UNT fills top transportation spot

University of North Texas officials recently named Joe Richmond as the universitys new director of transportation and parking.

Richmond was selected March 1 from among three finalists to lead parking and transportation services in the newly created position. He joined UNT in 2003 as the associate director for transportation services, and for the past seven months, has been UNTs interim director of parking and transportation.

I was pleased with the outcome, Richmond said. I was pleased with the selection, and Im excited about the opportunity.

He supervises 16 full-time and 43 part-time employees. Richmond said he looks forward to improving customer service focus and balancing alternative transportation and parking resources.

I want to improve the accessibility to campus by promoting options, providing options for the campus community, he said.

One of the first things he will oversee is the opening of a campus parking garage on Highland Street that will become home to parking and transportation services this summer.

A nationwide search began last fall to identify the universitys new director of transportation and parking, UNT Police Chief Richard Deter said.

Richmond, he said, has been instrumental in helping the UNT community understand a variety of transportation options. He was ultimately selected for the position, Deter said, because the search committee felt he was the best-qualified applicant and also familiar with Denton and the university community, making for a smooth transition.

Before joining UNT, the 30-year veteran of the transportation industry worked for 18 years with the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Austin, specializing in university-related transportation and acting as liaison between the transportation authority and the University of Texas.

In his time at UNT, hes overseen the design and implementation of the universitys shuttle service and other alternative transportation services. In a news release, UNT officials noted that since the start of the shuttle service, ridership has grown from six buses transporting about 2,000 riders a day to 27 buses transporting 15,000 riders a day.Hes also overseen the development and expansion of the universitys bike program, a Web-based signup for ride-sharing and a carpool program.

Overseeing such programs has been rewarding, Richmond said, adding that hes pleased with the success of the transportation options established at UNT.

Parking and transportation is the first and last experience people have when they come to campus, and I would like that experience to be positive, he said. Its important for people to be able to get out of their cars and focus on why they are at the campus.