Richard J. Leary is an American-Canadian transportation executive who was

chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

(CEO) of the

Toronto Transit Commission The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is the primary public transport agency in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operating the majority of the city's transit bus, bus and rail services. It is the oldest and largest of the urban transit service providers ...

(TTC) between 2017 and 2024. Leary became interim CEO in 2017 and took over the role permanently in 2018; he resigned in August 2024. Leary was previously general manager of

York Region Transit York Region Transit (YRT) is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road. YRT operates 65 full-time rush hour and limited routes, 35 school services, and six Viva ...

and held senior roles with the

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network in ...

(MBTA).

Personal life and education

Richard J. Leary was born in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

. His father was a streetcar operator for the

(MBTA). He graduated from

Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU or NEU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded by the Boston Young Men's Christian Association in 1898 as an all-male instit ...

with a BBA and an

MPA MPA or mPa may refer to: Academia Academic degrees * Master of Performing Arts * Master of Professional Accountancy * Master of Public Administration * Master of Public Affairs Schools * Mesa Preparatory Academy * Morgan Park Academy * M ...

. As well, he completed a graduate program from

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

in Administration and Management. In August 2019, Leary became a Canadian citizen.

Transportation career

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Following his father, Leary began working for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority as a subway attendant in 1984. He then moved through various manager and director roles, becoming the chief operating officer of the MBTA in 2005. He retired from the role in November 2009 after failing to appear at a board meeting to address a damning federal safety report.

York Regional Transit

In 2009, Leary moved to Canada to become the general manager of

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

. Leary was praised as ridership grew by 4 million while customer complaints reduced and vehicle reliability increased.

Toronto Transit Commission

In 2014, Leary was hired as the chief service officer of the

(TTC) by then-CEO Andy Byford. This role involved management of the TTC's

bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but fewer than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used ...

and

streetcar A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some include s ...

systems, as well as management of the various

Toronto subway The Toronto subway is a rapid transit system serving Toronto and the neighbouring city of Vaughan in Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). The subway system is a rail network consisting of three heavy-capacity rai ...

stations. Leary's achievements included a large reduction in the number of

short turn In public transport, a short turn, short working or turn-back is a service on a bus route or rail line that does not operate along the full length of the route. Short turn trips are often scheduled and published in a Public transport timetable, ti ...

s, improving the quality of service. In December 2017, Leary was made the interim CEO of the TTC, when his predecessor, Andy Byford left to head the

New York City Transit Authority The New York City Transit Authority (also known as NYCTA, the TA, or simply Transit, and branded as MTA New York City Transit) is a New York state public-benefit corporations, public-benefit corporation in the U.S. state of New York (state), New ...

. In July 2018, Leary's interim position was made permanent, following an international search. In late 2023, TTC Chair Jamaal Myers attempted to have Leary suspended while an investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct took place. The board of the TTC agreed to launch an investigation, but did not suspend Leary. On June 20, 2024, Leary announced that he would step down from his position as CEO of the TTC at the end of August. Leary noted that it was his decision to leave, having waited to announce his resignation until contract negotiations with Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 had been agreed. Upon his departure, Leary noted that he had a contract until 2026, with the new mayor, Olivia Chow, and TTC Chair indicating a change in direction for the organization – however Leary reiterated it was his decision to leave the job. Deputy CEO Bruce Macgregor acted as CEO until former

Metrolinx Metrolinx is a transportation agency in Ontario, Canada. It is a Crown agency that manages and integrates road and public transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). It was created as the Greater Toronto Transportation Au ...

executive Gregory W. Percy was named interim CEO while a replacement is sought.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leary, Rick American urban planners People from Boston 1963 births Living people Northeastern University alumni Harvard University alumni American chief executives Toronto Transit Commission general managers American emigrants to Canada