“Bill Thomas successfully received unanimous support from the entire board,” said RTC Chairman Bob Lucey. “We had a strong candidate pool of well-qualified candidates, all of whom would have been a great leader for the RTC.”
Thomas replaces RTC's former Executive Director Lee Gibson, who retired December 2019 after more than ten years on the job. Among his achievements during his tenure, Gibson is credited with reducing the agency's operating cost by over 30 percent, while delivering the largest multimodal construction program in the agency's history.
Thomas has an extensive background in planning and development that he’s garnered through years of working in high level positions in both the public and private sector, according to his City of Reno bio.
As an Assistant City Manager, Thomas is responsible for oversight of the Community Development, Parks Recreation and Community Services, Public Works, Economic Development and Redevelopment functions of the City of Reno.
Before joining the City, Thomas operated his own planning consulting firm where he assisted both private and public entity clients. His position as the Director of Entitlements for a large west coast-based attached-home builder provided him with perspective on the private/public interactions that are such an important part of local government service. Thomas was also VP of a Nevada-based civil engineering firm where he gained experience in the land development industry.
The RTC Board gave legal counsel direction to begin negotiation of an employment agreement that will be brought to the RTC Board meeting on March 20, 2020.
“The RTC Board extends its appreciation to Amy Cummings who is serving as the RTC Interim Executive Director during the transition,” said Lucey.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
