Tyffany Neal has been named director of the Fayetteville Area System of Transit in North Carolina, becoming the first woman director of FAST. She will be succeeding Randy Hume, who will be retiring in September, one month after Neal begins the role in August.

She will be overseeing the transit system’s Transit Development Plan, their improvement plan to make FAST into a “system of choice.” FAST has an annual budget of $13 million and provides an estimated 1.6 million passenger trips every year. In recent years, it has received $20 million in funding from government grants, CARES, and from the American Rescue Plan. 

Neal will also be in charge of overseeing FAST’s operations, managing its development plan as it expands to reach more residents in the area. Additionally, FAST is seeking to replace all of its buses with electric ones by 2024 to reduce environmental impact while still seeking to provide the high quality of service.

“Fayetteville is experiencing exciting levels of development and growth and I realize this is a great opportunity for FAST to transition from a need-based transit system to a CHOICE mode of transportation for every resident within our community,” Neal said. “I am excited for the opportunity to continue working towards ensuring the value of FAST permeates throughout our community.”

As Neal had served as Assistant Transit Director since 2017, she has been continuing her work on implementing the Transit Development Plan. She has previously worked with transit systems in South Carolina, but in other locations such as Charleston, Greensboro, Chapel Hill and Washington, D.C.

“During her career with the City, Tyffany has proven to be a smart, attentive and passionate leader who will have the ability to continue our success in Transit,” said City Manager Doug Hewett. 

“She brings innovative solutions daily and has earned the respect of her peers. I am excited for the future of FAST under her capable leadership as we transition to electric buses and cashless payment options that better serve our riders,” Hewett added.

Coworkers have lauded Neal for her productivity and experience. She earned her master’s degree in public administration from Strayer University and a bachelor of science for speech-language pathology/pathologist at South Carolina State University, where she graduated Cum Laude. 

In addition, she has been featured in the Women’s View magazine Women’s Spotlight 2021 and is a member of the North Carolina Public Transit Association (NCPTA) Board of Directors and of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials. She is a three-time award winner of the NCPTA Safety Award for demand response.