Driving change for public transportation

Doug Bermudez’s 24-year career at the Miami-Dade County Department of Transit and Public Works (DTPW) has always focused on one thing: the riders. From his early beginnings, Bermudez knew he wanted to be a public steward. Graduating from Florida International University with a degree in International Relations, Bermudez initially aimed to pursue a career with the State Department as a foreign service officer.

“I went to school and I wanted to work as a foreign service officer,” Bermudez recalls.

But after graduating, he wanted to get his foot in the door in the public sector. That’s when Miami-Dade County offered him a position as a customer service representative and the rest is history.

Bermudez journey at DTPW has allowed him to experience a variety of roles within the department, each of which contributed to his current role. As a customer service representative, he gained invaluable insights into the rider experience and began collaborating with different divisions to assist riders.

Shortly thereafter, Bermudez was selected for an internship where he observed the inner workings of divisions like Budget and Finance, Human Resources and Rail Operations. This experience eventually led to his promotion to the marketing division, where Bermudez was able to connect with riders through outreach programs and multimedia communication. All of these opportunities culminated in his current role as the chief of Easy Card Fare Payments and Customer Service Division for DTPW.

“One of my favorite aspects of this role is being able to explore new technologies that can enhance the rider experience,” Bermudez said.

One of his biggest achievements came in 2011, when he and his team rolled out the new card-based payment system for DTPW.

“Technology is evolving at such a rapid pace that it’s changing everything, from how we consume information to how we make transactions," Bermudez exaplined. "And that’s something my team and I embrace fully.”

Implementing new technologies to improve the transit experience isn’t always easy, but Bermudez is quick to acknowledge the team behind the success.

“Doug doesn’t do it alone,” he said. “I have a phenomenal team that shares my vision for enhancing the rider experience. None of this would have been possible without their hard work and commitment to the riders of Miami-Dade County’s transit system. My team are the true heroes; they’re the ones that riders connect with when they have an issue or suggestion. They make this shared vision happen.”

When Bermudez is not working on the next big initiative or rolling out new technologies, you can find him training for marathons and participating in the annual Miami-Dade County Step Challenge.