Cincinnati Metro CEO and General Manager Darryl Haley to retire June 2025

Cincinnati Metro CEO and General Manager Darryl Haley has announced plans to retire on June 1, 2025, after 19 years of dedicated service to the agency.  

“Darryl has been a remarkable leader and change maker for transit, not only in our region, but on a national level as well,” said Cincinnati Metro Board of Trustees Chairman Blake Ethridge. “We applaud his leadership, dedication and innovation in transforming Metro into the transit system this region deserves and needs.” 

Haley began his career at Cincinnati Metro as the customer relations manager and worked to enhance customers’ experience. He’s since held progressive leadership roles, including serving as executive director of development, executive vice president and COO and deputy general manager before becoming CEO. 

“Leading Metro has been the privilege of a lifetime. Together with an amazing staff and public support, we’ve been able to achieve extraordinary milestones that have positioned us as a national leader in public transportation,” Haley said. “We secured the first countywide sales tax levy dedicated to transportation. We contributed to the improvement of infrastructure projects throughout the county. We revolutionized transit in our region with innovative new services and improvements that now connect more people to better-paying jobs, quality healthcare and education. In short: We have demonstrated what’s possible for our region when we invest in public transit.” 

Under Haley’s leadership, Cincinnati Metro has been able to accomplish many achievements as an agency including:  

• Testifying before Congress on behalf of the transit industry in support of a federal investment in public transportation through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 
• Investing more than $317 million to improve roads, sidewalks, bridges and other transit-related infrastructure through the Metro Transit Infrastructure Fund for 100-plus projects in Hamilton County, Ohio. 
• Signing a labor agreement to provide historic wage and benefit increases to support quality-of-life improvements for Cincinnati Metro’s operators and maintenance workers. 
• Implementing 24-hour service for the first time in the agency’s history. 
• Launching the new MetroNow! on-demand service in two zones. 
• Laying the framework for the development of bus rapid transit to enhance mobility and economic development. 
• Creating the Regional Paratransit Collaboration with seven counties to improve service connectivity for riders with disabilities. 
• Maintaining full service and avoiding job losses with a focus on public safety while navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Leading the nation in post-pandemic ridership recovery. 

“These accomplishments are a testament to the incredible team at Metro,” Haley added. “Every employee, whether they work behind the wheel, turn a wrench, or in the office, plays a vital role in delivering exceptional service to our community. It has been an honor to work alongside such dedicated professionals.” 

Haley has received numerous awards and recognition for his work at Cincinnati Metro, including being celebrated as a “2024 Men of Honor,” NAACP “Changemaker,” Business Courier C-Suite “2023 CEO of the Year,” Cincinnati Magazine’s “Power 300” List, Ohio Latin Commission’s “Nuestra Familia Award,” the Ohio Public Transit Association’s “Leonard Ronis Leadership Award” and the Conference of Minority Transportation Official’s “Thomas G. Neusome Leadership Award.”  

During his tenure, Cincinnati Metro has also been recognized by the Ohio Department of Transportation as the 2024 System of the Year, All About Women’s “Best Places to Work” recipient and the Ohio Auditor of State Award with Distinction for excellence in financial reporting and transparency, among numerous other accolades. 

A search for Haley’s successor will be announced in the coming months. In the meantime, Haley says he remains committed to guiding the agency through a seamless transition and ensuring the organization is well-positioned for future success, while it remains focused on continuing to deliver on its promises of expanding access to safe, reliable and innovative transit solutions.