.

In addition to 120 fixed-route vehicles, the agency has about one-to-four vehicles to serve on-demand transportation for rural residents. Most typically go to senior centers or health clinics, but many also use the transportation to go to classes, including Coalinga College — formerly West Hills College Coalinga, and Reedley College.

He said that the agency provides an essential service.

He gave the example of a Vietnam-era veteran who lived in eastern Fresno county on Trimmer Springs Road. The Veterans Affairs administration did not provide private transportation for his medical needs and a private provider would have cost $140, Stites said at the Tuesday board meeting.

Stites sent out tje transit agency’s van to give him rides, charging him $5 for a one-way trip.

“Typically we don’t do those type of medical transportation, school bus, and charter services, but we made an exception,” Stites said. “We figured it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.”

Public Transit Growth Needs to Be Concentrated, Targeted: Stites

Public transit will be a key issue if voters approve another Measure C. Competing interests have put the matter at odds. While some have said low ridership numbers does not justify significant investment, others said low ridership stems from poor quality.

In a conversation about public transit and the rural transit agency, Stites told GV Wire it’s a matter of spending funds responsibly.

“You have to be optimistic, and I think (increased ridership) would be commensurate with the increase in funding, yes,” Stites said. “But I think it has to be more concentrated and targeted. And I think there’s some reengineering that has to be done or considered.”