Sarah Feinberg, a former Obama transportation official who has
served on the MTA board since last year, will be the new interim chief
of New York City’s buses and subways following the resignation of Andy Byford, the agency announced Tuesday.
Feinberg, 42, served under President Barack Obama as chief of the Federal Railroad Administration and chief of staff for the US Department of Transportation. She is known to have a close relationship with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who appointed her to the agency’s board last February.
“This might actually be the best job in transportation in America,” she told reporters at a press conference in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday. “There’s no bigger thrill than being able to deliver for 8 million riders a day.”
Byford, a British railway professional popular with many MTA staff and transit advocates, abruptly resigned last month amid tensions with Cuomo, who appoints the agency’s chairman and the majority of its board.
During his 25-month tenure in office, the subway hit its highest on-time performance rate in over six years.
Feinberg, whose first day will be March 9, acknowledged Byford’s looming legacy, and named public safety, subway speeds, accessibility and the bus network redesigns as her top priorities.
“Subways and buses have made tremendous progress over the last two years,” she said. “I will be laser focused on maintaining and continuing to build on the gains that have been achieved.”
During her time as a board member, Feinberg was personally involved in crafting the MTA’s response to fare evasion as well as worker and rider assaults — which led to the authority’s controversial decision to add 500 new police officers late this year.
She was one of the more vocal board members to support the hirings — while also championing the idea of banning serial subway crooks from the system.
Last June she even proposed publicly shaming turnstile jumpers by publishing security footage of farebeaters who are caught in the act.
“When people are publicly embarrassed by this kind of behavior, it helps address it,” she said at the time.
Advocates on Tuesday welcomed Feinberg taking the reins.
“She is a high-level government professional with experience in transit, so I think that will serve us in good stead,” said Danny Pearlstein of the Riders Alliance advocacy group.
“As riders, we want to see the improvements of the last two years continue apace, which means faster trains, fewer delays and the completion of the MTA’s bus network redesigns.”
https://nypost.com/2020/02/25/mta-announces-interim-bus-and-subways-chief-sarah-feinberg/
Feinberg, 42, served under President Barack Obama as chief of the Federal Railroad Administration and chief of staff for the US Department of Transportation. She is known to have a close relationship with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who appointed her to the agency’s board last February.
“This might actually be the best job in transportation in America,” she told reporters at a press conference in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday. “There’s no bigger thrill than being able to deliver for 8 million riders a day.”
Byford, a British railway professional popular with many MTA staff and transit advocates, abruptly resigned last month amid tensions with Cuomo, who appoints the agency’s chairman and the majority of its board.
During his 25-month tenure in office, the subway hit its highest on-time performance rate in over six years.
Feinberg, whose first day will be March 9, acknowledged Byford’s looming legacy, and named public safety, subway speeds, accessibility and the bus network redesigns as her top priorities.
“Subways and buses have made tremendous progress over the last two years,” she said. “I will be laser focused on maintaining and continuing to build on the gains that have been achieved.”
During her time as a board member, Feinberg was personally involved in crafting the MTA’s response to fare evasion as well as worker and rider assaults — which led to the authority’s controversial decision to add 500 new police officers late this year.
She was one of the more vocal board members to support the hirings — while also championing the idea of banning serial subway crooks from the system.
Last June she even proposed publicly shaming turnstile jumpers by publishing security footage of farebeaters who are caught in the act.
“When people are publicly embarrassed by this kind of behavior, it helps address it,” she said at the time.
Advocates on Tuesday welcomed Feinberg taking the reins.
“She is a high-level government professional with experience in transit, so I think that will serve us in good stead,” said Danny Pearlstein of the Riders Alliance advocacy group.
“As riders, we want to see the improvements of the last two years continue apace, which means faster trains, fewer delays and the completion of the MTA’s bus network redesigns.”
https://nypost.com/2020/02/25/mta-announces-interim-bus-and-subways-chief-sarah-feinberg/
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