Director of Transit and Parking Named

March 17, 2026 - ROCHESTER, MINN. - The City of Rochester is pleased to announce that Rachel Fautsch has been appointed Director of Transit and Parking. Fautsch, who has served as Interim Director since October 30, 2025, and will step into the permanent role immediately.

Throughout her interim tenure, Fautsch has demonstrated strong leadership and a clear ability to guide the department's work. Over the past several months, she has led several important initiatives, including the bid advertisement for management and operations of public transit services, implementation of the spring service changes, evaluation of fleet reliability and the ongoing transit operations procurement. Rachel has also built strong working relationships with contracted service providers, strengthening accountability, communication and coordination across the system.

In her role as Director, Fautsch will oversee a comprehensive transit system that provides more than 650,000 annual rides across 26 fixed routes and the ZIPS paratransit service. She will also oversee the City's public parking system, which includes six downtown ramps that support the daily needs of residents, workers, patients and visitors. Fautsch will also guide the launch of Link Bus Rapid Transit, a fare-free, high-frequency service along the 2nd Street SW corridor that will connect major destinations throughout downtown Rochester.

Fautsch shares, "I'm humbled to step into this role and continue supporting a system that so many people rely on every day. Rochester's transit and parking services are essential to how our community interacts with the spaces they live, work and travel in."

"Rachel brings a thoughtful, collaborative style of leadership that reflects the values of our community and the direction of our organization," said Ryan Yetzer, Assistant City Administrator. "Her understanding of both operations and community engagement makes her uniquely well-suited to guide this work."

Fautsch originally joined the City in fall 2024 as the Communications and Engagement Manager, where she played an integral role in supporting major transformations in Rochester's downtown core and adjacent neighborhoods. Prior to her time in Rochester, Fautsch served with the City of Ocala, Florida, where she led key projects and initiatives while developing strong partnerships with community stakeholders and local government teams.

With Fautsch's appointment, the City looks forward to continued growth and innovation in its transit and parking systems, ensuring Rochester remains a connected, accessible, and vibrant place for all.