MTA’s Prendergast to retire “in early 2017”
Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
MTA Chairman and CEO Tom Prendergast speaks at the opening of the Second Avenue Subway.
Office of Governor Andrew Cuomo
New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast will retire in early 2017 according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“Tom Prendergast has overseen the reimagining and modernization of the MTA and will be remembered for improving the commute, and the lives, of millions of New Yorkers who depend on our mass transit system,” said Gov. Cuomo. “Tom has been an incredibly effective chairman and CEO and among the finest public servants I have had the privilege of working with. I thank him for his hard work and dedication to the people of New York and wish him and his family the best on this exciting new chapter.”
Prendergast has been in his current role as chairman and CEO since June 2013, but his career with the MTA spans more than a quarter century having served as president of New York City Transit and president of the Long Island Rail Road. He joined Gov. Cuomo on Dec. 31, 2016, for the opening ceremony and inaugural ride of the long-anticipated Second Avenue Subway.
“The on-time completion of the Second Avenue Subway would have been impossible without Tom’s leadership and relentless commitment to meeting the goal and is an incredible way to end his long and successful career,” noted Gov. Cuomo.
Prendergast added, “Opening the Second Avenue Subway this weekend was a crowning achievement for the MTA and I’m proud to have been a part of such a historic moment. It has not only changed the daily commute for hundreds of thousands of customers, it has helped change the face of the MTA – showing the public we can meet the deadlines we set for ourselves.
“I’m also proud of the work we have done to integrate new technology into all aspects of our system to keep up with the growing needs of our riding public and of the way we recovered and fortified our assets from the devastating damage left behind by Hurricane Sandy.
“It’s never easy to leave an organization after 25 years of service, but I do so knowing that the MTA will continue to serve the public so well and that our governor will ensure New York continues to have the most robust transportation system in the country.”
Prendergast has been named as the 54th recipient of the Railroader of the Year award by Railway Age and will be honored at a dinner on March 14 in Chicago.
