MARTA’s Chief of Rail Operations, Dave Springstead, has over 32 years of experience in operations, maintenance, engineering, asset management, capital programming and project delivery. He started his career with Raytheon Engineers and Constructors, transitioned into transit and is now in his 22nd year with MARTA.
Responsibilities include daily operation and maintenance of the MARTA Rail System and Atlanta Streetcar while ensuring stations, facilities, vehicles, systems and the right of way remain in a safe & secure state of good repair. This includes MARTA's Integrated Operations Center/Emergency Operations
Center (IOC/EOC), 38 rail stations, over 100 facilities, 338 heavy rail vehicles, 4 light rail vehicles, 122 miles of heavy rail, 2.7 miles of embedded light rail, 150 escalators, 115 elevators, all electrical substations, bridges and tunnels.
Dave holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (BEE), a Minor in Business Administration from Manhattan College, NY, and a Master of Science in Management (MSM) from North Carolina State University.
He is recognized as an industry leader in asset management and recently lead MARTA to become the first transit agency in North America to achieve ISO55000 Certification. Mr. Springstead serves as the Chair of APTA’s Systems Engineering Sub-Committee, Co-chair of APTA ‘s Transit Asset Management Standards Committee
and is an active member of the APTA Rail Planning Committee. He is a leader within FTA’s State of Good Repair (SGR) Technical Workgroup and an active member of the Transportation Research Board (TRB).
Dave is married to his wife, Sharon and a proud father of four daughters, Erin, Brenna, Maura and Shannon. In his spare time, he enjoys boating on Lake Hartwell, riding his Harley, trail running and traveling with friends and family.
Contact Information
Dave Springstead
Deputy Chief Reporting to the Chief of Rail Operations
George Wright
- Deputy Chief Rail Operations
- 404-848-5437
- gwright1@itsmarta.com
- Administrative Assistant: Wantina Reid (404-848-4744)