Dear Members of the AATA Board, Dawn Gabay and Senior Staff, With the hiring of a new Executive Director, the AATA has a tremendous opportunity to become the innovative and regional organization our community needs it to be. As leaders representing the concerns and needs of downtown workers, business owners, and community members, we would like to share our thoughts on what qualities we believe the new Executive Director should have. It is our hope that you take these points to heart as you initiate the hiring process. We are more than willing to meet with you to discuss any of these points in more detail. Create a Vision for the AATA: Currently, the AATA has a lot of good parts, but no central vision. The new AATA Director must understand that there are two main groups of individuals who use AATA services—choice riders and transit-dependent riders. Services must be marketed and created to accommodate both groups. The AATA is no longer just a service that only very poor or disabled individuals want to use. At the same time, the AATA must be a service that allows all populations to get around our community. And yet, the AATA has not created a vision of how to market to and address the needs of these two different groups. In addition, the AATA should determine which services best meet the needs of the community based on a unified vision of what the agency wants to accomplish. This will be a key issue faced by the next Executive Director. Become More User-Focused: The new Executive Director should be willing to put the user of transit service first when it comes to making decisions for the organization. How easy is it for someone to figure out which bus to take? Is the website easy to navigate? How is the AATA using technology to enhance the experience of the customer? All of these questions need to be asked by the new Executive Director. The AATA has service standards (such as having a stop every ¼ mile of a residence in Ann Arbor) that might not best accommodate the people who want to use the service. If the AATA wants to attract more riders, the AATA and the new Executive Director must work to create service that is more responsive to the user. Regional Understanding: This community does not exist in a bubble. Employees, visitors, students and others come to Ann Arbor from Ypsilanti, Saline, Dexter, Canton, Jackson, Detroit, Toledo and elsewhere. The new Executive Director should have an understanding of the regional nature of our community and continue to guide the AATA into a county-wide organization. While Ann Arbor is clearly a hub of activity in Washtenaw County, it’s not the only place people are going. This concern should be understood by the new Executive Director Connecting Land Use with Transportation: The updated Ann Arbor Transportation Plan states clearly that land use planning and future development go hand in hand. The new Executive Director should have an understanding of this interaction and play a key role in determining how to grow our community in a way that fosters economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and density. Sensemaking Through Collaboration: The AATA shouldn’t be the only answer to all transit challenges in Washtenaw and beyond, but rather should see itself as an integral local component to a regional larger transit system. Thus, the interconnectedness with other transit offerings should make sense. Any local transit options should sensibly connect to regional systems such as Amtrak, Commuter rail systems to regional hubs such as Detroit Metro Airport and other regional and local systems. This will only occur if the Executive Director is capable and interested in on-going dialogue and collaboration with other transit authorities and through consideration of the expertise of current staff and riders of AATA. Opportunity for Visionary Leadership: This may be the most exciting time for transit in the history of our region. This opportunity will require a visionary leader. While Ann Arbor is small in scale compared to other population regions in Michigan, there is no doubt Michigan looks to us for innovation and systems level thinking. We must seize the opportunity. There is hardly a community in the United States who isn’t wrestling with similar issues. We have an opportunity to be a national voice in this transition and in the process make our region a very desirable place to work, live and play. Community Partnerships: From locally-owned businesses to the University to Ann Arbor SPARK to governmental units to nonprofit organizations, there are many extremely important players in this community. The new AATA Executive Director must be skilled in building partnerships and recognizing the role these key partners play in our community. More Than Just Buses: For many years, the AATA has grappled with the question of its identity. Is it more than just a bus service? With AATA taking over the WALLY project, it is clear that the answer is yes. In order for this community to grow, attract high quality workers, and connect to Metro Detroit, the AATA must become more than just a bus company. The community is looking for AATA to provide leadership in a future of trains, streetcars, non-motorized thoroughfares, and even light rail. The new Executive Director must be up to this incredible challenge and exciting opportunity. Thank you for giving us a chance to voice our thoughts on what qualities you should look for when hiring a new Executive Director. We recognize that the economy and other factors present tremendous challenges for the AATA and this region. But as community members, we also realize the tremendous assets of this region, assets that include the AATA. We are not merely providing advice in isolation, but rather hope this is the beginning of a conversation that can continue once you hire a new Executive Director. We are more than happy to meet with you in person to discuss any of the items mentioned above. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Nancy Shore Director, getDowntown Program Richard Sheridan CEO, Menlo Innovations Board Member, Ann Arbor Chamber Board Member Ann Arbor SPARK Co-champion Ann Arbor Region Community Success Initiative Jeff Irwin Washtenaw County Commissioner Conan Smith Washtenaw County Commissioner Executive Director, Michigan Suburbs Alliance Chuck Warpehoski Director, Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice Joan H. Lowenstein Jaffe, Raitt, Heuer & Weiss, P.C.