OAKLAND, CALIF., December 1, 2009 — On November 18, the 16-member Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) Board of Directors voted unanimously to extend BART’s managing contract to February 2015. Prior to the vote, BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger publicly announced her decision to appoint David Kutrosky to CCJPA Managing Director. Eugene (Gene) Skoropowski, former Managing Director, retired effective December 6, 2009, ending his successful 10-year career managing the Capitol Corridor intercity passenger rail service.
“We conducted a rigorous selection process to identify a replacement for Gene Skoropowski,†Dugger said. “We had interest well beyond the state of California—a strong, competitive pool of candidates who are interested in the work that we are leading and the work of this organization, which shows the high regard in which our services are held throughout the country.†Dugger’s announcement was greeted with a long round of enthusiastic applause from the audience crowding the City of Suisun City Hall chambers where the CCJPA Board met.
Members of the CCJPA Board thanked Dugger for choosing that meeting to make her hiring decision public. “Dorothy’s announcement today to appoint David Kutrosky is very appropriate in light of the fact that we have this agreement between BART and CCJPA before us,†CCJPA Board Member Jim Spering said. “Her timing was very critical. This decision shows us the stability that this organization has as well as the great leadership that BART has, first in hiring Gene and then passing the helm on to David.” Solano County Supervisor Jim Spering has served on the CCJPA Board since its inception and was the first CCJPA chairperson.
“Thank you very much, this is an honor—something I’ve looked forward to my whole career,†Kutrosky said. “I’ve learned a lot from Gene. He is a great mentor, a great friend and a great colleague.â€
In his new position, Kutrosky will oversee operating and capital budgets totaling $70 million a year, a management team of 16 employees and a transport service comprised of 300 Amtrak employees, 170 miles of track and 16 stations from Auburn to San Jose.
Over the past 11 years under CCJPA management, the Capitol Corridor has achieved enormous strides in service performance: 269% increase in ridership, 300% increase in service levels, and 275% increase in revenues.
BART’s Management History
BART was originally selected as managing agency by the CCJPA in February of 1999 for an initial term of three years. In 2002, and then again in 2005, that agreement was extended until February 2010. This most recent action means that BART will continue to serve as the CCJPA’s managing agency through February 2015.
David Kutrosky’s Professional Career
David Kutrosky has over twenty (20) years of extensive multi-modal transportation engineering, planning, and financing experience. He served as Deputy Managing Director for California’s Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA), the agency responsible for intercity passenger rail service between San Jose – Oakland/San Francisco – Sacramento/Auburn for over four years. As Deputy Managing Director Kutrosky’s duties included operations and strategic service planning, capital programming, customer service, budget and contract administration, public and legislative affairs, and marketing.
Prior to his CCJPA duties, Kutrosky started his BART career in 1996 in the Planning Department at BART where he oversaw BART’s planning efforts to develop a regional passenger railroad service, which led to BART’s role as managing agency to the CCJPA. Before joining BART, he worked as a consultant in traffic engineering, transit operations planning and airport planning and design.
Kutrosky has a bachelor’s degree from University of California, Los Angeles and a master’s degree from University of California, Berkeley.
About Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) is a unique organization charged with providing the administrative management of the Capitol Corridor intercity passenger rail service. The Capitol Corridor is a safe, affordable and convenient way to travel between the Sierra Foothills, Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley/San Jose. The CCJPA Board of Directors provides policy direction to the CCJPA staff in delivering quality passenger rail service along its 170-mile corridor. The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) provides the full-time management staff, Amtrak operates the service for the CCJPA and Union Pacific Railroad owns and maintains the tracks. Funding is virtually 100% from passenger fares and state transportation funds.
