New DART CEO Nathaniel Ford takes over amid Florida investigation into former transit agency
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) welcomed its new CEO on Monday as he takes over the North Texas transit agency amid an ongoing Florida investigation into alleged financial mismanagement at his former transit agency, which faced a $39 million budget gap.
Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., who previously led the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), was introduced during a news conference marking his first day on the job. His arrival comes as Florida authorities investigate JTA's finances, with Ford among the officials subpoenaed for records.
"I'm joining DART at an incredible time with incredible momentum," Ford said, noting that last week DART celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Silver Line. "I had the opportunity to ride into the office on the Orange Line, and then I went out and visited our bus operators and maintenance employees out at the East Dallas Bus Operating Facility."
Ford said the employees he met were engaged and dedicated to serving the community, and planned to meet with more employees. He also touted his history and family involvement in transit.
Ford's three-year employment contract with DART grants him a salary of $515,000, which is $103,000 more than what Nadine Lee, the previous DART CEO, earned in 2025. Additionally, DART paid Ford $80,000 for relocation and travel costs, and he will be eligible for a 3% cost-of-living increase if he meets certain goals starting in the 2027 fiscal year.
What does the Florida investigation entail?
Ford was named DART's CEO amid an ongoing investigation into alleged financial mismanagement at JTA. CBS affiliate WJAX-TV reported earlier this month that Ford agreed to testify after being served subpoenas in the case. WJAX reports that, in September, JTA laid off nearly 200 employees and made major service cuts amid a $39 million budget gap. City leaders in Jacksonville demanded accountability as Ford announced he was leaving JTA for his new role with DART.
The subpoenas, which CBS News Texas has reviewed, demanded a slew of documents from between October 2023 and September 2026. Invoices, W-2 forms for certain employees, contracts, travel documentation, and emails were among the items demanded by the Florida Attorney General's Office.
Ford is not the only Jacksonville official facing scrutiny; WJAX-TV's previous reporting notes that Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan was also subpoenaed for notes shared with a former member of the JTA board.
How has DART responded?
DART Board Chair Randall Bryant has previously defended Ford's hiring, saying DART leadership conducted its own investigation into the matter during an Oct. 16 meeting.
"Our general counsel is in constant communication with legal teams in Jacksonville," Bryant said. "As of right now, we've gone through, in our opinion, a very thorough process, the most open and transparent process that we've had to fire a CEO. Obviously, some of the things that are being reported on now were reported on then, we did an investigation of those things at the time."
During Monday's introductory press conference, Bryant briefly discussed JTA's challenges.
"Most stories published about the JTA's challenges, our board was made fully aware of and discussed with Mr. Ford in great detail and for hours prior to this final approval," Bryant said. "As chair of DART, I will not use this moment as an opportunity to look down upon, point fingers, or make any accusations of the circumstances of any peer agency, because what JTA is currently experiencing is actually a familiar story to DART."
Bryant said DART faced challenges in 2007 due to unexpected cost increases, revenue shortfalls, and debt obligations. In 2010, Bryant said the board had to make service and planning cuts that eliminated $9 billion from the 20-year financial plan.
"The current challenges of JTA will work themselves out, no different than they have worked themselves out here at DART," Bryant said.
Ford also responded during Monday's press conference, saying the "perfect storm" formed at JTA, saying that for years the agency ran surpluses, but faced challenges in recent years as revenue streams declined and ridership declined. Ford also said JTA had to launch a new system with federal funding and meet federal deadlines, or risk repaying the federal funds. Another issue, Ford said, involved competing against other jobs as Jacksonville operators faced low wages, adding to the pressures JTA faced.
"It was a collision of multiple storms, both on the revenue side and the expense side for our agency," Ford said, adding he's focused on serving Dallas and won't allow the current issues with JTA to take from that.