Andoh named Mass Transit administrator

John Andoh has been named Mass Transit administrator of Hawaii County effective Jan. 3 following several months serving in the interim role.

As administrator, Andoh will be responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of the agency, implementing elements of the master plan, supporting the transportation commission, pursuing grant funds, transforming the fleet to zero emissions, and purchasing a new bus fleet, leading policy development for the agency and plan for a balanced, safe, and efficient transportation system. Additional responsibilities include promoting increased use of sustainable forms of transportation, including walking, biking, and transit use island-wide, and working to improve equity in transportation policies, programs, and services.

“I am very grateful for this opportunity to return to Hawaii County to make Hele-On the best that it can be,” said Andoh. “Since originally coming to Hawaii Island in 2014, I have come to fall in love with the people, the environment, and the island as a whole. That’s why I am looking forward to the work of making Hele-On an economic driver for the island in a broader effort to achieve the goals of the Roth administration to create a better sustainable quality of life for all our residents for generations to come.”

Andoh, who has 22 year of experience in public transportation, previously served as the executive director/CEO of the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) in Columbia, South Carolina. He has also worked in leadership positions within Escalon and Burlington, California, and Quartzsite, Arizona.

Andoh has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Phoenix and a graduate certificate in transportation management from San Jose State University. He is a certified community transit manager by the Community Transportation Association of America and a certified public manager from Arizona State University.