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Living in Los Angeles County in the 1970s, Lilia Montoya remembers her school district’s commitment to integrate schools by means of busing. This experience left a lifelong impression on her leadership style and dedication to creating a positive impact on the underrepresented communities and jurisdictions that she serves.
She recalls, after decades of public service, how she observed her school bus driver as a seven-year-old student. The woman wore driving gloves cut off at the knuckles and projected an aura of authority. Montoya remembers the bus itself and the opportunity it provided to her to get to school and the chance to advance her own education, something that her parents didn’t enjoy, not by choice, but by circumstances.
“As a leader of a public transit agency, I often share the story about the influence we have on others, and particularly on children and their future,” Montoya says. “The decisions we’re making today will have a lasting effect on generations to come, and we must always be mindful of what we say and what we do to create positive outcomes for our society, and be mindful of our role as stewards of the public trust.”
As a first-generation child of immigrant parents who worked tirelessly to bring home food and shelter to their family of eight, Montoya was taught that while life can be challenging, living with integrity and giving back is what creates our legacy.
Her work has led to the introduction of electric bus initiatives to improve the air quality in Southern California, contributing to a reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions helping to mitigate the impact of climate change and potentially reducing respiratory illnesses among the communities she seeks to serve. Her drive and passion continues to this day with the continued integration of battery electric buses and fuel cell buses at NCTD. By the end of 2025, NCTD will have retired the last of their fleet of diesel engine buses.
Moreover, Montoya has had a voice in advocating and endorsing a fareless student initiative in Los Angeles County. Understanding the needs of children living in poverty, living as unhoused, and challenges obtaining food and essential services, she served those impacted with a heart borne from experience and through a lens of advocacy for those who seemingly do not have a voice.
As the chief operating officer of North County Transit District-San Diego Railroad, Montoya has spent the last year bringing change to the people between Escondido and Oceanside California. As COO, she is an experienced veteran in the transit industry, having previously served in executive leadership roles at the Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles Metro, Long Beach Transit, and other leadership positions in the private and public sector.
Because of her significant experience, Montoya welcomes and rises to the occasion of opportunities that allow her to function as an agent of change. The work of hiring 500 employees using an insourcing model was successful because of a collaborative effort of the dynamic workforce assembled at NCTD.
Her abiding faith in people and in the future of public transit continues to serve as an inspiration to those she works with. Montoya is uncompromising in serving the 10 million NCTD customers who rely on its service despite any administrative or operational challenges the agency confronted because of the insourcing.
Renowned for her people first strategy, Montoya says, “Over 90 percent of the employees who worked with our previous contractor have been offered and have retained positions with North County Transit District-San Diego Railroad. To accomplish this feat in less than one year is truly remarkable. I’m proud to say that this was accomplished by visionary executive level leadership and a ‘rolling up your sleeves’ philosophy of doing what it takes to get the work done.”
“Lilia has served as a national industry leader, volunteering her time as a mentor and workforce development advocate. Her dedication is helping to shape the next generation of the transit workforce across the country,” says Christina Villarreal, the executive director at Latinos in Transit (LIT).
Mentorship isn’t one of her official job duties, yet she is deeply passionate about it. Although her parents were ideal models of integrity and work, they didn’t have the experience to guide her in the complexities of higher education and career development. Montoya charted her own course as a professional, as a single parent, and as a woman in an industry that historically has been male dominated.
“I love working with people to learn what inspires them and what drives them,” she says. “I choose to focus on mentorship to inspire and uplift others. I want to create that open space where people can gain confidence and will become leaders in their right.”
Montoya recalls the time a bus operator approached her and asked for advice as to how to become a supervisor. As the discussion advanced, she learned that the operator had dropped out of college. She prepared a checklist for the operator to begin his own career progression, how to return to school, and how to balance life priorities.
Despite transitioning to another organization, Montoya reconnected with the operator and asked if he had managed to finish his degree. To her delight, she learned that he was beginning law school in the fall.
She observed, “Sometimes it’s a simple conversation where you help someone find a sense of direction. Other times it is much more involved and requires a great deal of checking in. The idea of helping someone create a new life for themselves just by asking them to believe in themselves is humbling and richly rewarding.”
Montoya says that she will continue to remain engaged and present with the employees and the customers that she serves. She continues to discover new ways to mentor because of her commitment to being a lifelong learner.
“To whom much is given, much is to be expected,” she says. “As a leader, the employees and customers expect to see a model of service. It is, first and foremost, my responsibility to model that principle daily. I’m more convinced than ever that in order to lead, you must first serve.”
