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Nathaniel Ford starts as DART chief while Florida examines former agency’s finances
Nathaniel Ford began leading Dallas Area Rapid Transit on Monday as Florida authorities investigate finances at his former agency, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. DART says its board reviewed the scrutiny before approving his hire; Ford’s contract provides a $515,000 annual salary and $80,000 for relocation and travel.
Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. began work as chief executive of Dallas Area Rapid Transit on Monday, taking charge of the North Texas transit agency while Florida authorities investigate alleged financial mismanagement at the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, which he previously led.
Ford was introduced at a news conference on his first day. He said he rode DART’s Orange Line to work and visited bus operators and maintenance staff at the East Dallas Bus Operating Facility. He also pointed to the agency’s recent momentum, including the first anniversary of the Silver Line, and said his focus was on serving the Dallas area.
The Florida investigation concerns JTA’s finances and a reported $39 million budget gap. In September, JTA laid off nearly 200 employees and made major service cuts. Ford was subpoenaed for records and agreed to testify, according to reporting by Jacksonville television station WJAX. The subpoenas sought documents from October 2023 through September 2026, including invoices, contracts, travel records and emails. A subpoena is a demand for information, not a finding of wrongdoing.
Ford said JTA had run surpluses for years but encountered a combination of declining revenue and ridership, costs tied to launching a federally funded transit system, and difficulty competing for workers amid low operator wages. He described the agency’s financial pressures as a collision of challenges on both the revenue and expense sides.
DART Board Chair Randall Bryant said the agency’s leadership reviewed the Jacksonville issues before approving Ford’s appointment. Bryant said DART’s general counsel was in contact with legal teams in Jacksonville and that the board had discussed the reported challenges with Ford in detail. He also cautioned against judging a peer agency, saying DART had faced its own financial pressures, including service and planning cuts in 2010.
Ford’s three-year contract sets his annual salary at $515,000, $103,000 more than former DART CEO Nadine Lee earned in 2025. DART also agreed to pay $80,000 for Ford’s relocation and travel expenses. He may receive a 3% cost-of-living increase beginning in fiscal 2027 if he meets specified goals.
The appointment puts Ford at the helm of a regional transit system as questions about his previous agency remain under investigation. Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan has also been subpoenaed in the matter, according to WJAX reporting.