Chances are you or someone you know has hopped on a Sonoma County Airport Express bus en-route to either Oakland International Airport or San Francisco International Airport. It’s one of the longest running airport transportation services in the North Bay, serving more than 300,000 travelers annually. Life-long Sonoma County resident, Tony Geraldi, has proudly worked only three jobs in his 55 years—Press Democrat newspaper carrier in 1980, a local Straw Hat Pizza delivery boy during college at Sonoma State University, and for the past 31 years, working for Sonoma County Airport Express. “I guess you could say delivery has always been in my DNA,” he laughs.
King of the road
Thirty-one years ago, Geraldi began working for Sonoma County Airport Express, a 6-year-old company at the time. As general operations manager, Gerald’s responsibilities are almost endless and not limited to keeping the Airport Express buses running.
“I oversee management and scheduling of employees, charter operations, the safety program, customer service, equipment dispatching and federally mandated alcohol and drug testing of employees,” he says. “I also oversee our community outreach and support of Sonoma County nonprofits and local charities, including serving on the Sonoma County Fair Board of Directors and the board of the Miss Sonoma County Scholarship Program.”
His involvement managing the fleet of 24 buses is not limited to Sonoma County as Geraldi acts as company liaison with various outside agencies including the Department of Transportation, California Highway Patrol, San Francisco International Airport, Oakland international Airport and California Public Utilities Commission.
Geraldi is passionate about his career and his community, providing safe and high-quality travel for locals and visitors. “Knowing that I’m doing something that contributes to the vitality of Sonoma County is the best part of my job,” he says. “As a lifetime resident of Sonoma County, my passion is a conduit in allowing me the opportunity to give back in many ways other than simply being part of providing quality transportation to our neighbors and visitors.”
Staying put
Geraldi drives into the future with one certainty in mind, saying, “I’m going to continue to do what I do. I’ve been asked if I’m looking forward to retirement. I’m only 55! Why would I retire?” Retired or not, you can count on Geraldi’s community involvement throughout Sonoma County for years to come. “If I retired, I’d continue to do what I’m currently doing.”
