Metro CEO Art Leahy

He Loves L.A. for Its Aspirations

Art Leahy is CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro); he began his four-decade transit career driving a bus in L.A., where he grew up. Before participating in a panel on what could speed up L.A. traffic, he shared some Metro war stories—involving scary passengers and ugly neckties—in the Zócalo green room.

Q:

If you could have any superpower, which would you choose?


A:

Golly. Flying.


Q:

What’s your favorite thing about Los Angeles?


A:

Oh boy, that’s a hard one. It’s a big, great, diverse city that is full of adrenaline. I would add to that, we have very high aspirational values. In L.A. we can say, “We want to be the best.” No one thinks—I used to work in Minnesota, and they have a high modesty value, and if you say that, they are physically uncomfortable. We are not.


Q:

What’s harder about operating a bus than running all of Metro?


A:

Operating a bus is tough. You’ve got to wake up sometimes at 3:30 in the morning, get people to work or to school. Sometimes they’re lost, sometimes they’re unhappy, sometimes they don’t have money to pay the fare. … One time, I was driving a bus down Broadway, stopped for a red light at Jefferson. All of a sudden, real loud I hear, “Bam bam bam bam bam.” I look up, and there’s this guy running up the aisle of the bus toward me. He runs up to me, and he shouts, “Operator!” So I’m sitting, and I’m thinking, what is it? Hijacking, kidnapping, robbery? My heart is right here in my throat. So I say, “Yes?” And then he said, “Do you know the Lord?” I promise you something: At that moment I wanted him to know the Lord. [Laughs.]


Q:

What food are you most likely to binge eat?


A:

Probably popcorn.


Q:

What’s the ugliest tie you own?


A:

It’s got a kind of red-and-white diamond-shaped pattern on it. When I came to Metro six years ago, there were some people who were dressing kind of sloppily, wearing sandals and blue jeans. When the public comes in, we have to look professional. So I say, you have to wear a necktie. Some guys who were good employees didn’t like it. So one guy went to some store and bought the ugliest necktie he had ever seen. So suddenly there were about 20 maintenance guys who all had the same necktie, and they gave me one of them. I was in Washington, and I had a photo taken of myself with the Capitol building, and I have this necktie on.


Q:

What’s your favorite road trip music?


A:

The Beatles.


Q:

What’s your happiest childhood memory?


A:

Riding the Dumbo ride at Disneyland for the first time. I thought Dumbo was the greatest thing in the world.


Q:

What surprises you most about your life right now?


A:

That’s a good question. My parents didn’t finish high school—my dad didn’t finish junior high. I grew up in a blue-collar environment. So to find myself in this job right now with the amazing career I’ve had is pretty amazing. I was a bus operator for Metro. My dad was a bus operator for Metro. And to think I’m in charge of the whole thing is a pretty amazing accomplishment.


Q:

What’s your favorite L.A. freeway?


A:

Probably the Pasadena.


Q:

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?


A:

I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve had a lot of people who tried to help me out over the years. My dad would say things like, “Walk like you have someplace to go.” Show some self-respect, self-reliance. Wonderful.