News Release
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Janet Sanders
Office: 661.869.6304
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2019
GET Chief Named Vice Chair of California Transit Association Executive Committee
Bakersfield, CA — The Golden Empire Transit District (GET) announced today that its Chief Executive Officer, Karen King, was recently named Vice Chair of the California Transit Association’s Executive Committee.
Ms. King, who has headed GET since 2008, has been a member of the California Transit Association (CTA) for 33 years. She will serve as Vice Chair on CTA’s Executive Committee alongside other high-level representatives of California transit programs through 2021. “This is an exciting opportunity for GET,” said King, who was elected to the position during CTA’s Fall Conference and Expo, which took place from November 13-15, 2019, in Monterey. “Working closely with the managers and CEOs of some of our state’s most successful transit programs on this committee will not only help me to advocate for and improve transit throughout California, but also to bring new and exciting ideas and innovations to GET.”
CTA is the state’s largest transit advocacy group, representing more than 200 member organizations. Its recent 2019 Fall Conference and Expo focused on today’s most pressing challenges for transit and the solutions being implemented by innovative industry leaders. CTA is led by its Executive Committee, which is responsible for managing CTA’s affairs, setting policies, and directing staff. Its 25 members are selected by member organizations and serve two-year terms.
In 2018, Ms. King received a Distinguished Service Award from CTA as part of its Small Operator Awards. The award recognizes individuals who have had a long and distinguished career in the transportation industry and have made outstanding contributions to public transit. Ms. King’s career in public transportation has spanned more than 43 years and garnered numerous awards and recognitions for GET, including CTA’s Transit Innovation Award in 2015.
GET was formed in July 1973 and is the primary public transportation provider for the Bakersfield Urbanized Area. It is the largest public transit system within a 110-mile radius. The District’s legal boundary includes Bakersfield city limits as well as adjacent unincorporated areas. GET has a fleet of 88 compressed natural gas buses equipped with wheelchair lifts and bike racks. GET serves 16 routes, operating 7 days a week and transporting more than 6 million passengers each year with its fixed-route buses. In addition, GET operates 25 compressed natural gas GET-A-Lift buses and 7 microtransit RYDE shuttles. For more information, visit www.getbus.org or call 869.2GET (2438).