The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston Metro) Board of Directors honored retiring President and CEO Tom Lambert for his 45 years of dedication and service to the authority.
"Mr. Lambert, it's been an absolute honor working with you," said Houston Metro Board Chair Sanjay Ramabhadran. "What you've done for Houston, the region and the transit industry — we appreciate it today and we will appreciate it even more 10, 20, 30 years from now."
Ramabhadran also announced the creation of the Thomas C. Lambert Conference Center, a meeting facility located on the second level of Houston Metro's Lee P. Brown Administration Building in downtown.
Lambert reflected on his decades at Houston Metro, which included challenges such as Hurricane Harvey, Winter Storm Uri and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We took care of the customers but we also made sure we took care of the employees that had to provide an essential service," Lambert said. "When you've got that foundation of a commitment to public service, there's nothing this agency cannot do. I am honored to have had the opportunity to spend a few years here."
Mike DeMarco, chief show operations officer for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, was among local leaders who made remarks during the board's meeting. He underscored the strong partnership Houston Metro has with the Rodeo, having provided millions of rides to and from the annual event since the construction of NRG Park.
"I want to say thank you to you, Tom," DeMarco said. "Without the support, we would never have been as successful as we are today — without a comprehensive transit program."
Lambert began serving as president & CEO in 2013. He and Houston Metro have received numerous awards and recognitions, including:
- The 2015 and 2020 “Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award” from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
- The 2018 APTA “Outstanding Manager Award”
- The 2019 APTA “Rail Safety and Security Excellence Award”
- The 2018 APTA “Bus Safety and Security Excellence Award”
- The 2017 Texas Transit Association “Outstanding Metropolitan Transit System Award"
Lambert joined Houston Metro in 1979, its first full year of operation. Following the creation of the Houston Metro Police Department in 1982, Lambert became its first chief of police. He has also served as chief administrative officer and executive vice president.
Under Lambert's leadership, Houston Metro expanded light-rail service and redesigned its entire local bus network. The authority also expanded and improved METROLift, enhanced the customer experience with real-time service alerts, launched mobile ticketing and created an Office of Innovation, which helped establish Houston Metro's Climate Action Plan.
Lambert continues to oversee the implementation of a voter-approved plan that includes 500 miles of travel improvements, including new MetroRapid bus rapid transit projects, BOOST enhancements to high frequency bus routes and upgrades to 9,000 bus stops to ensure they meet or exceed ADA standards.
