- August 20, 2024
- Awards, People Awards
Lucas Muller and Sam Sink Named to Mass Transit's 40 Under 40
Mass Transit’s 40 Under 40 is a recognition given to influential young professionals working in public transit. In 2024, two Kimley-Horn transit professionals were honored with this award for their unique contributions to the industry and their impactful community transportation solutions.
Fascinated by transit since his childhood years, Lucas has applied his passion and leadership skills to bolster Kimley-Horn’s transit presence throughout Virginia and the greater Washington, DC, area. He is a senior project manager with 13 years of experience improving transit policy, efficiency, and equity.
Lucas has played a leading role in multiple successful multimodal projects—including the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Better Bus Network Redesign, the District of Columbia’s Long Range Multimodal Transportation Plan, and the Virginia Department of Rail and Transportation’s Transit Equity and Modernization Study. For these projects, Lucas has developed skills in policy development, accessibility analysis, and multimodal planning that integrates transit considerations. His work has helped to elevate transit access and community priorities throughout the Washington, DC region and across the US.
Serving in a variety of leadership roles with Washington, DC’s Young Professionals in Transportation chapter, Lucas honed his networking skills and industry connections, boosted organizational membership, and helped create a scholarship program for transportation-focused college students. He believes that knowing how to adapt messaging to audiences and clearly communicate technical information is one of the most undervalued skills within the industry. Lucas continues to build a dynamic team at Kimley-Horn, leveraging mentorship and servant leadership to develop those within his sphere of influence and deliver excellent service to clients.
With more than a decade in the public sector, Sam brings a wealth of experience to her current role as a senior transit planning practice lead at Kimley-Horn. In this role, she helps lead Kimley-Horn’s vision and strategy around transit growth in Virginia and the broader region. Supporting a variety of clients, Sam has built a successful transit planning and development career and has spearheaded multiple public transportation projects.
Sam has a passion for leveraging multidisciplinary services to create streamlined transit facilities and zero-emission fleets. She led the successful Charlottesville Area Transit feasibility study of alternative fuel buses, and her curiosity for innovation made a lasting impact on customers’ experiences. Additionally, Sam’s exceptional grant writing secured $11.5 million through the US Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2022 Low or No Emission Vehicle Program for the Greater Richmond Transit Company.
An active participant on the American Public Transportation Association’s Bus Rapid Transit Committee and Zero Emission Fleet Committee, Sam aspires to continue building a well-rounded transit planning practice and providing sustainable solutions for clients. Leveraging creative problem-solving and technology implementation across projects, Sam is committed to expanding transportation opportunities for communities across the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond.