ALBANY -- Longtime Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) official Michael Collins has been named the organization's interim CEO, replacing departing CEO Carm Basile.
Basile announced in June that he would depart at the end of the year after 15 years leading the agency.
The CDTA Board of Directors approved the appointment of Collins, the agency's vice president of finance and administration, as the group's interim CEO during its Wednesday meeting.
The East Greenbush resident joined the transportation agency in 1986 and served in several roles over nearly four decades before assuming his role in finance and administration.
"As Interim CEO of CDTA, I am privileged to uphold our legacy of serving the Capital Region community," Collins noted in a statement. "With almost four decades of experience in the transit industry, I am enthusiastic about providing dependable transportation services, while fostering strong collaborations with local businesses and organizations."
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The board is continuing to search for Basile's long-term replacement.
Basile was named CDTA director in 2009 after starting his career at the transportation agency as a transportation planner in 1981. He climbed the ranks until he was named the sixth director in the organization's 54-year history.
Basile will serve his last day with CDTA on Dec. 31.
"The board of directors is confident that Mike Collins is the right person to lead the organization during the ongoing search for a new CEO," CDTA Board Chairman Jayme Lahut declared in a statement. "Mike's experience and commitment toward providing innovative mobility solutions to the residents of the Capital Region, makes him the ideal choice. However, the board remains steadfast in their pursuit of appointing the most suitable candidate to lead CDTA into a successful future."
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CDTA is currently in a stage of expansion, extending its services north into Warren County and west into Montgomery County. The organization is also in the process of acquiring The Daily Gazette building on Maxon Road Extension in Schenectady.
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