Massachusetts nominates Davey MBTA general manager

Governor Deval Patrick and Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Jeffrey Mullan appointed Richard A. Davey as MassDOT's new Rail and Transit Administrator.

As Administrator, Davey
will oversee the Commonwealth’s 15 Regional Transit Authorities and MassDOT’s
freight and passenger rail program. As part of his responsibilities as
Administrator, Governor Patrick and Secretary Mullan will recommend that Davey
also serve as General Manager of the MBTA, pending approval by the MassDOT
Board at a special board meeting. Davey will succeed William Mitchell who was
serving as Acting Rail and Transit Administrator and Acting MBTA GM.  Mitchell will return to his prior role
as General Counsel of the MBTA, and will continue to play a major role in the
implementation of transportation reform.

"Rich’s commitment to
customer service and safety, combined with his no-nonsense leadership style, is
exactly what we need to keep the MBTA moving forward," said Governor
Patrick. "I look forward to working with him. I would also like to extend
my gratitude to Bill Mitchell for his service as Acting General Manager of the
MBTA."

"I am pleased to welcome
Rich Davey to the team.  This
position is critical to realizing a unified approach to our statewide rail and
transit needs for the first time in our Commonwealth’s history," said
Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. 
"I look forward to working with Rich as we continue to make investments
in our communities in support of transportation reform throughout all regions
of the state."

Davey is an experienced
rail and transit manager who currently serves as General Manager at the
Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, the company that operates and maintains
the MBTA’s commuter rail service, the fifth largest service in the United
States.  At MBCR, Davey initiated programs
that improved operations and safety, strengthened customer service and changed
the culture within the company.

"Rich will be able to hit
the ground running by immediately building on our work over the past six months
to make T customers and the safety of our employees and T riders priority
number one," said Secretary Mullan. 
"I also want to recognize Bill Mitchell’s hard work and commitment as he
served as Acting GM. He led the organization through a transition period and
made it stronger in the process. He is a real professional.  I look forward to continuing to work
with him during this critically important period for transportation."

While at MBCR Davey
implemented new customer outreach and information programs, increased workforce
diversity and implemented a company-wide diversity and harassment training
program.  Due to Davey’s focus on
operations, safety and customer service, customer complaints dropped 40 percent
in 2009 from 2008.

"This is an exciting time
to be joining MassDOT and the MBTA. I share the Governor’s commitment to
strengthening rail and transit throughout the Commonwealth," said Davey. "As we
move forward in this next era for transportation reform our priorities must be
on public safety, customer service and our employees, innovation and fiscal
responsibility.

In the past six months
MassDOT and the MBTA have partnered on the following initiatives to strengthen
customer service for T riders:

• The MBTA updated outdated
MBTA system maps, and for the first time ever included key bus routes.

• The MBTA extended
discounted student Charlie Card hours during school days for youth travel to
and from school activities.

• The MBTA is investing
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to make important repairs to
stations and tracks, improve bus service and expand bicycle facilities at T
stations.