Mayor Mitch Roth has hired John Andoh to be the Mass Transit Administrator of the County of Hawaiʻi Mass Transit Agency.
As Administrator, Andoh, who has been serving in the position on a temporary assignment for the last few months, will be responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of the Agency, implementing elements of the Master Plan, supporting the Transportation Commission, pursuing grant funds, transforming the fleet to zero emissions, and purchasing a brand-new bus fleet, leading policy development for the Agency and plan for a balanced, safe, and efficient transportation system. Additional responsibilities include promoting increased use of sustainable forms of transportation, including walking, biking, and transit use island-wide, and working to improve equity in transportation policies, programs, and services.
Andoh has a wide variety of experience in public transportation and previously served as the Executive Director/CEO of the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) in Columbia, South Carolina where he was responsible for directing all aspects of a multi-county public transit system’s operations while ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations and managing many agreements for service delivery. During his tenure with The COMET, Andoh implemented innovative partnerships for bike-sharing, transportation network companies, mobility management, and van-pooling. He also established transportation programs to address food deserts, nighttime needs, connected people to vaccination sites, and provided fresh produce at a downtown transit center.
Throughout his 22 years of public transportation experience, Andoh worked in leadership positions within the City of Escalon, the City of Burlington, and the Town of Quartzsite. His duties for these positions were similar and included route planning, scheduling, procurement, contract administration, budget management, customer service, and public outreach and marketing. He also held positions the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Austin, the Yuma County Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and the City of Elk Grove. He has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Phoenix and a graduate certificate in transportation management from San Jose State University. He is also a certified community transit manager by the Community Transportation Association of America and a certified public manager from Arizona State University.
Andoh was been featured in Mass Transit magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2011, Association of Commuter Transportation Top 40 Under 40 in 2016, and Columbia Business Magazine’s Top 50 in 2019 and 2020.
Photo credit: Hawaiʻi County Mayor’s Office