Richard A. White
Richard A. White | |
|---|---|
| Born | Massachusetts, United States |
| Occupation | Public transit executive |
| Years active | 1981–2006 |
| Known for | CEO and General Manager of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (1996–2006); General Manager of Bay Area Rapid Transit (1994–1996) |
Richard A. White is a prominent figure in American public transit management, having held the positions of CEO and general manager at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) from 1996 through 2006. Prior to his tenure at WMATA, he served as the general manager of Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in the San Francisco Bay Area. Additionally, White dedicated six years to the federal Urban Mass Transit Administration, which is presently known as the Federal Transit Administration. He originates from Massachusetts.
New Jersey Transit
White’s career included a decade-long period at New Jersey Transit, spanning from 1981 until 1991.
BART
In 1991, White joined BART as deputy general manager, working under Frank Wilson. He was promoted to General Manager in April 1994 when Wilson departed to assume the role of New Jersey’s Secretary of Transportation. Upon leaving BART, White's salary was approximately $141,000 annually, with total compensation reaching close to $180,000.
Upon assuming leadership, White faced difficult labor relations challenges. Soon after his appointment, union members threatened strike action due to disagreements over contract terms related to employee transfers and wages. To prevent a work stoppage, Governor Pete Wilson enforced a cooling-off period. White openly criticized union negotiators for spreading inaccurate information and failing to negotiate in good faith, stressing that "the issue is money." The strike was ultimately avoided when workers ratified new contracts toward the end of 1994. The negotiation approach taken by SEIU Local 790 director Paul Varacalli drew mixed reactions from BART staff.
White oversaw a three-year fare increase totaling 45 percent—the largest fare hike in BART’s history—to finance a $1 billion renovation plan over ten years focused on refurbishing the fleet and upgrading stations. He also endorsed the expansion of BART service to San Francisco International Airport and Millbrae, a project completed under his successor Thomas Margro in 2003.
On June 1, 1996, it was announced that White would depart BART to assume leadership at WMATA; his final day was July 26. Potential candidates to succeed him included Deputy General Manager Dorothy Dugger (who ultimately became GM in 2007), Jim Gallagher, Larry Williams, and John Haley. Thomas Margro officially took over as BART General Manager on September 30, 1996.
WMATA
White assumed the role of general manager at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority following the departure of Lawrence G. Reuter, who left to lead New York City’s MTA. Selected from a pool exceeding 60 applicants, White took command of WMATA—a substantially larger organization than BART—with a workforce exceeding 7,000 employees and an operating budget around $750 million, compared to BART’s staff of roughly 3,000 and budget near $270 million. His annual compensation at WMATA was about $200,000.
Nonetheless, a series of incidents between 2004 and 2005 coupled with concerns regarding administrative shortcomings culminated in White’s termination on January 11, 2006. He officially stepped down on February 16, 2006, with Dan Tangherlini appointed as interim CEO thereafter.