Archer Public Affairs Director Eric C. Bugaile was elected Vice Chairman of the newly formed Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority at the Board’s inaugural meeting in Harrisburg on November 18, 2021. Appointed by the Dauphin County Commissioners, Eric will serve a 6-year term. There are 11 members on the new governing board.

The new Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority was formed by five counties and the city of Harrisburg to manage the combined Capital Area Transit (CAT) and RabbitTransit systems that provide fixed route bus, commuter bus and paratransit in the region. RabbitTransit is based in York, PA. The merger will provide more routes, and therefore better access to jobs, healthcare and entertainment.

Eric, who is a longtime Harrisburg transportation-policy expert, currently serves as Chairman of the Board of CAT and will continue to serve in that role. Eric joined Archer Public Affairs following a distinguished 40-year career in state government, most recently serving 32 years with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Transportation Committee. Later becoming executive director of the committee for 20 years, he worked with five elected chairmen. Over that span he and the chairmen set the Committee agenda, and he analyzed and drafted legislation on a wide range of transportation subjects, including traffic laws, highway and bridges, railroad, mass transit, pedestrian, bicycle and aviation statutes. The Committee also served as the standing committee in the House to review proposed regulations of PennDOT, the State Police and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Eric has received a Senate commendation for community service and was twice named by the US Jaycees as An Outstanding Man in America. He was the former Transportation Committee Staff Chair of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and a member of the task force that wrote the Public Private Partnership Toolkit for Legislators.