Matt Tucker

Four questions for Matt Tucker

Matt Tucker, Executive Director/CEO

North County Transit District, Oceanside, CA

With NCTD since 2009, Matt previously led the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.  He’s a former APTA committee chair, and has served on the FRA’s Rail Safety Advisory Committee.  He shares his insight on some of the challenges facing the public transportation industry.

1.  What is your greatest challenge as a professional in this industry?

I believe the greatest challenge today is planning and evolving the business model to mitigate future risks and capture future opportunities.  The challenge in public transportation is primarily due to uncertainty as it relates to public policy, regulations, and funding.  

2.  Which comes first: People or funding/financing?

"A fool and his money are soon parted.”  People come first—good people are valuable in times of financial prosperity or challenge. Good people help ensure that funding is invested wisely.  

3.  What are the three most important skills to master for success?

Listening, tact, and collaboration.

4. With pressure across multiple fronts, how do you go about reinventing yourself to ensure that you can continue to provide the critical leadership your agency—and community—depend upon?

My management philosophy is premised on my belief that performance is either going up or down.  Accordingly, we have to continue to push forward and set new goals once the old ones are achieved.  To achieve sustained excellence, leaders have to be attuned to what is happening internally and externally to understand what activities have led to success and which have not. The key is evolution and not reinvention.