Wilsonville Hires Transit Director

Wilsonville has a new transit director. Dwight Brashear will take over for Stephen Lashbrook as the head of the South Metro Area Regional Transit agency.

Brashear arrives from Chicago where he most recently co-managed a paratransit operation that helped people with disabilities get to medical appointments. The agency had 500 vehicles and a $53 million budget.

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"Dwight has significant experience in all aspects of public transportation," says Assistant City Manager Jeanna Troha. "He has an innovative and collaborative leadership style and brings a passion for making a difference in a community.

"We are excited to have Dwight join our team as the new SMART Transit Director."

Brashear says he is looking forward to starting.

"I couldn't be more excited to be coming to Wilsonville and to be a part of a thriving community that really values high-quality public transit," he says.

"I look forward to working with all stakeholders, including residents and businesses, to ensure that SMART lives up to its core values and provides safe, reliable and cost-effective transit services."

Wilsonille spokesman Jon Gail says that Chicago was the most recent stop in Brashear's more than 30-year career.

He served for four years in executive-level positions in management and business development for passenger-transportation services firm Keolis Transit America in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

He also worked in management for a large transportation firm providing paratransit, fixed route, shuttle and commuter-bus transit services, as well as CEO of the public-transit system serving the Baton Rouge, LA, metropolitan region.

He started his career in public transit in 1985 as a part-time transit driver for San Diego Transit Corporation and over a 17-year period he worked his way up to the position of Manager of Transportation where he managed a fleet of 340 vehicles and a staff of 750 transit professionals.

Photo City of Wilsonville