There can be no interim interval for management on the MBTA, in response to Gov.-elect Maura Healey, who mentioned she plans to nominate a brand new basic supervisor earlier than she takes workplace.
“There will be a GM in place,” Healey informed reporters after an unrelated press occasion Thursday. “We’re going to continue to look at that. And as I’ve said, I think it’s really important that the right leadership be in place, also that the workforce be supported.”
Healey’s first day as governor is Jan. 5, two days after MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak, who resigned final week, plans to step down from his place.
“The focus is going to be on workforce, on leadership, on accountability and safety,” Healey mentioned. “That’s what we’re going to look to drive here in the coming days.”
A fast appointment appears to help the prevailing thought amongst these interviewed by the Herald final week that the particular person employed for the $300,000-plus place can be comparatively native, with information of the MBTA, moderately than somebody employed after a nationwide search.
However, when requested whether or not a wider search could be performed on Wednesday, Healey mentioned her incoming administration was seeking to rent the absolute best individuals, “wherever that takes us, whatever that looks like.”
Healey mentioned she plans to nominate a basic supervisor “whose top job will be to ensure safety, reliability and accessibility” throughout the MBTA system.
On Thursday, she mentioned getting the “right leadership in place” was among the many first issues she deliberate to do to handle the beleaguered transit company, which was the topic of a uncommon federal investigation earlier this yr that highlighted security, operational and administration failures.
“I’ve said all along that we’re not going to have a functioning economy without a functioning public transportation system that includes the T, commuter rail, our buses and the like,” Healey mentioned.
“And so my job will be to make sure that we have a system and specifically a T that is doing everything that we need to see it doing so it is safe, reliable, affordable, and it’s going to be important to get the right leadership in place as well.”
Gov. Charlie Baker, who appointed Poftak in 2019, informed reporters that “huge parts” of the MBTA are in higher form than when he took workplace in 2015.
He mentioned his administration “made a lot of progress” on the system’s $12 billion state of excellent restore backlog, which led to an improved bus community, commuter rail and RIDE.
“But the T’s a constant force that requires work and effort and I fully expect the next administration will have to build on the work that we did,” Baker mentioned.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”