ALBANY-The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's interim executive director may be getting the job on a more permanent basis. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday nominated Thomas Prendergast to serve as chairman and CEO of the MTA, which provides rail, bus and subway service throughout New York City, Long Island and the city's northern suburbs.
President of the MTA's New York City Transit division since late 2009, Prendergast has also served as the state agency's acting head since Joseph Lhota resigned in January to launch a campaign for mayor of New York City. His nomination to lead the MTA is subject to New York State Senate approval.
A veteran of nearly four decades in public transportation, the Chicago native began his career at the Chicago Transit Authority in 1975. Over the years, he has served variously as president of the MTA's Long Island Rail Road and Vancouver's TransLink public transportation system. He also spent eight years in the private sector at Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Citing the “many challenges” facing the MTA, Prendergast enumerated his priorities in a news release announcing the nomination. “The MTA will improve the customer experience, operate more efficiently and build for the future,” he says. “And we will aggressively rebuild smarter and better in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.”
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.