Currently General Manager of OC Transpo in Ottawa, Amilcar is a globally recognised leader in sustainable and innovative transport. She now uses her renewed mandate to champion public transport not only as a mobility solution, but as a climate imperative.
“Public transport is not just a mobility solution – it’s a climate solution,” Amilcar told Daily News ahead of her confirmation at the UITP General Assembly.
With COP30 approaching, she is urging governments to explicitly include public transport in their climate commitments. Right now, just two-thirds of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) mention public transport – and most focus narrowly on electrification. Amilcar calls for a broader ‘Avoid–Shift–Improve’ approach to transform mobility systems holistically.
“With my renewed mandate, I will continue to advocate for public transport as a cornerstone of national climate strategies,” she said.
Driving Global Impact from Ottawa to UITP
Amilcar began her career in 2002 at the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), where she rose to become the first female Director of Bus Maintenance. In 2014, she was appointed Executive Director of Bus Service, managing over 5,300 employees and leading STM’s electric bus network transition.
Since 2021, she has served as the first female General Manager of OC Transpo, where she has driven innovative staffing and marketing strategies to rebuild public transport usage post-pandemic.
Her leadership style is defined by boldness, equity, and a people-first mindset.
“You can’t aspire to be what you can’t see,” she declared at the UITP Global Summit opening ceremony.
Amilcar has been clear about the need for deeper diversity and inclusion in the sector – including the possibility of quotas to ensure change. She is launching new global campaigns to promote public transport careers to women and under-represented groups, backed by local initiatives like OC Transpo’s EmpoWered@theWheel programme for female bus operators.
She is also a strong advocate for applying digital tools and AI to improve services, but warns that innovation must enhance the passenger experience – not create barriers.
“Passengers must always be at the heart of what we do,” she said. “Technological developments should enhance the experience, not exclude people.”
Renée Amilcar’s Call to Women and Girls Across Africa
Amilcar’s leadership and inspiration resonate far beyond North America. In 2023, just weeks into her first term, she was interviewed by Ben Pullen of Smarter Mobility Africa at the UITP Summit in Barcelona. When asked what message she had for young women and girls across Africa looking to enter the transport industry, she replied:
“Be bold, it’s possible.”
🎥 Watch the full interview with UITP President Renée Amilcar by Ben Pullen for Smarter Mobility Africa News:
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