Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill announced today that Kris Kolluri, current President and CEO of NJ TRANSIT, will retain his role at NJ TRANSIT and also be nominated as Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA). This dual role will allow Kolluri to oversee day-to-day operations of both agencies to unify strategy, rethink how we move people, and ultimately improve commutes for the residents of New Jersey. Kolluri will take a $1 salary from the Turnpike Authority.

“We need a collaborative and creative approach when it comes to addressing challenges and opportunities affecting our state, which is especially true as we update New Jersey’s approach to transit. That’s why I am excited to announce that Kris Kolluri will not only be continuing in his role as President and CEO of NJ TRANSIT but will also be nominated to be the Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. He brings decades of experience with every major transit agency in the region, and his leadership will be key as we rethink the future of transportation in New Jersey to improve commutes, improve coordination, and make sure New Jerseyans spend more time with family and friends, and less time stuck on a train or on the turnpike. Additionally, as we prepare to welcome tens of thousands of people when we host the FIFA World Cup, Kris will ensure safety and efficiency as we move people on our buses, trains, and highways,” said Governor-elect Sherrill.

“I am excited to lead both NJ TRANSIT and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority alongside Governor-elect Sherrill, who shares a desire to innovate and improve New Jersey’s transit systems. New Jersey’s success relies on the Turnpike and NJ TRANSIT working together and by overseeing both agencies, particularly for a major security event like the World Cup, I’ll be able to ensure that we eliminate silos and are working in lockstep to provide better service to the people of New Jersey and those visiting our state. Gov.-elect Sherrill has been laser-focused on improving New Jersey’s transit systems since her time in Congress, and I know that her administration will share that same focus, for the World Cup and beyond,” said Kris Kolluri.

“First, I want to thank Jim Carone for his over 40 years of service to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. His work has been critical in improving highway safety across the state and will benefit generations of New Jerseyans to come. And with an event as large as the World Cup coming to our state, New Jersey needs a strong leader who can streamline oversight and communication as tens of thousands of people use our bus, rail, and highway systems. Gov.-elect Sherrill has made exactly the right choice in appointing Kris Kolluri to do just that. Kris brings decades of experience and will be able to continue to prepare our state for the World Cup but make real-time decisions to ensure our transit systems are working efficiently while protecting public safety,” said Fran O’Connor, New Jersey Department of Transit Commissioner.

NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri was appointed to lead the agency effective January 16, 2025. Mr. Kolluri is responsible for the nation's largest statewide public transportation system, with more than 11,000 employees providing more than 944,000 weekday trips on over 250 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines, and the agency's Access Link paratransit service. From 2006 to 2008, he was also Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, where he led the effort to increase investment in mass transit and served as Board Chair of NJ TRANSIT and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority Commissioner, overseeing seventeen thousand employees.

Prior to his appointment, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Gateway Development Commission, a bi-state entity overseeing the $16.1 billion Hudson Tunnel Project, the nation's largest and most urgent infrastructure project. In two years, he transformed the organization from a start-up to one that received the largest investment the federal government has ever made in any mass transit project, closed on the largest Railroad & Rehabilitation Improvement Program loan package in United States history, and initiated construction of the first set of heavy rail tunnels under the Hudson River in over one hundred and fourteen years.

Previously, Mr. Kolluri served as President & Chief Executive Officer of Camden Community Partnership, Inc., a community and economic development nonprofit located in Camden, New Jersey. He oversaw an organization focused on designing and implementing outcome-focused and resident-driven programs. Under his leadership and in partnership with the local government, the organization implemented a first mile/last mile transportation solution for residents, an innovative job placement program, a once-in-a-generation street improvement program, the development and rehabilitation of six waterfront and neighborhood parks, and a large-scale COVID vaccine site.

He also previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the Rowan University/Rutgers-Camden Board of Governors. During his tenure, he oversaw the development of the first-of-its-kind multi-institutional research and teaching facility and implemented the Medical Assistants Training Program and the Alzheimer’s Patient Navigator Program, which were a pathway to serve a community health need and create jobs for residents.

He was the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, where he oversaw the state's $5.3 billion school construction program, focused primarily on socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. He was also Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, where he led the effort to increase investment in mass transit and served as Board Chair of NJ TRANSIT and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority Commissioner, overseeing seventeen thousand employees.

Prior to his work in the infrastructure and social equity space, Mr. Kolluri worked as a staff member in the United States Congress for over a decade, eventually becoming a senior policy advisor to House Democratic Leader Richard A. Gephardt. In that capacity, he assisted freshman members of Congress in developing long-term policy initiatives.

Mr. Kolluri has a Bachelor of Science from Rutgers University and a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University. He was an adjunct faculty member at Rutgers University Law School (2011 & 2012 academic years). He also served on the Rowan University Board of Trustees, the Southern New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Board, and the New Jersey Board of the Regional Plan Association.

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