Oceanside, CA – North County Transit District (NCTD) has promoted Ioni Tcholakova to Director of Service Planning, effective immediately. In this role, Tcholakova will oversee service planning to support NCTD’s mission of providing safe, reliable, and innovative transportation services.
“Ioni is dedicated to improving the region’s transit services, and we’re fortunate to have her on our team,” said NCTD Chief Executive Officer Shawn M. Donaghy. “Her leadership has already shaped key service improvements and planning initiatives, and we are excited to see her continue to advance NCTD’s vision in this expanded role.”
Tcholakova joined NCTD in 2021 as a Transit Planner and has since been promoted to Senior Transit Planner and Manager of Service Planning. During her time at NCTD, she has led planning efforts for major service changes, conducted complex route and Geographic Information System (GIS) analyses, coordinated stakeholder engagement for NCTD+ micro transit services, and managed multiple Caltrans-funded planning initiatives focused on access, safety, and mobility.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as Director of Service Planning and to continue supporting thoughtful, responsible, and community-focused service planning at NCTD,” said Tcholakova. “As both a planner and a transit rider, I’m committed to designing services that improve access and support the daily lives of our riders.”
Prior to joining NCTD, Tcholakova served as a Mobility Solutions Coordinator with the County of Hawai’i, where she supported early-stage planning for zero-emission buses and developed the county’s first General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS).
Tcholakova holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Urban Development from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental and Ocean Sciences from the University of San Diego. She is a LEED Green Associate and holds a Transit and Paratransit Management Certificate from the University of the Pacific.
About NCTD
North County Transit – San Diego Railroad is a public transportation agency providing critical multi-modal services throughout North San Diego County and into downtown San Diego. NCTD is designated as a rail common carrier by the Surface Transportation Board based on the movement of interstate commerce on the tracks and the Railroad of Record by the Federal Railroad Administration responsible for safety over the entire San Diego portion of the LOSSAN corridor, the nation’s second largest passenger rail network. NCTD’s system includes BREEZE buses (with FLEX service), COASTER commuter trains, SPRINTER hybrid rail trains, LIFT paratransit service, and NCTD+ On-Demand and is one of only three public transit agencies in the nation to operate heavy rail, hybrid rail, and bus service. For more information visit: GoNCTD.com.
