New Jersey Transit has announced the appointment of Franck Beaumin as the agency's Customer Advocate, a position that has been vacant for four years. The role was created by law in 2018 to serve as an independent voice for riders. Beaumin, who was born in France, brings a wealth of international experience to the role, having held similar positions in Paris, Bangladesh, and most recently, Boston.
Beaumin's appointment was announced by the NJ Transit Board of Directors on Thursday (October 10). "I am thrilled that Franck Beaumin is bringing his global expertise to New Jersey,” said NJDOT Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Fran O’Connor in a press release.
Beaumin's background spans a broad spectrum of mass transit operations. He has worked on a bus rapid transit (BRT) project in Bangladesh, served as a customer service project manager and customer experience manager for transit operator Keolis in Paris, and most recently, oversaw customer communications for Keolis Commuter Services in Boston.
"I am honored to become the new Customer Advocate for NJ Transit,” said Beaumin. “I am looking forward to engaging with our customers and working with the operational teams on every mode to improve the passenger experience at every step of the journey.”
Born and raised in France, Beaumin pursued higher education in law, earning a license degree in Public Law before continuing his studies at the Institute of Political Science in Rennes, France. There, he focused on Urban Networks in Developing Countries and Planning Policies, graduating with two master’s degrees.
The customer advocate role at NJ Transit has been vacant since October 2020, when Beaumin’s predecessor, Stewart Mader, left the agency. The position is mandated under a 2018 law that called for an independent voice to advocate for riders while also having access to top officials at NJ Transit.