CEO's Message
Bill Carpenter
Chief Executive Officer
As we started the last fiscal year, we approached it having adjusted to our new reality due to COVID-19 and with a renewed sense of excitement in anticipation of the launch of Reimagine RTS. Thanks to the RTS team, our customers, and partners throughout the community, we successfully implemented our new transit system. We are now providing our customers with mobility that is more frequent, reliable, and connected.
With the New RTS in place and a continued focus on safety for employees and customers, we enter the new fiscal year with an eye towards the future. We also introduce a new mission statement that aligns with our new reality: “We provide vital, safe, and sustainable transportation services that connect the community and promote a better quality of life.” The current Comprehensive plan reflects our new reality, our new transit system, a new intent statement that replaces our vision statement, and new strategic pillars that will guide our work over the next three years. The plan continues our commitment to growing our culture through the RTS Way and the RTS Culture and Inclusion Council, transitioning to a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035, and implementing the strategies and tactics that will build on the success of recent years.
This plan is also a reflection of our commitment to the RTS team, a team of tremendous, dedicated heroes. This team has kept our community moving during two years of a global pandemic and while implementing a complete redesign of our transit system. They bring to life our values and show the community each day what it means to live the RTS Way. To build on our award-winning wellness program, we are including in this plan needed investments to support employees and their overall well-being. This plan will embrace innovative technology and software to support employees and improve the customer experience. Our focus on financial sustainability will continue through cost containment efforts and prioritizing our long-term capital needs. We will demonstrate climate leadership with the arrival of ten additional electric buses and investing in the infrastructure necessary to meet our zero-emission bus fleet goals. And we will maximize our impact in the community by addressing service gaps and strengthening partnerships with the community. The embrace of innovative public transit to promote a better quality of life is underway. Our team is ready to continue growing our system to meet the needs of the people we serve.
On behalf of the entire team, I am pleased to present the 2022-2025 RGRTA Comprehensive Strategic Plan, the budget for Fiscal Year 2022-23, and the capital plan for 2022-2032. Thank you for your continued leadership and support.