Lewis County Transit is pleased to welcome Josh Nylander as the agency’s new Executive Director. Nylander brings more than a decade of hands-on public transit experience to Lewis County, including leading technology, operations, and strategic initiatives.

Before joining Lewis County Transit, Nylander spent over 30 yeas in local government with the last 14 years in public transit at Whatcom Transportation Authority, where he most recently served as director of information technology. His work impacted nearly every department of transit operations, from service planning and budgeting to microtransit implementation, zero emissions transition, strategic planning, and large-scale procurements.

When asked about his vision for Lewis County Transit’s future, Nylander stated, “In the short term Lewis County Transit has undergone quite a bit of growth and change — most of it internally — but I’m hoping to finish what’s started and then do a full assessment before we tackle our next phase of growth.”

One of those current efforts involves Lewis County Transit’s zero-emissions efforts and the recently-celebrated hydrogen fueling station that is undergoing development in the Port of Chehalis.

“We’re excited about the hydrogen project where we’ll be producing our own green hydrogen at our site at the Port of Chehalis,” Nylander said. “That project is progressing and we hope to be producing hydrogen early next year.”

At a recent administrative meeting, Nylander offered a 30-day reflection following his introduction to the team, where he praised staff for their input and dedication through a season of turbulent internal changes.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to lead such a dedicated group of employees,” Nylander said during a recent interview. He looks forward to nurturing their continued growth as the agency considers upcoming expansions.

A little-known fact about Nylander is that he also has experience in search and rescue.

“I got involved in search and rescue in high school and did that for 10 years. That led me to a broader interest in emergency response and management.”

Nylander hopes to draw on this experience and engage with local emergency management as it pertains to public transportation.

What does Nylander enjoy most about Lewis County so far? The people. He shared how welcoming and gracious the community has been, and noted that the agency itself is “well run” and ready for its next phase of growth. In the near term, his focus is on finishing key internal improvements already underway, conducting comprehensive assessments, and positioning the organization for sustainable expansion over the next one to five years.

Please join us in welcoming Josh Nylander to Lewis County Transit. We’re excited for his leadership as we focus on safe, efficient service today and — beyond that — building the innovative and sustainable transit system that tomorrow’s community deserves.

Read more about Lewis County Transit in our About section.