Transport expert Ian Griffiths joins CPCS to lead US transit expansion
Ian brings unmatched public transportation expertise after leading transit transformation and policy reform initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area
CPCS, a leading transportation advisory firm, adds Bay Area public transportation thought leader Ian Griffiths to its US Division as the firm continues its expansion in North America, leveraging its international expertise in integrated public transportation systems.
Key points
- Ian has been appointed Transit Practice Lead, US markets at CPCS
- He co-founded the transportation not-for-profit Seamless Bay Area in 2018, an acclaimed public transit policy research and advocacy organization dedicated to transforming the San Francisco Bay Area’s transit systems into a more customer-focused, integrated network
- Currently serves as an independent subject matter expert on California’s Transit Transformation Task Force
Transportation accolades
Through his work at Seamless Bay Area, Ian has received numerous honors, including being awarded the top prize in the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Transformative Projects Competition for a proposal of establishing an Integrated Fare Structure across the Bay Area’s dozens of public transit agencies. Fare integration has since become a key pillar of the Bay Area’s plan for transit transformation, and the region’s first multi-agency transit pass pilot program is showing promising results, boosting ridership by up to 40%. Griffiths was recognized as one of Mass Transit Magazine’s “Top 40 under 40” in 2021.
High profile projects and clients
Ian also brings years of public sector experience on a range of transportation policy, capital planning, station access, wayfinding, and customer experience projects from prior roles at Metrolinx in Toronto and at BART in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Ian currently serves as an independent subject matter expert on California’s Transit Transformation Task Force, appointed by Secretary Tosk Omishakin in late 2023. The Task Force, which includes leaders of California’s major transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, academic research institutions, and non-profit groups, is responsible for developing a set of policy recommendations to grow transit ridership and improve the experience of transit across the state.
Leveraging its experience on major transit projects for clients like Metrolinx, Caltrain, TransLink or Transport for London, CPCS has made inroads into the US transit sector in the past year, with key transit advisory projects underway in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Minnesota.
Quotes
Ian Griffiths, US Transit Practice Lead, CPCS
“Transit agencies across North America are at a crossroads, due in part to the disruption of the pandemic. Commute focused services have struggled most to recover ridership, meanwhile regions with integrated, flexible, frequent networks have been the most resilient and successful in rebuilding ridership. I’m excited to join CPCS’s global team of experts at a time where the shift toward more seamless, customer-focused transit networks is so essential – assisting public agencies in making the case for sustained investment in transit.”
Donald Ludlow, Partner and US Vice President, CPCS
“A clear vision and plan for transformation, focused on an excellent seamless customer experience, is key to securing new sources of long-term revenue for public transit agencies in North America. Ian’s unique experience in California and Canada complements CPCS depth of experience in commercial advisory services for transit, offering clients a powerful set of skills for navigating these challenging times for the US Transit sector.”
About CPCS Transcom Inc.
CPCS is a leading management consulting firm advising infrastructure leaders in the transportation space with a distinguished record of innovation, client service, and clear communication. We aim to provide the highest-quality advice on transportation challenges in the areas of strategic and business planning, multimodal freight, passenger rail, ports and waterways, intermodal terminals, trade lanes, borders, urban mobility, oversize/overweight cargo, truck parking, grant writing, corridor planning, freight operations, market competitiveness, and more. We communicate our findings into plain language, arresting cartography, and clear visualizations. We tailor solutions that are resilient, commercially competitive, and incorporate sustainability, equity, and technology. Our team LOVES what we do, and it shows! About our services.
CPCS Group
The US Division of CPCS is part of a global infrastructure advisory working across the transport and energy sectors, providing end-to-end management consulting services, including analytical, technical, legal, regulatory, transaction, as well as economics, policy, finance, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and governance.
