Draft:Brandon Nurmi
| Submission declined on 8 May 2025 by KeepItGoingForward (talk). The article was not updated post the submission declined on 22 March 2025 by Gheus. The article must be updated to meet the reviewers comments.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
|  |
| Submission declined on 22 March 2025 by Gheus (talk). This submission's references do not show that the subject qualifies for a Wikipedia article—that is, they do not show significant coverage (not just passing mentions) about the subject in published, reliable, secondary sources that are independent of the subject (see the guidelines on the notability of people). Before any resubmission, additional references meeting these criteria should be added (see technical help and learn about mistakes to avoid when addressing this issue). If no additional references exist, the subject is not suitable for Wikipedia. Declined by Gheus 46 days ago. | |
| Submission declined on 21 March 2025 by Sophisticatedevening (talk). This submission's references do not show that the subject qualifies for a Wikipedia article—that is, they do not show significant coverage (not just passing mentions) about the subject in published, reliable, secondary sources that are independent of the subject (see the guidelines on the notability of people). Before any resubmission, additional references meeting these criteria should be added (see technical help and learn about mistakes to avoid when addressing this issue). If no additional references exist, the subject is not suitable for Wikipedia. Declined by Sophisticatedevening 47 days ago. | |
| Submission declined on 21 March 2025 by Pythoncoder (talk). This submission does not appear to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. Entries should be written from a neutral point of view, and should refer to a range of independent, reliable, published sources. Please rewrite your submission in a more encyclopedic format. Please make sure to avoid peacock terms that promote the subject. Declined by Pythoncoder 48 days ago. | |
Comment: May be AI — note the promotional language and incorrect use of **markdown bold**. —pythoncoder (talk | contribs) 18:33, 21 March 2025 (UTC)
Brandon Nurmi | |
|---|---|
 Nurmi in 2024 | |
| Born | Minnesota, United States |
| Occupation | Public transportation administrator |
| Organization | Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA) |
| Known for | Rural transit administration in Minnesota |
| Title | Executive Director of Arrowhead Transit |
| Website | arrowheadtransit.com |
Brandon Nurmi is an American public transportation official and the current Executive Director of Arrowhead Transit, a rural public transit provider serving ten counties in northeastern Minnesota. He previously served as Assistant Director for the agency and is active in several state-level transportation planning and advocacy groups. Nurmi is known for his involvement in rural mobility policy, workforce development, and legislative outreach related to public transportation in Greater Minnesota.
Career
[edit]Nurmi is employed by the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA), which oversees Arrowhead Transit. He began his career at AEOA as a program administrator and was later promoted to Assistant Director of Transit. In 2024, he was appointed Executive Director of Arrowhead Transit, succeeding former leadership during a time of expanding regional services.[1]
In 2021, Nurmi testified before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development. His testimony emphasized the need for expanded rural transportation services, improved food delivery logistics, and better access to healthcare and employment in sparsely populated areas. He addressed the challenges of traditional route metrics failing to serve rural populations and discussed innovative models using minimum passenger thresholds for route activation.[2]
As Executive Director, Nurmi led the integration of Hibbing Area Transit into Arrowhead Transit in August 2024. The transition included expanded weekday hours, Sunday service, and new regional connections for residents in the Iron Range area.[3]
He also helped implement a transportation partnership with Minnesota North College, introducing a system of scheduled stops, reduced-fare student passes, and integrated commuter services across campuses in Grand Rapids, Hibbing, and Virginia.[4]
Policy and Advocacy
[edit]In March 2024, Nurmi joined Assistant Director Colette Hanson and other Arrowhead Transit staff in advocating for rural transit funding at the Minnesota State Capitol. At the event, hosted by the Minnesota Transportation Alliance and attended by Governor Tim Walz, Nurmi met with key legislators to discuss funding equity, flexible local match policies, and reforms to the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) testing process to reduce long wait times.[5]
He has publicly supported legislation allowing the sharing of certified third-party testers for CDL licensure, with the goal of improving workforce recruitment in rural transit systems.[5]
Organizational Involvement
[edit]Nurmi represents the Minnesota Public Transit Association (MPTA) on the Minnesota Council on Transportation Access (MCOTA), a statewide body that coordinates policy around transportation access for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and underserved populations. In FY2023, he served as vice chair of the MCOTA Removing Barriers Work Team, which focused on reimbursement rates for assisted transport and insurance barriers for shared vehicles.[6][7]
He also serves as vice-chair of the Arrowhead Regional Transportation Coordinating Council (RTCC), which facilitates service coordination across health and human services agencies, veterans’ groups, and county governments.[8]
Nurmi is an active participant in the East Central Regional Transportation Coordinating Council (ECRTCC), where he collaborates with stakeholders from healthcare, tribal government, and nonprofit sectors to address local mobility gaps.[9]
Leadership Training
[edit]In 2023, Nurmi was selected for the Blandin Community Leadership Program (BCLP), a cohort-based leadership retreat held in the Quad Cities region. The training focused on rural capacity-building, conflict management, and community mobilization, with an emphasis on health equity and civic engagement.[10]
Media
[edit]Nurmi appeared on the national podcast *Transit Unplugged* in 2024, where he discussed the geographic, financial, and workforce challenges of delivering transit services across Arrowhead Transit’s 20,000-square-mile service area. He also spoke about technology improvements, such as scheduling software and volunteer driver coordination platforms.[11]
See also
[edit]- Arrowhead Transit
- Minnesota Council on Transportation Access
- Blandin Foundation
- Minnesota North College
References
[edit]- ^ User, Super. "Agency Directors". www.aeoa.org.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Tribune, Jerry Burnes Mesabi (June 9, 2021). "AEOA transit leader testifies to U.S. Senate group". Mesabi Tribune.
- ^ TRIBUNE, MARIE TOLONEN MESABI (August 2, 2024). "New transportation partnership celebrated". Mesabi Tribune.
- ^ "Arrowhead Transit partners with Minnesota North College to expand transportation access". Mass Transit. January 22, 2025.
- ^ a b "Arrowhead Transit advocates for improved transit access and support in rural Minnesota communities". Mass Transit. March 19, 2024.
- ^ "2023 MCOTA Annual Report" (PDF).
- ^ "Minnesota Council on Transportation Access Members".
- ^ "About | Arrowhead Regional Transportation Coordinating Council". Arrowhead Regional T.
- ^ "ECRTCC Partners List".
- ^ "Quad Cities area residents complete Blandin Community Leadership Program retreat › Blandin Foundation". Blandin Foundation. March 20, 2019.
- ^ "Rolling Through Rural Minnesota: Arrowhead Transit Connects Communities Together - Transit Unplugged". October 9, 2024.