Media Contact: John Lisle, (202) 671-2004

(Washington, DC) The DC Council today unanimously confirmed Gabe Klein as Director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). Mr. Klein was appointed Acting Director of DDOT On December 31, 2008 by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty.

“I want to thank the Council for confirming me, and Mayor Fenty for appointing me to this exciting position at one of the District’s most dynamic and important agencies,” said Klein. “In the short time I’ve been at DDOT already, I’ve been really impressed by the quality and dedication of the staff, and together I think we can shape the department into a world-class leader in urban transportation.”

Mr. Klein is already focusing on policies that will move people from their vehicles to other modes of transportation, including a greater emphasis on pedestrian and bicyclist safety. “If we don’t provide safe routes for people to walk and bike, then they’re not going to get out of their cars. So, one of my top priorities is to develop a well balanced transportation system that gives residents real options for getting around.”

Mr. Klein is also committed to strengthening the lines of communications between DDOT and the community it serves. Under his leadership, residents can expect to see the agency make better use of technology to improve transparency, outreach and coordination.

Mr. Klein comes to DDOT with over 12 years experience as an entrepreneurial executive. He is the co-founder and most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer of On the Fly, an innovative, boutique food-service company with retail, wholesale, catering and events businesses all-in-one. From 2002 to 2006, Klein demonstrated his commitment to reducing America’s carbon footprint as regional vice president of Zipcar, where he helped pioneer the concept of carsharing in the United States and built a thriving business model in the District. His forward-thinking approach initially developed as Director of Stores for Bikes USA, the nation’s largest bicycle retailer, where he spearheaded growth and headed operations for the entire company from 1995 to 1999.

Klein earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing management from Virginia Tech in 1994, and has been a resident of the District of Columbia for 14 years.