Lesley Kandaras Named New General Manager for Metro Transit
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Lesley Kandaras
Courtesy of Metropolitan Council
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Metropolitan Council has announced a new General Manager, Lesley Kandaras, for Metro Transit.
Metro Council has chosen Lesley Kandaras to serve as Metro Transit’s new general manager. Having been with the organization since 2019, Kandaras “is the first woman to permanently fill this position.”
When asked why Kandaras applied for the position of General Manager, she told the Star Tribune, that “it’s really a critical time in transit coming out of the pandemic with the changes in travel behavior we’re seeing, and with the historic investment in transportation, including transit.”
The position of general manager is one that works to ensure Metro Transit’s vision and leadership. Current Met Council Chair Charlie Zelle stated that Lesley Kandaras is the right pick because Kandaras “is a well-respected leader with a deep knowledge and understanding of how transit can improve the quality of life for our region.”
That improvement comes in the form of working to expand Metro Transit’s Blue Line in Brooklyn Park. This year, “DFL-controlled Legislature . . . approved a metro-area sales tax for public transit” with $50 million allocated for the Blue Line extension and $25 million to upgrade “Rice Street near the State Capitol in St. Paul, including a multimodal hub at the Green Line light-rail station.”
With an operating budget of $530 million and 3,000 employees, Metro Transit is working to expand its light rail and Bus Rapid Transit network. Along with a $2.57 billion, six-year Capital Improvement Plan, Metro Transit says it is “focused on improving public safety on transit.”
During her tenure with Met Council, Kandaras has worked in several positions in the last eleven years. Namely, she has served as an interim general manager, a senior manager of policy development, and as chief of staff. When Kandaras worked as Chief of Staff, she made sure to keep both customers and staff in mind during Met Council’s decision-making. One such effort was the Safety & Security Action Plan which works to improve system conditions, to train and support employees, and to engage customers and partners.
