NextStop Blog

New to the Metro Transit: Melvin Barkley (left) and Bertram De Sha (right)

Melvin Barkley and Bertram De Sha are two of the newest faces at Metro Transit. They joined our MetroBus leadership team in August, bringing with them more than 40 years of experience in transportation. Please join us in welcoming Melvin and Bertram to the Metro team.

Melvin Barkley is our Assistant General Manager of MetroBus Operations. He leads our field operations for MetroBus operations, and is responsible for managing and developing our service team – which includes bus operations control, and our service area managers and transit service managers. Melvin has more than 15 years of transportation experience, most recently as the general manager for Gresham Transportation Services and contracted services provided for Metro Atlanta Regional Transportation Authority (MARTA) in Atlanta, GA.

What was your first experience with public transit?
During my first weekend at the University of Michigan, a group of us wanted to go to the local mall to get some new music. With all of us being freshmen and not having a car available to us, we hooked up with Ann Arbor Transit Authority.

What’s one interesting fact about you? 
I plan to open a winery once I retire.

Bertram De Sha is our Director of MetroBus Service Performance. He supports our ongoing efforts to improve MetroBus service for our riders through employee development and operations support, with a focus on safety and security, on-time performance and customer satisfaction. Bertram has more than 27 years of transportation experience, most recently as a senior manager at Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) in Dallas, TX. He also managed operations and scheduling at Greyhound Lines for more than 20 years.

What was your first experience with public transit?
During my boyhood in Louisville, Kentucky, I used to ride the bus with my mother to shop downtown. In high school, I rode the bus regularly coming home from sport practices. The experiences were always positive.

What’s one interesting fact about you?
I love history and trivia.