Rogers Appointed NCTD Director of Rail Operations
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
Maria Rogers, Director of Rail Operations, NCTD. (NCTD photo)
The North County Transit District (NCTD) recently announced that it has appointed Maria Rogers to serve as the agency’s Director of Rail Operations, effective June 3, 2024.
In this role, Rogers will be responsible for all aspects of rail operations and assistance with regulatory compliance. This position, the agency says, will also be “critical” in working closely with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the California Public Utilities Commission, and its partners at Amtrak, BNSF, and Metrolink as NCTD is the owner and Railroad of Record for the San Diego Subdivision of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor (LOSSAN).
Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer–Rail, Rogers’ additional responsibilities include oversight of the operational teams and performance metrics of the COASTER Commuter Rail and SPRINTER Hybrid Rail services.
“Maria’s experience in all aspects of rail operations will be an incredible asset to the future expansion of service, continued improvement of performance and safety, and the transition of our rail fleet to zero-emission vehicles,” said NCTD CEO Shawn Donaghy. “Her work has continued to produce incredible results, and we are excited to have Maria in this critical role.”
Rogers has worked with NCTD since 2014, most recently serving as the agency’s Manager of Rail Operations where she promoted safety and reliability of the COASTER and SPRINTER services along the San Diego and Escondido Subdivisions. During NCTD’s transition of rail to in-house operations, Rogers played “a key role in helping develop policies and procedures and facilitate training programs for the Operations team,” according to the agency. In addition, she analyzed key performance metrics to “facilitate improved safety and on-time performance by partner agencies along the corridor, while also leading nearly 90 employees.”
Additionally, according to the agency, Rogers’ leadership and mentoring skills have been “instrumental in helping employees grow within the industry” as she held key positions at NCTD, including Conductor, Engineer, and Road Foreman of Engines.
“I am excited and thankful for the opportunity to grow professionally,” said Rogers. “As a woman in leadership and being with The District for nearly 10 years, it has been an honor to work directly with other professionals that have greatly contributed to the skills I have and use daily. I look forward to continuing to share a work ethic that creates a fulfilling, productive and safe workplace.”
