Metro Vancouver’s TransLink says CEO Kevin Desmond will leave the organization in February.
Desmond, who previously served as general manager of King County Metro Transit in Washington state before joining TransLink in 2016, will return to the U.S.
In a statement, Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation Chair Jonathan X. Coté said Desmond played a key role in implementing the mayors’ 10-year vision for expanding transit and improving service throughout the region.
During his time as TransLink CEO, Desmond dealt with issues such as the Broadway SkyTrain extension from Commercial station and pivoting from a light rail transit (LRT) project in Surrey to a proposed Surrey SkyTrain extension.
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When Desmond took on the role in 2016, he told Global News that his main goal was to restore public trust and confidence in the transit system.
TransLink’s board of directors said there will be a search for a new CEO, who will be tasked with rebuilding ridership coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At its annual general meeting in June, TransLink said a steep decline in ridership due to the pandemic translated into major losses.
Average trips across all modes of transit are down to about 43 per cent of normal, TransLink said earlier this month.
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