Va. DRPT names new chief of public transportation

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation has named a new chief of public transportation.

Zach Trogdon will begin his new role Oct. 25. He has worked as executive director of the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority since June 2017, according to his LinkedIn, and has spent the past two decades working in the public sector.

Trogdon will be responsible for a $4.7 billion portfolio of public transportation, commuter assistance and congestion management programs throughout the state. While at the Williamsburg transit authority, Trogdon managed progress of capital projects, including acquiring real estate, and worked with its fiscal agent to establish a capital fund.

“We are thrilled to welcome Zach Trogdon to DRPT as its next chief of public transportation,” DRPT Director Jennifer DeBruhl said in a statement. “His track record of success as a public sector executive will be valuable at DRPT during a transformative time in the public transportation industry with opportunities to improve services for Virginians.”

Trogdon has also served as county administrator in Charles City County and as town manager of Wilkesboro and Boiling Springs, in North Carolina. He has a bachelor’s from the University of Mary Washington, a master’s degree in public administration from the College of Charleston in South Carolina, and is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s Senior Executive Institute.

“I am honored to join DRPT as the next chief of public transportation and lead this agency through a pivotal time in the future of public transportation,” Trogdon said. “There have been many great advances in public transportation over the last several years and I look forward to working with all public transportation partners to deliver safe and reliable services that meet the needs of Virginians.”