David Howard | Chair of the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority
“On the foundational items, I couldn’t have found a better group.” shares David Howard, Chair of the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority, as he discussed the process of aligning the purpose and power of the 27-member group. He’s spent a lot of time making sure the job at hand begins with an important pause so that everything in front of the group can be accurately, intentionally, and effectively approached. “You need to go slow so you can go fast.” He insists. REBIC agrees. But then he said if he could make a new rule for the world, he’d insist we put ‘ketchup on everything.’ That one might be a personal preference. But the personal conversation that results from these interviews emphasizes how Rob works to make human the people and the issues shaping our region.
Charlotte is doing something not many cities get the chance to do. Control their OWN mobility future. There is much to do to consolidate and refocus, but the future will be fueled by many voices that care. The Authority will oversee the investing of billions of dollars in Mecklenburg County sales tax revenue, and David has a solid grasp on the process, and the vision. Howard is a former Charlotte city councilor who has been chief deputy secretary of the NCDOT and was associate administrator of the Federal Highway Administration. Giving him a broad perspective.
“The work ahead will be serious, demanding, and consequential,” Howard said in a LinkedIn post. “The impact of this organization — and this transit investment — will be generational. How we start matters. How we lead matters. And who we serve must always remain at the center of every decision.”
As we moved comfortably from subject to subject during the interview, David stated that he’s proud of all the members of the authority. And that little by little they’re finding common ground and acceptance as they move past individual positioning, to becoming one cooperative voice.
With a strategic mindset and a robust professional network at local, state, and national levels, David excels at driving continuous improvement and crafting innovative solutions to complex challenges. As the Principal of DL Howard Consulting Group, LLC, based in Charlotte, NC, David provides strategic guidance in smart cities, transportation equity, innovation, development, and public policy. Known for his analytical prowess, he is a trusted visionary and thought leader in both the public and private sectors. He shares with us that, “If we can get it right with this body, we can probably get it right for Charlotte, too.”
He closed with some powerful beliefs that would prove we did this right. “We’re not ready to just commit to a new transportation system, we’re going to commit to having a new industry…a successful reinvention of a transportation eco system.”
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