Shirley A. DeLibero

Shirley A. DeLibero has transformed travel for communities across the United States for more than three decades. Her accomplishments have led to awards and recognition of tremendous scope – and include titles such as Woman of the Year, Transit Hall of Fame inductee, one of Metro Magazine’s 25 most interesting people in transit, Public Official of the Year, and Most Effective Advocate – to name just a few.

While serving as the president and chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston, TX), DeLibero led the development and operation of METRO light rail system in the Downtown-to-Reliant Center corridor. The light rail operations center now bears her name; a nod to her tremendous accomplishments in this system.

Her five-year term at METRO, from 1999 through 2004, yielded significant successes – achievement of a 100 percent accessible fleet, the introduction of hybrid-diesel electric buses, expanded High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, and construction of three transit centers, two park and ride facilities, and the METRO administration building. With safety and customer focus top priorities, she expanded service, introduced light rail, and improved agency communications.

DeLibero spent eight years as the executive director of New Jersey Transit Corp., the nation’s third largest multi-modal public transit system, operating throughout the State of New Jersey, with service into New York City and Philadelphia.

Under DeLibero’s leadership, NJ TRANSIT focused on the customer — improving service quality and safety, and enhancing operating efficiency. Highlights under her direction include ridership growth of 17.4 percent, a 61 percent reduction in federal operating assistance, no fare increases and no reduction in service. In recognition of these accomplishments and her contributions to the public transit industry, DeLibero was named the top Transit Manager in the nation in 1996; and in 1994, 1996 and 1998 NJ TRANSIT was selected as the nation’s top transit property by APTA.

Prior to becoming the executive director of NJ TRANSIT, DeLibero was Deputy Executive Director of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), where she served as second-in-command of the regional transit authority from 1987 to 1990. She also served as Assistant General Manager for Bus Service for the Washington (D.C.) Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). From 1978 to 1981, DeLibero was Superintendent of the Green Line, and Project Manager for reconstruction of trolley cars for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston.

DeLibero is a past Chair of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) – the first African-American woman to hold the industry’s highest honorary post (1999). She previously served as First Vice Chair, Vice President for Rail Operations and chaired its Task Force on Mobility for the 21st Century. She is the Immediate Past Chair of the National Chair of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), an organization that in 2003 bestowed its highest recognition to her – The Thomas G. Neusom Founders Award.

Metro Magazine featured her in its September/October 2002 issue on “25 Interesting People in Transit,” and in 1999, Good Housekeeping Magazine dubbed her “The Engine That Could,” naming her one of the Top 10 Women in U.S. Government.

At the request of former President Bill Clinton, she represented the transit industry by serving on the Senior Advisors Group to the President’s Council on Year 2000 Conversion.

Some of the awards DeLibero has received include:

• COMTO Award – The Thomas G. Neusom Founders Award – July 2003.
• Distinguished Leadership in Transportation “For building light rail in Houston” – Houston Hispanic Architects & Engineers – January 2003
• 2002 Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) Award for Outstanding Community Service – February 2002
• Conference of Minority Transit Officials/Greater Houston Chapter Recognition Award for Continued Support and Commitment to Helping Minorities Realize Their Dream – May 2001
• Dallas Community Leadership’s Community Impact Award – February 2001
• Trans Texas Alliance’s Most Effective Advocate Award – February 2000
• Governing Magazine Public Official of the Year – November 1999
• Business Opportunities Symposium Series Transportation Manager of the Year – September 1999
• Women of Distinction Crystal Award – September 1999
• Good Housekeeping Award for Women in Government – June 1999
• APTA’s Jesse L. Haugh Award as the Transit Manager of the Year – October 1996
• Women Executives in State Government Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award – February 1996
• Electric Railway Journal 1995 Woman of the Year – January 1995
• Outstanding National Transportation Award for Excellence in Management from the Texas Association of Minority Business Enterprises – September 1993
• Metro Newark Chamber of Commerce Transportation Person of the Year Award – May 1993
• Outstanding Administrator Award from the Black Issues Convention – September 1992
• Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) National Woman of the Year Award for 1992. WTS is a national professional organization for transit officials.