His past agency in Florida faces a nearly $40M budget shortfall and is under investigation. DART board chair Randall Bryant defended his hiring.
By Lilly Kersh,Staff Writer
On his first day as Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s new CEO, Nathaniel “Nat” Ford outlined his priorities while defending his leadership of a Florida transit agency facing financial troubles and a state investigation.
Ford arrived just three days after he was asked to testify to the Jacksonville City Council about a nearly $40 million budget shortfall at his former agency, which has cut services and announced plans to eliminate up to roughly 200 jobs.
The Florida attorney general is also investigating the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, with subpoenas naming Ford and seeking records involving contracts, payments and other agency business.
“It feels uncomfortable,” Ford said of the state inquiry. “But in the end, I think it will clearly show that we were good public servants who made good, positive decisions for our community and for our employees.”
Ford takes over a transit agency in Dallas that nearly fractured this year after member cities called votes to leave the system DART before compromises over funding, governance and service persuaded most to abandon their exit elections.
“I need to make sure that we realize their dreams, their unique dreams for public transportation in their communities,” he said of DART’s member cities.
Ford did not testify in Jacksonville on Friday but remains under subpoena to do so.
Ford, who is replacing Nadine Lee after she stepped down in April, said the attorney general’s investigation is an opportunity to explain decisions.
Ford defended his international travel at past agencies, which have come under fire, citing his membership in professional, national transit organizations. He also refuted claims from Florida that there was a conflict of interest with WSP, a consulting firm at which Ford’s wife is an executive.
“We work in the same industry, but we put bright lines in between what we do,” Ford said. DART has worked with WSP.
Ford said he pledges to be available and visible as CEO and run an ethical, transparent agency.
Some directors have expressed confidence in Ford’s ability to innovate, work with local and state partners, obtain funding and expand in suburban communities. Others raised concerns with his hiring and whether past spending and travel questions were properly addressed.
Ford said the financial crisis at JTA was the result of a “perfect storm” — tax and fare revenues declined after the pandemic, a federally funded project met a deadline and the agency faced a driver shortage. Bryant said DART had a similar financial crisis less than 20 years ago.
“Some of the ebbs and flows on the budget cycles, that happens in transit all the time,” said DART board member Roy Lopez after the news conference.
DART board chair Randall Bryant defended DART’s hiring process and said directors were made fully aware of JTA’s challenges, which they discussed with Ford in detail.
“We didn’t vote for Nat Ford to work out the challenges of JTA,” he said. “We voted for Nat Ford to work out the challenges right here at DART.”
DART rider Phyllis Silver said she has concerns about the investigations in Florida.
“I’m more concerned about the time and the focus,” she said, adding that the investigation could divert from Dallas.
Ford said his focus will remain at DART.
“I will not allow it to get in the way of what we need to accomplish here,” Ford said.
Ford said he spent the start of his first day on the job riding the train, taking the Orange Line to DART’s headquarters. He started his career as a train operator in New York before becoming CEO of agencies in Atlanta, San Francisco and Jacksonville — a resume DART directors applauded.
Ford’s base salary, according to his employment agreement, is $515,000 annually. His initial term lasts three years.
Collin County Reporter
Lilly Kersh is a local government accountability reporter at The Dallas Morning News covering Collin County with a focus on McKinney and Plano. She graduated in 2024 from the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism and was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.
