For decades, many industries maintained a pretty clear separation between the people doing the work and the people making the decisions.
I call them the troops and the suits.
The troops understand the product from the ground level because they live it every day. The suits understand the infrastructure around the product—the strategy, budgets, policy, technology, organizational constraints, and long-term direction.
Traditionally, we've treated those as two different worlds.
Increasingly, some of the strongest organizations and industries have figured out that the real advantage comes from combining them.
Transit needs to do the same.
The rise of the internet and user-generated content has seen troops move from the sidelines to the forefront. Former troops—those who were once directly involved in their fields—now lead major industries. Tony Romo, a former quarterback, is the top football broadcaster. Deion Sanders, once an NFL player, is responsible for the most-watched college football game ever. Triple H, a former wrestler, has taken WWE to new heights, including a billion-dollar Netflix deal.
This shift highlights a crucial truth: the most successful models today blend the insights of both troops and suits.
Why This Model Works: Three Key Reasons
1. Cultural Understanding
Troops, with their direct field experience, have an unparalleled understanding of the culture, values, and day-to-day challenges. This insight is crucial for making decisions that resonate with the actual needs and experiences of those they serve. In transit, bus operators—our troops—are in the trenches daily, intimately aware of passenger needs, frustrations, and expectations. Their insights ensure that solutions are not only relevant but also practical, fostering a responsive and empathetic culture within transit agencies.
2. Minimizing the Risk of Growing Out of Touch
Decision-makers who are too distanced from daily operations risk becoming disconnected from the real-world challenges of their industry. This detachment can lead to decisions that are misaligned with current conditions. By integrating troops into the decision-making process, this risk is mitigated. Troops provide ongoing feedback, ensuring that decisions are grounded in up-to-date, accurate information. This continuous dialogue helps avoid missteps and keeps strategies flexible and relevant.
3. Faster and More Efficient Decision-Making
The combination of troops and suits accelerates decision-making processes. Troops bring real-time data, nuanced perspectives, and contextual understanding that analytics and surveys cannot fully capture. This direct communication streamlines issue identification, decision-making, and solution implementation. For transit agencies, this means they can quickly adapt to operational challenges, passenger needs, and market changes. Rapid, informed decisions significantly enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
4. Credibility
Combining troops with suits also enhances credibility. Troops bring authentic, on-the-ground experience that adds legitimacy to decisions and initiatives. Their real-world insights lend credibility to the strategies developed, making it easier for both employees and the public to trust and buy into the changes being made. When suits work alongside troops, they not only leverage their strategic oversight but also
This combined credibility strengthens the organization’s reputation and fosters greater confidence among stakeholders.
While troops understand the product and its day-to-day realities better than anyone, suits possess a deep understanding of the infrastructure and strategic framework. Both perspectives are crucial. Troops provide the on-the-ground insights and immediate feedback, while suits offer strategic oversight and organizational knowledge.
The success stories in various industries highlight this synergy. For every Michael Jordan, there was a Phil Jackson guiding him. For every Tony Romo, there was a Chris Berman providing the practical context and commentary. These partnerships demonstrate that the best outcomes are achieved when troops and suits work side by side, combining their strengths to create exceptional results.
In transit, integrating bus operators into core decision-making roles while ensuring that infrastructure and strategy are managed by experienced suits creates a dynamic and effective team. This collaboration bridges the gap between strategy and execution, leading to practical solutions that serve both the agency and its community. Embracing this model will be key to navigating the evolving landscape of the transit industry and delivering exceptional service to passengers.
Giving operators a seat at the table is important.
But I've come to believe there's another step.
What happens when the operator sitting at that table has an idea?
Maybe they've identified a recurring customer problem. Maybe they've figured out a better operational process. Maybe they see an inefficiency that isn't obvious from an office because they encounter it every single day.
Having their voice heard is valuable.
Helping them develop that idea into something the organization can actually evaluate and potentially implement is even more powerful.
That's part of the thinking behind ACCELERATE™ — The Frontline Innovation Accelerator for Transit.
Accelerate isn't built on the idea that operators should replace planners, executives, engineers, or other transit professionals.
It's built on the opposite idea:
We need both.
Frontline employees bring lived operational experience.
Administrative teams bring organizational knowledge, resources, technical expertise, and the ability to move an idea through the institution.
Accelerate creates a structured environment where those perspectives can work together—helping frontline employees take an observation or idea and develop it into something that can be evaluated, tested, and presented.
Because the future of transit isn't troops versus suits.
It's troops + suits.
And some of our industry's best ideas may already be sitting behind the wheel.