SAN ANTONIO (March 22, 2024) – VIA Metropolitan Transit on Monday was named Outstanding Metropolitan Transit Authority in Texas by the Texas Transit Association (TTA) during its annual conference taking place at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. The TTA also presented VIA President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt with the Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his contributions to the transformation of public transportation in Texas.

VIA was recognized for its significant work toward delivering projects that increase access to opportunity, help drive economic development, create economic mobility and improve overall quality of life for all residents in the San Antonio region. 

Among its most significant initiatives underway is the region’s first Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) project, the VIA Rapid Green Line, which is part of VIA’s Keep SA Moving plan. The Green Line is slated to begin offering service in 2027 and will connect points near the San Antonio International Airport, along San Pedro Avenue, through Downtown and to the area near the historic missions on the South Side, greatly reducing travel time and expanding access to jobs and education. 

VIA is also developing plans for the proposed VIA Rapid Silver Line, a second ART corridor that would run from Our Lady of the Lake University on the West Side to the Frost Bank Center on the East Side. It’s expected to be operational by 2029.

This rapid transit network is part of VIA’s efforts to modernize mass transit in San Antonio using innovation, including off-board fare collection, bus-friendly traffic signals and on-demand transit options to move more people faster and farther. 

Arndt, now in his 13th year at VIA, has been part of the agency’s most transformative period since it began operation in 1978. At Monday’s awards ceremony, he thanked transit employees for the agency’s continued success. 

“The credit for these awards goes to the hundreds of incredible people at VIA who make it possible for us to serve our community, every day,” Arndt said. “It’s my pleasure to work alongside distinguished individuals, our VIA ‘superheroes,’ who inspire me and so many others to do our best and keep San Antonio moving in the right direction.”

The TTA Distinguished Service Award acknowledges the significant contributions he’s made to the state of transit in Texas. 

Throughout his tenure at VIA, Arndt has prioritized the evolution of the agency, which is now poised to become a true multimodal transit organization with the addition of VIA Link and ART. He has steadfastly pushed for change that’s designed to improve the customer experience and improve the overall quality of life for all residents in the region.

During his tenure, San Antonio voters redirected an existing 1/8^th-cent sales tax to fund transit, which made possible VIA’s development of ART — opening the door for the first time to federal capital improvement grant funding. VIA is poised to receive more than $400 million in federal funds for the development of the Green and Silver lines, in addition to the voter-approved sales tax revenue that VIA will begin collecting in January 2026.

(Suggested photo caption: VIA Metropolitan Transit President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt and Board Chair Fernando Reyes accept the agency’s awards presented at the Texas Transit Association conference.)

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About VIA Metropolitan Transit

VIA provides safe, reliable transportation options that put opportunity within reach for millions of passengers each year. VIA began operation in 1978 and today serves 14 member cities and the unincorporated areas of Bexar County, operating seven days a week on 77 routes, with complementing VIAtrans paratransit service and VIA Link on-demand options. VIA’s family of services help connect our community, support economic vitality, and enhance quality of life throughout the region. In 2020, voters approved funding for VIA’s Keep SA Moving plan, in support of projects designed for a modern mass transit system in San Antonio and Bexar County. Visit VIAinfo.net for more information. Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and the X platform, formerly known as Twi