RTD names new Director of Safety and Environmental Compliance and Chief Safety Officer

RTD has selected Jimmy Vigil as the agency’s Director of Safety and Environmental Compliance/Chief Safety Officer, effective July 26, 2026. He had been acting in this role sinceApril.

Vigil brings more than 35 years of leadership experience to this critical agency position, that includes experience in public transportation, energy infrastructure, environmental compliance, emergency management, and security operations. As Director of Safety and Environmental Compliance/Chief Safety Officer, Vigil will continue to oversee all aspects of safety and environmental compliance across the agency, ensuring RTD adheres to federal and state regulations and maintains a safe and secure working environment. He will also lead RTD’s safety programs, conduct comprehensive safety and environmental audits, and coordinate closely with regulatory partners.

Vigil’s commitment to excellence in safety has been evident since he joined RTD in 2021 as Manager of Rail Safety, supporting operations, facilities, and frontline teams across the agency. In this role, he led investigations using root cause analysis, advanced federal compliance efforts, implemented Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations and fatigue risk programs, and coached employees to strengthen safety culture across Bus and Rail Operations.

Prior to RTD, Vigil was a safety and security manager for Exxon Mobil Corp., leading teams and overseeing assignments in Texas, Vietnam, Iraq, Tanzania, and Papua New Guinea. He earned a Master of Arts in Human Security and Peace building from Royal Roads University and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies from Metropolitan State University of Denver. Vigil possesses extensive professional training and certifications related to transit safety, auditing, environmental management, emergency response, investigations, leadership, and regulatory compliance.

Vigil is a proud veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps with progressive responsibility in complex, high-risk environments where safety, regulatory compliance, risk management, and organizational leadership were critical to mission success.

Vigil’s dedication,expertise, and leadership support RTD’s mission to make lives better through connections.