SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie Richards will step down next month.
On Thursday, Oct. 24, Richards announced she would step down on Nov. 29, 2024.
“It has been an honor to lead SEPTA, and especially to lead our 9,500 employees, each of whom brings incredible expertise, dedication and heart to serving our community,” Richards said. “I’m proud to have led a workplace known for its collegiality, dedication to efficiency and equity. Working together, we have positioned SEPTA for a bright future, increasing frequent mobility and access to opportunities for our region.”
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
Richards served as SEPTA’s CEO and GM for five years, overseeing the transit agency during the COVID pandemic and the continued effort to secure public funding amid a $240 million annual budget deficit. Richards also oversaw a redesign of SEPTA’s bus network and the introduction of the SEPTA Key Advantage system.
“I look forward to expanding my role as a Professor of Practice in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design and pursuing other opportunities to serve the community,” Richards said.
SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth Lawrence said the transit agency will conduct a nationwide search for a new CEO and GM that will begin in the coming weeks. Chief Operating Officer Scott Sauer will serve as SEPTA’s interim General Manager until a permanent successor is chosen.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
“Leslie has been a dedicated public servant for nearly 20 years, and at SEPTA she has been a true champion for public transit and for our region as a whole,” Lawrence said. “She faced an extraordinary set of challenges over the last five years, and we deeply appreciate her service to the cause of public transit. We wish her well in her future endeavors.”
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
