RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – The area’s mass transit efforts will soon have new leadership. According to a press release, GoTriangle, the Research Triangle’s transit system, has recently announced that on June 1, 2025, Brian Smith will be named the agency’s newest President and CEO.
“We need strong regional collaboration to be successful and that’s something I’m deeply committed to. GoTriangle is right there at the heart of it, and it will be a great honor to work with the Board, community stakeholders and GoTriangle’s dedicated staff to achieve the agency’s vision going forward,” said Smith.
After spending over 16 years at Hampton Roads Transit—Virginia’s largest multi-modal transit agency outside the Washington, D.C. metro area—Smith joins GoTriangle with extensive leadership experience. He advanced from an entry-level role to Deputy CEO, spending more than a decade in executive leadership and working closely with department heads to oversee daily operations and organizational strategy. Smith has led several strategic initiatives with public, private, and non-profit stakeholders, including garnering more than $32 million annually in new investments to expand regional high-frequency bus service and improve technology, safety, security, customer amenities and bus fleet reliability. His dissertation focused on leadership in collaborative regional networks.
“Brian impressed all of us with his experience and his emphasis on collaborative leadership. He is the right person at the right time to lead GoTriangle,” said Board Chair Mary-Ann Baldwin. “With his focus on strategic planning and partnerships, he will do a great job leading our organization as we reinvent ourselves and move forward with big ideas that will better serve our region.”
GoTriangle recently finalized a strategic plan positioning GoTriangle to best serve an area facing transit planning challenges and population growth. The Raleigh Union Bus Facility is one of the many ways GoTriangle proactively taking on the demand for enhanced transportation options. The station will open in Downtown Raleigh to increase transit service and allow convenient access to the Raleigh Union Station rail service.
“This region is so dynamic, it’s essential to have a mix of reliable transportation options,” said Smith. “Thousands of people rely on GoTriangle every day to provide vital connections and get them where they need to go. That need is only going to grow in the years to come.”
They also recently picked the master developer for the new Triangle Mobility Hub, a transformative 19-acre, mixed-use community located within Research Triangle Park (RTP). The project will redefine how residents and visitors connect, work, play and live across the region.
The agency will also routinely review its service route offerings and make adjustments for efficiency. As part of the change process, GoTriangle will soon offer its first 15-minute service alon the 400 route between Durham and Chapel Hill.
“I have no doubt in my mind that Brian is the absolute best person to lead GoTriangle into the next era of growth and innovation,” said Byron Smith, Acting President/CEO. “His experience as a leader and his dedication to public transportation are second to none.”