Leadership in Motion: How Israel Garcia Keeps METRO Moving Strong

When Israel Garcia first started working at METRO 31 years ago, he never imagined the journey ahead would be filled with so many pivotal moments, tough decisions, and community-centered accomplishments. Today, as Interim Vice President of Bus Operations, Garcia brings a deep understanding of what it takes to keep the region moving—especially when it matters most.

 From natural disasters to daily service planning, his leadership has helped shape how METRO responds, adapts, and delivers for its riders and the Greater Houston area.

Garcia has been involved in many historic events and projects he says it’s hard to choose his favorite. However, if he had to choose it would be the times that the operators joined together to help the community in times of need.

“I’ve been involved in emergency operations for years, from Hurricane Harvey to major evacuations,” Garcia mentioned. “One example I’m proud of was our recent work transporting thousands of CenterPoint linemen. It was something METRO had never done before. What I’m most proud of is our flexibility and our ability to pivot quickly when a crisis hits.”

Garcia’s responsibilities involve a lot more than emergency planning. There’s also the day-to-day operations which is just as – if not more – crucial to METRO. Take for example the service adjustments the Agency does twice a year to improve routes for customers. Garcia plays an important part in making sure the proposed changes match current rider needs.

Coming up with proposed service changes is all data driven, Garcia said. From public comments on the METRO website, to the input operators receive from customers, all of that is put into serious consideration.

“What makes this work meaningful is how responsive we must be,” he noted. “Our ridership has changed a lot over the last few years, remote work, new commute patterns, so we must stay flexible. If people’s needs shift, our service must shift with them.”

The operators are the foundation of METRO. Aside from driving the buses everyday, they are there for the community in times of need, and sometimes that can be overlooked who don’t know what it takes to get an operator on the streets. Garcia, however, knows every step it takes to get those buses out there.

“I can’t say this enough, our operators are the heart of METRO. I always say, METRO is our operators. Everyone else supports them,” Garcia said. “They show up day in and day out, often in tough weather or through challenging conditions, and they don’t flinch. They do their jobs with professionalism and heart. When people think of METRO, they should think of our operators first. They are the reason the system moves.”

Garcia is confident that, with the introduction of new buses and advanced technology through the METRONow plan, operators will be better prepared to offer more reliable and accessible service. Continued training and support from newly hired mechanics will also help ensure buses stay on the road.

Delivering reliable service to customers requires extensive behind-the-scenes coordination each day. It’s not as simple as an operator getting behind the wheel—there are multiple steps and teams working together to keep everything running smoothly. Garcia knows better than anyone just how much effort goes into making that happen.

“My team is always working,” he said. “Someone is always making sure buses are fueled, inspected, and safe before an operator even gets behind the wheel. Without that behind-the-scenes support, the system doesn’t move. I’m proud to be part of that work, and even prouder of the people who do it every day.”