Genfare employee Jennille Logan is Business Development Director serving transit agencies in the Southeastern U.S. Jennille has more than 20 years of experience in the information technology and transportation industry. Keep reading to learn more about Jennille’s background and what she enjoys about directly supporting partner agencies as they move into the future of fare collection and revenue management. Plus, find out who her favorite sports team is!
Q: What were your first experiences with public transit?
A: I grew up in North [New] Jersey, and when you were allowed to ride the bus by yourself to go to the mall, or the skating rink, or friends’ houses, having that freedom was awesome. But at the time I never realized all the work that went into it. I would get on the bus, I’d pay my $1.25, and I’d miraculously end up where I was supposed to be.
Q: How did you get your start in the transit industry?
A: I found transit by accident. I started as a technical writer for Electronic Data Systems (EDS) writing training manuals for ATMs, in the days before open payments, credit and debit.
When I decided to leave New Jersey and move to Virginia, I was lucky enough to find a marketing job with a CAD/AVL vendor. I fell in love with the industry and found out that I could contribute through my work in transit. Twenty years later, as a Genfare employee, I am still passionate about the work that I do.
Q: How did you end up in the Southeastern U.S.?
A: Although I’m from New Jersey, the winters there are disrespectful! I went to college in Hampton, Virginia, and fell in love with the area. So when I saw a job that gave me the opportunity to move back, I took it.
After running the North American marketing department for an ethanol engineering firm, that’s when I began running the U.S. marketing group for a CAD/AVL company as they began building market share in the U.S. That’s when I started tying all of my life and work experiences into one industry.
Q: Why do you say you fell in love with transit?
A: I fell in love with the passion that a lot of transit industry people have … the commitment. I can’t tell you how many people have told me stories about how their father used to be a bus driver.
And there’s a small piece of me that feels like I’m helping other people to have that freedom I had as a kid taking the bus. For my mother, who worked two jobs, being confident that when the schedule the bus would be arriving at 3:30 p.m., I would be walking in the house at 3:35 pm … I am contributing to that freedom.
Q: What drives your approach to your work?
A: I have participated in team sports for most of my life, and I have family members that were in the military, including my father. I was taught to always consider the greater good and to operate from a place of being aware of others. Community service, contributing to the team, and being part of the solution is the foundation of how I approach life.
Q: Why is modernizing fare collection and revenue management systems so important?
A: It comes down to equity. Getting people in seats is a big goal in transit. But if you’re not being useful or helpful, you’re not going to do that. The reason why I focus on modernization is because the more that you can automate, the more you’re able to give riders affordable options. And the more useful data you can provide, the more agencies can make informed decisions that lead to better rider experiences.
Q: You’ve said transit equity should be for everyone. How so?
A: In my view, equity shouldn’t become a burden to anyone else. It’s equity for the taxpayers, equity for the operators, equity for the agency decision-makers, as well as equity for the riders.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about being a Genfare employee supporting partner agencies?
A: Genfare is a true team environment. When I look and see how much we are able to get done for our customers, it’s awe-inspiring. It makes you want to be part of that. And connecting with our agency partners who dedicate themselves to the success of these projects is pretty exciting. They see the passion, they see the need and they want to see their riders get all the value they can.
Q: What is one of the biggest problems facing the industry now?
A: The problem I see today is that we’re still recovering from Covid, and not only in getting ridership back up. It’s the economy, too. It’s harder for people to get around, to make ends meet. One way I’m seeing agencies address this concern is with fare capping. Fare capping helps agencies get ridership by making period pass type discounts available to people who can’t pay up front. This show that they are equity-focused community partners. The fare capping option also provides availability without putting the burden on others to offer the same services to everyone.
Q: Tell us how you tie mentorship into your work life.
A: I see myself as an advocate for my family and through my community service work and also for our agency partners. One of the first things I tell my agency customers is that I’m your advocate. If there’s a problem, we need to get it fixed. I’m that voice for you.
I’m also very big into mentorship, and trying to help the next generation see the value they can contribute to transit. Because if you think about it, whether you’re a realtor, accountant, an engineer, in marketing, you name it, there’s a place for you in transit. And knowing that I found an industry that has kept me actively employed for 20 years without question while I’m still giving back is huge. But it’s also God and family first. They keep you grounded and remind you of what’s important.
Q: What has been your proudest moment as a Genfare employee so far?
A: It’s seeing the value everyone’s hard work brings to our agency partners. We’ve transitioned about one third customers to Fast Fare fareboxes, and we did that without them having to replace their entire infrastructure. We’ve figured out ways that our partners can leverage what they have with minor modifications and still grow that functionality.
With most vendors, you have to throw everything out just to get a little more functionality. So when I go to our town halls or see our end-of-year reports, I can see how the hard work that every Genfare team member puts in is helping agencies.
Q: How do your family and work life overlap?
A: My husband and I have a beautiful 11-year-old son who is already taller than me – and I’m 5 foot 7 inches. My son loves to travel and has come to quite a few industry conferences with me, so he’s actually known in the industry. I grew up in a family that traveled a lot, so I want that for my son as well. I also sometimes bring my husband or my mother with me so we can all spend time with family where I’m working.
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy?
A: I’m probably one of the biggest Minnesota Vikings fans you’ll ever meet. We as a family love to play games and spend a lot of time with each other. But just sitting still sometimes is a gift, as I don’t often get to do that.
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