Scott Sauer as pictured in a SEPTA handout. (Credit: SEPTA)
SEPTA announced Monday that Scott Sauer was unanimously voted in as SEPTA’s permanent general manager. Sauer has been serving as the interim manager since November.
In the official role, Sauer will continue his work in overseeing 9,300 SEPTA employees and SEPTA operations.
“I am honored to be entrusted with the stewardship of a transit system that is absolutely essential to the region’s success,” Sauer said in SEPTA's press release. “I will continue to commit this organization to a back-to-basics philosophy emphasizing the fundamentals that keep Greater Philadelphia moving each day: safety, customer service, and reliability.”
Sauer began his work with SEPTA 35 years ago in 1990 as a Surface Train Operator before becoming a Transportation Manager and Safety Officer, following in his father's footsteps, who worked for the Philadelphia Transportation Company and SEPTA for 30 years.
In 2013, he was appointed Assistant General Manager of System Safety, where he developed critical safety initiatives. In 2017, he was promoted to Assistant General Manager of operations, where he oversaw all operational aspects of SEPTA. In 2022, Sauer was named Chief Operating Officer, where he expanded his oversight to the Engineering, Maintenance and Construction division, Transit Police, and the Capital Programs.
Sauer is applauded for his leadership, which helped guide SEPTA through the COVID-19 pandemic, cybersecurity faults, civil unrest, and budgetary constraints.
Since 2011, he has been a team member in the USDOT TSI Associate Staff Program, where he teaches Transit Rail Incident Investigation, mentoring the future of the transit field.
Sauer has a degree in Environmental Protection and Safety Management from St. Joseph's University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.
Amid a budget crisis, board members hope that Sauer can “provide clarity” in the transit leadership.
