Tom Costello, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District's (CUMTD) assistant managing director, has announced that he will retire. His last day with the district will be Nov. 14.
Costello began his transit career at the Chicago Transit Authority where he worked as a conductor during college breaks. He began his career at CUMTD in May 1974 as a part-time driver while a post-graduate student at the University of Illinois. Shortly thereafter, Costello became the district's director of public information. In 1976, he was promoted to assistant managing director, the position he has held for more than 37 years. In addition to serving as CUMTD's assistant managing director, Costello taught transportation courses at the Indiana University Institute for Urban Transportation in the 1980s and 1990s, and he has taught in the University of Illinois's communications department for nearly 40 years.
Costello has been very committed to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). He is the APTA past chair of the marketing and communications steering committee and the APTA past vice chair of marketing and communications, executive committee. He served on the APTA Board of Directors from 2011 to 2014. He chaired the APTA PT2 and co-chaired the APTA "Telling Our Story" initiatives. Costello was a member of the APTA Passenger Transport Advisory Committee and the APTA Site Selection Committee. He was in the Advertising Club and part of the Transportation Research Board. Costello was instrumental in CUMTD receiving the APTA Outstanding System Award in 1986 and again in 1994.
During his more than 40 years in the community, Costello has been a leader and member of dozens of community organizations. His organizational involvement includes chair of Illini Media, chair of the Urbana Civilian Police Review Board, board member of the Developmental Services Foundation, Urbana City Council member, Champaign County Design and Conservation president and board member, United Way Foundation chair and past chair and board member of the Champaign County Economic Development Corp. His charitable and philanthropic accomplishments are myriad and have been recognized with numerous awards over the years. Costello has been the host at hundreds of events and fundraisers for community organizations. He was a soccer, basketball and baseball coach at the park district and junior high and high schools. He is a Rotarian and is a past assistant district governor and past president of the Champaign Rotary Club.
During Costello's tenure, the district has significantly grown. Annual ridership was 708,000 in 1974; this increased to 13.3 million in FY2014. In the early 1970s, CUMTD had only a few dozen employees; today there are more than 325. The district leased small garage and office spaces when it began. There are now three facilities: administration, maintenance/garage, and an intermodal center. Costello played a critical role in the development of district properties and helped lay the groundwork for future growth. His impact on the District and its employees, the communities served, and the University is wide reaching and will leave a legacy. He is the principal architect of CUMTD's brand imagery and developed an iconic "...call 384-8188 for MTD" jingle that is unforgettable to many residents.
Costello was born and raised in Chicago and its suburbs. He attended St. Ignatius High School in Chicago and received his undergraduate degree from John Carroll University in Cleveland. He earned a graduate degree at Miami University in Oxford, OH. Costello and his wife Rose have two sons, Joe and Jack, both of whom live in Washington, D.C. In 2013, Costello's wife retired from her position as principal of Holy Cross School in Champaign, where she began work in 1976.
Costello has been an essential part of CUMTD since its earliest days. His influence, good humor, and dedication to excellence will be missed by all. He has been critical in the development of the district's commitment to 'yes' that drives everyone to deliver the highest quality, most effective public transportation and to be a supportive community member.
