News
GRTC Welcomes New Director of Planning & Scheduling
January 12, 2022
Press Releases
GRTC Welcomes New Director of Planning & Scheduling
Sam Sink oversees bus route planning, schedules, and at-stop infrastructure.
RICHMOND, Va. (January 12, 2022) – GRTC welcomes Sam Sink, AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners), as the new Director of Planning and Scheduling effective Tuesday, January 18th. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer Adrienne Torres, Sink will manage teams responsible for bus route planning, bus schedule creation, bus stop infrastructure (benches, trash cans, shelters, and other stop accessibility), bus Operator runs, data collection and analysis, and Title VI equity analysis.
GRTC Chief Executive Officer Julie Timm says, “I am thrilled to welcome Sam to the GRTC Family. She brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to GRTC and will help us plan for and deploy improved services for riders in Greater Richmond. Most local bus riders are commuting to or from jobs, and Sam will be crucial to ensuring these essential workers can rely on GRTC to connect with critical community resources such as food, health care, education, and better paying jobs in a dignified way from the bus stop to the bus ride. This local focus shapes the regional planning efforts Sam will steer.”
Sink previously served in several planning positions at Hampton Roads Transit in Norfolk, VA, progressing from a Data Analyst in 2012 to Director of Transit Development in 2020. Her experience spans multimodal transit planning at local, state, and federal levels, including environmental analysis for planning activities, and she has a successful track record of securing capital grant funding for projects.
“As a transit rider myself, I understand how important good transit planning is to the lived experience of riders, and why it’s critical to connect with customers during their commute to hear how transit can work better for them and how I can help improve their daily life,” says Sink.
Sink joins a deep bench of women in GRTC leadership roles, where the majority of Executive, Chief, and Director seats are currently held by women. GRTC is the WTS Central Virginia Chapter 2021 Employer of the Year Recognition Award Winner, recognized as a leading company in the transportation industry that has made outstanding contributions to advancing women in Virginia through career development.
As GRTC and the region recover from the pandemic, planned multimodal transportation growth efforts are expected to progress through regional prioritization and planning in the next several years, including in concert with the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA).
GRTC is a public service corporation providing mobility services in the Greater Richmond area. GRTC’s current operational budget (FY22) of $63.2 million primarily funds daily mobility operations and vehicle maintenance. GRTC provided 7.8 million trips during FY21 (July 1, 2020 – July 30, 2021).
For more information, media contact:
CARRIE ROSE PACE – (804) 516-4148 – carrie.rosepace@ridegrtc.com