Gary C. Thomas is president/executive director of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). DART's Board of Directors named him to that position August 3, 2001. As president/executive director, Thomas is responsible for a 13-city transit system over a 700-square mile area with bus, light rail, commuter rail, paratransit and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane services. He administers the goals and policies of the DART Board of Directors, including the largest public transit expansion in North America. He also directs the agency's top managers and approximately 3,300 employees, emphasizing a strong customer focus to ensure that transit riders and taxpayers receive the best transit service available. He works closely with member city governments and the public in developing short- and long-term transportation and mobility goals.

In 2011, Thomas was elected Chairman of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 public and private member organizations, involved in transit. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA member systems.

Prior to his selection as DART president/executive director, Thomas was senior vice president of Project Management, overseeing the design and construction of all of DART's major capital projects, including the light rail system. His responsibilities in that position included real estate right-of-way acquisition; oversight of the design and construction management performed by DART's General Engineering Consultant; design and installation of systems for communication and signals for the light rail; construction of the light rail system and bus facilities; and manufacture of the light rail cars.

Thomas joined DART in November 1998. Previously, he had led the agency's General Engineering Consultant's design of the original light rail system as LAN Program Manager from 1996 until 1998. He was a consulting engineer for 19 years prior to joining DART. He has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and a Bachelor of Architecture from Texas Tech University.