The Orange County Board of Commissioners has selected Theo Letman to lead a new department of the municipal government that will focus on public transportation.

Letman’s appointment to the Orange County Public Transportation Department was announced on Thursday in a press release from the Orange County Community Relations Department.

As transit director, Letman will foster collaboration between transit stakeholders throughout the county while ensuring compliance with federal and state laws as they apply to public transportation. These stakeholders include GoTriangle and Chapel Hill Transit.

Letman stated that he looks forward “to working on improving the transit options and connectivity in this area” while providing “quality customer service for our passengers.”

The Georgia Department of Transportation hosted Letman as its urban transit group leader prior to his latest appointment. His qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in transportation and logistics management from North Carolina A&T State University.

According to the release, public transportation services in Orange County provided more than 65,000 one-way trips to residents over the past year.

The Orange County Public Transportation Department was created by the Board of Commissioners within its fiscal year budget and will be stood up by Letman on January 9.

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