Timothy Borchers is a transit systems expert witness and litigation consultant with more than 41 years of experience across light rail, automated people movers, transit bus, and streetcar operations.
He provides expert witness services and litigation support for attorneys handling cases involving the full range of urban transit systems across the United States.
Based in Tampa, Florida, he is available for retention by both plaintiff and defense counsel and has provided expert witness services in multiple jurisdictions including Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, California, and Georgia.
Transit Expert Witness Services
Timothy Borchers assists attorneys at every stage of transit litigation. His expert witness services include:
- Initial case evaluation and technical review
- Accident investigation and reconstruction
- Analysis of transit vehicle operations and maintenance practices
- Review of safety management systems and regulatory compliance
- Assessment of adherence to FTA and APTA safety standards
- Preparation of expert reports and written opinions
- Deposition testimony
- Trial testimony
His expertise covers light rail and streetcar systems, airport automated people movers, transit bus and paratransit operations, and rubber-tired trolleys. He has deep knowledge of the operational, maintenance, and safety standards that govern each of these systems and the regulatory frameworks that apply to them.hem.
Transit Accident Cases
Transit litigation requires an expert witness who understands not just the vehicles and infrastructure, but the operational decisions, maintenance practices, safety certifications, and regulatory requirements that determine standard of care.
Timothy Borchers has provided expert witness services in cases involving:
Light Rail & Streetcar
- Embedded rail flangeway incidents involving bicycles, scooters, and other wheeled devices
- Streetcar and light rail vehicle collisions with motor vehicles
- Passenger door and platform incidents
- Falls and injuries resulting from vehicle operations
Airport Automated People Movers
- Door incidents and passenger entrapment
- Braking and deceleration injuries
- Platform gap and boarding incidents
- System safety and maintenance failures
Transit Bus, Paratransit & Rubber-Tired Trolleys
- Sudden braking and passenger fall incidents
- Door incidents and passenger injuries
- Wheelchair securement and ADA compliance failures
- Paratransit and demand response van incidents
He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants across all transit modes and brings an objective, technically grounded analysis to every case.
Transit Expert Witness Qualifications
Timothy Borchers brings a combination of hands-on operational experience and formal technical qualifications that few transit expert witnesses can match.
His career includes direct management of light rail, streetcar, and automated people mover systems in the United States and Australia, safety certification of major transit projects, accident investigation across hundreds of incidents, and regulatory compliance work with the Federal Transit Administration.
He has held senior roles with transit agencies and consultancy firms across three countries, including serving as Executive Director of the Atlanta Streetcar, Manager of Streetcar Services at the Hillsborough Transit Authority in Tampa, and Principal Consultant with SNC-Lavalin Rail and Transit. His APM work includes direct hands-on assessment experience with the Atlanta Plane Train, one of the busiest airport automated people mover systems in the world.
He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a past Chair of the APTA Streetcar Subcommittee, and a credited participant in key APTA light rail, streetcar, and transit safety standards.
His certifications include Transit Rail System Safety, Transit Rail Incident Investigation, and Transit Safety and Security Audit, all through the Transportation Safety Institute.
Transit Expert Witness Fees
Timothy Borchers offers competitive, transparent fee structures for both plaintiff and defense counsel. Initial case evaluations are available to determine suitability before formal retention.
Download the Expert Witness CV
A full expert witness CV including professional experience across light rail, automated people movers, transit bus, and streetcar systems, along with qualifications, certifications, industry engagement, and prior expert witness engagements, is available for download below.
Attorneys and law firms may also contact Timothy Borchers directly to discuss case evaluation, technical analysis, expert reports, depositions, and trial testimony involving any transit system type.
