Meet Mike Wygant!

New MTS Bus Director of Fleet & Facility Maintenance Mike Wygant at the IAD bus maintenance facility. Mike manages the maintenance divisions at both IAD and KMD, he said he already sees a lot of good work happening at both divisions, and will hit the ground running in his new position.

The New Director of MTS Bus Maintenance

In the bus maintenance division employees need to be hands-on. It’s a job that demands both strategic thinking and physical labor – at all levels. Mike Wygant, MTS’ new director of fleet and facility, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in both of these areas.

Mike doesn’t like working in a silo. He wants to understand the entire operation. “The way I look at it, vehicle maintenance is a direct service provider to operations. I have to understand the operations side of the business. I can’t be productive sitting in front of a computer waiting for emails to come in. I like to go out and talk with employees, and know where everyone is at. That’s the best way to see the whole picture.”

Mike gained this approach working at NCTD for 26 years, where he started as a bus servicer washing buses and finished as the chief operating officer for both bus and rail maintenance and operations prior to joining the MTS team.

His proactive, hands-on approach to the job began right away. On his first day at MTS, Mike submitted a 30-day transition plan to MTS Bus Chief Operating Officer Bill Spraul. The plan included goals such as meeting with every manager, talking with each shift, and sitting down with union leadership. The purpose of these meetings was to find areas that need attention and refocus. The best way to find these areas is by talking to the people who are working it day-in and day-out.

“I’m not looking to turn the whole place over. There are some pretty incredible employees here. A lot of people see the big picture and understand the goals. A ton of good work is happening.”

He’s right. MTS Bus directly-operated service beat its KPI goal for mean distance between failures last year – a direct accomplishment of the bus maintenance team. Additionally, the team scored perfect on a surprise audit in July by the California Highway Patrol, making this the 5th consecutive year a perfect score has been obtained!

“I think I bring a broad picture to the maintenance department,” added Mike. “I can come in, hit the ground running and continue the great work being done here.”

About Mike:

• Home: Oceanside
• Military Service: Air Force – jet maintenance division
• Hobbies: surfing, camping, dirt bike riding
• Favorite Surf Spot: Oceanside Harbor
• Favorite Camping Spot: Ocotillo Wells
• Fun Fact: Mike is a former competitive motocross racer