SEPTA
Following a nationwide search for candidates and review process, Scott A. Sauer has been appointed General Manager of SEPTA, which offers bus, subway, trolley, trackless trolley, Regional Rail (commuter rail), ADA paratransit, and Shared Ride services in five counties in the Greater Philadelphia area, plus connections to transit systems in Delaware and New Jersey.
Sauer had been serving as Interim General Manager since November 2024, when he succeeded Leslie S. Richards who stepped down. In his permanent role, Sauer will continue to oversee SEPTA’s 9,300 employees and all aspects of the Authority’s operations. He is a second-generation transit professional; his late father, Robert, served the Philadelphia Transportation Company and SEPTA for 30 years.
Sauer started his career at SEPTA in 1990 as a Surface Train Operator, and rose through the ranks to Subway/Elevated Train Operator, Transportation Manager, and Safety Officer. In 2013, he was named Assistant General Manager of System Safety. He was promoted in 2017 to Assistant General Manager of Operations, overseeing Transportation, Control Center, Vehicle Maintenance, and Station Cleaning, and in 2022 to Chief Operating Officer, expanding his oversight to include the Engineering, Maintenance, and Construction Division; Transit Police; and Capital Programs.
Sauer has served on the Federal Transit Administration’s Transit Advisory Committee for Safety; the Transportation Research Board Committee on Transit Safety and Security; the Northeast Corridor Safety and Security Committee; and the Board of Directors for Operation Lifesaver, Inc. He holds a master’s degree in environmental protection and safety management from St. Joseph’s University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix.
“Scott has dedicated nearly 35 years to SEPTA, gaining invaluable experience in every aspect of the organization,” SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. said. “Over the last six months, Scott has demonstrated his leadership abilities through this funding crisis, and I am confident that he is the best person to guide SEPTA through these challenging times ahead.”
“I am honored to be entrusted with the stewardship of a transit system that is absolutely essential to the region’s success,” Sauer said. “I will continue to commit this organization to a back-to-basics philosophy emphasizing the fundamentals that keep Greater Philadelphia moving each day: safety, customer service and reliability.”
He takes over at a “pivotal time” for SEPTA, the Authority reported. “On June 26, the Board will consider a proposed budget with 45% in service cuts—coupled with major fare increases, workforce reductions and a 9 p.m. curfew for all rail service—to fill a $213 million structural budget deficit.”
Further Reading:
- Second of a Series: Philadelphia Leads the Way
- SEPTA Reprieve, But for How Long?
- SEPTA Postpones Second of Two Fare Increases
- SEPTA Board Approves 7.5% Fare Hike
- SEPTA Proposes Another Fare Hike to Address Deficit
- SEPTA Eyes Fare Adjustments to Address Deficit
Kaplan Kirsch
John Putnam, Allison Ishihara Fultz, and Samuel Kohn have signed on with Kaplan Kirsch, which has offices in Denver; Washington, D.C.; New York; and San Francisco. The law firm said these “nationally respected attorneys who recently held senior roles in the Biden Administration” will help strengthen its position in infrastructure, transportation, environmental and Native American law.
Putnam, who served as USDOT General Counsel and a legal advisor to Secretary Pete Buttigieg, is rejoining to the firm as a partner in its Denver office. He was a founding partner of Kaplan Kirsch and previously served as its Managing Partner. Most recently, Purnam was Senior Advisor to the Colorado Department of Transportation, where he was the Governor’s Chief Negotiator on the renegotiation of the 99-Year lease of the Moffat Tunnel under the Continental Divide lease, and also played a lead role in advancing passenger rail service and implementing statewide greenhouse gas policies in the transportation sector.
Ishihara Fultz is returning to the firm’s Washington, D.C., office after more than three years as FRA Chief Counsel. With a background in both law and architecture, she brings “unique insight to the firm, advising clients on complex infrastructure projects across the country, with a focus on regulatory compliance, intergovernmental agreements, establishing rail and transit operating agencies, and creative rail development solutions, making her a go-to advisor for both public and private sector clients,” according to Kaplan Kirsch.
Kohn is joining as a partner in the firm’s San Francisco office. With nearly 15 years of experience representing Indian Tribes, Alaska Natives, and tribal consortia on issues of governance, land use, infrastructure, and federal engagement, he has served as Senior Counselor to the Assistant Secretary–Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Kohn is a member of the Apsáalooke Nation (Crow Tribe of Montana).
“John, Allison and Sam are not only some of the sharpest legal minds in the country, they’re also trusted advisors who know how to get things done in government,” said Steve Kaplan, Co-founder of Kaplan Kirsch. “We’re thrilled to have them on our team at a time when our clients are navigating historic changes in infrastructure, energy, and tribal governance.”
