Updated 3:05 p.m.: Amidst speculation that new MTA CEO and Chairman Jay Walder would begin to staff the top agency positions with some of his own people, Howard Roberts has resigned as the head of New York City Transit. Roberts, a veteran of the MTA, had served in his position for 2.5 years.
Although New York City Transit has come under fire in recent weeks for the increased number of weekend service changes and generally less-than-satisfactory on-time performance, Roberts, who spoke with me last winter, has been a solid Transit president. With a focus on improving customer experience, he rolled out the rider report cards in 2007 and implemented the successful line manager program.
“Earlier today I accepted the resignation of New York City Transit President Howard Roberts,” Walder said in a statement this afternoon. “Howard deserves credit for his hard work leading NYC Transit over the last two and one half years, and I am grateful for his service to the MTA. He will remain in his position through the end of November. I intend to name a replacement in short order.”
Meanwhile, Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign praised Roberts’ service. “Howard Roberts Jr. has been a good head of New York City’s transit system,” Russianoff said in statement. “Although saddled with budget cuts and disruptions caused by needed repair work, he put managers in charge of each line and pushed to provide faster bus service. The subways and buses can drive New Yorkers nuts, but Howard Roberts worked hard for a saner system.”
Where Walder goes from here will be telling. With a background steeped in transit, he will mostly likely turn to another transit veteran to fill the role. Roberts will serve out the month, and on December 1, it’s day one all over again for Transit.
10 comments
Successful line managers program?!?
Where do you get this from, what metric?
Or are you buying the PR and their exorbitant salaries as some sort of indicator.
The truth will come out eventually.
If all you’re doing is arguing against their salaries without discussing improved customer relations and innovations, you’re not going to win. It’s not a perfect program, but it’s better than the nothing it replaced.
Which innovations and improvements exactly?
The main purpose of the GM program was to get rid of 2 layers of unneeded management the superintendents and deputy superintendents but that has not happened. Now there is just 3 more layers of management. It’s really sickening how much high priced management the TA has. The system ran years with MORE employees and less than half of the upper management so why is it needed now?
Tons of new technology and they ADD 3 layers of management.
lol
Yes, Roberts is a true visionary!
I wonder if he is going to name another old friend/co worker? ha. Whatever. I guess he has to bring in people who he is comfortable with.
There was NEVER an intention to get rid of managers, its impossible, you need management at all hours on a 24/7 system…did they expect General Managers to work all day every day?
Its a debacle from the start, has anyone actually looked at WHO was hired for those jobs?
And what has changed?
Meh. If Walder fails, they should move further east and hire people from Tokyo Metro. If they can fire every employee and replace him with someone from Japan, where $500/hour salaries for managers are unheard of, then all the best for them.
[…] one day after Howard Roberts resigned as the president of New York City Transit, MTA CEO and Chairman Jay Walder has tabbed Tom Prendergast as his replacement. Prendergast, 57, is […]
[…] Wednesday, New York City Transit President Howard Roberts announced his resignation effective the end of November. Tom Prendergast will assume the role, and according to […]