Cap Metro CEO departs, leaving two Austin transit organizations without permanent leadership

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Randy Clarke will leave Austin to head the public transit agency in Washington, D.C.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced this morning Clarke will take over in late summer as general manager and CEO. Clarke’s five-year agreement with WMATA includes an annual salary of $485,000 and a $4,000/month housing allowance for up to to six months. At Capital Metro, Clarke’s 2021 earnings were $376,687.

During his four years at Capital Metro, Clarke oversaw the transit agency’s biggest overhaul to the city’s bus route system. He presided over the agency as Austin voters authorized the single-largest expansion of transit in the city’s history in November 2020.

Clarke’s departure means both transit agencies responsible for overseeing the implementation of that multibillion-dollar expansion will be without permanent leaders.

The Austin Transit Partnership, a local government agency created to oversee Project Connect, voted last month to remove Clarke as CEO after a consultant’s report recommended a change in governance structure. An interim director was named during the search for a permanent replacement.

And now Capital Metro, which has been struggling to keep routes running on time amid a driver shortage, will be without an executive.

Capital Metro’s board of directors will meet this month with Clarke to figure out a transition plan.

“We will certainly miss Randy at Cap Metro,” Travis County Commissioner and Capital Metro Board Chair Jeffrey Travillion said.

This story was produced as part of the Austin Monitor’s reporting partnership with KUT.

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