SEPTA GM & CEO Richards to Step Down

Leslie Richards has announced that she will step down as general manager and CEO of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) effective Nov. 29. Chief Operating Officer Scott Sauer will serve as interim general manager until a permanent successor is chosen.

Richards joined SEPTA in January 2020. Before that, she served as the first woman secretary of Pennsylvania DOT from January 2015 to December 2019. Prior to her public service, she worked in the private sector as a senior project manager for environmental and civil engineering firms.

During her tenure at SEPTA, Richards oversaw a redesign of the agency’s bus network, introducing the SEPTA Key Advantage system, and working to secure additional public funding amidst the reality of a $240 million projected FY25 operating deficit. Under her leadership, SEPTA won APTA’s 2022 Innovation Award and the 2024 Gold Rail Security Award.

Richards is a member of the APTA Board of Directors, Public Transportation CEO Coordinating Council, and Racial Equity Commitment Signatories Group. She is vice chair of the Legislative Committee, and serves on the Legacy Systems, Rail Transit CEOs, Bus & Paratransit CEOs, and Commuter Rail committees, among others.