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New NYC Transit president Andy Byford takes subway to work


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Andy Byford, the new MTA transit president, speaks to reporters outside of MTA headquarters in Manhattan before starting his first day on the job on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. (Credit: Vincent Barone)

TRANSIT

Andy Byford, MTA’s head of subways, buses, reports for 1st day on the job

By Vincent Barone   vin.barone@amny.com January 16, 2018

The MTA’s new head of subways and buses promised to shake things up at the beleaguered transit agency as he began his first day on the job Tuesday.

Andy Byford, the MTA’s recently hired transit president, said he would give equal focus to four key pillars of his job — subway, bus, paratransit and employee morale — during a brief interview with reporters that touched on the agency’s ancient subway infrastructure; funding and cost reforms; 24-hour train service and the politics at play as subway delays soar and bus ridership plummets.

“I’ve certainly not come here to hold the fort or to maintain the status quo. My job is to drive up the level of service and thereby customer satisfaction for all New Yorkers,” Byford told reporters awaiting him outside MTA headquarters at the Bowling Green subway station.

The former CEO of the Toronto Transit Commission, who has never owned a car, rode into work just after 7 a.m. on a downtown 4 train from Grand Central. He said he plans to rely on subways and buses to get to work each day. He had prepared for a “packed” first day of meetings with his new colleagues and higher ups, including his boss Veronique Hakim, the MTA’s managing director, and Phil Eng, the agency’s COO.

Byford, a UK native who began his transit career as a station foreman in the London Underground, said his first priority on the subways is to “maximize the capability” of the MTA’s current signal system, which relies on technology dating back nearly a century, and improve maintenance of the MTA’s fleet of trains.

“The short term is getting the existing system to work reliably,” Byford said. “Doors typically are the Achilles’ heel of trains — particularly aging trains. You’ve got to maintain your doors, you’ve got to maintain your signal equipment.”

Upgrading the MTA’s signals will allow the agency to add more trains to lines throughout the day because trains could run tighter together. The MTA in the past has estimated that such an endeavor would cost tens of billions of dollars and take nearly a half-century. Round-the-clock service — in some form — might have to be sacrificed, Byford said.

“You cannot upgrade signals effectively … unless you give crews access to the track and that does mean that we will have to find a way of doing that,” Byford said. “I do appreciate that this is a 24/7 city. New Yorkers rightfully hold the (24-hour) subway dear to their hearts. But equally, they expect me to provide more reliable service. If we’re to do that, there is no gain without some pain.”

While Byford said there will need to be a larger investment in the MTA to turn around service, he also admitted that costs are unusually high. Building out the first leg of the second Avenue subway was the most expensive subway project on Earth at $4.5 billion.

“We should be looking to be as efficient as possible in everything that we do so that we can maximize scarce tax dollars,” Byford said.

The MTA, which is effectively controlled by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, has experienced a roughly 200 percent increase in subway delays since 2012. While ridership on the rails has begun to plateau and drop, bus ridership has declined much faster, dropping 100 million passenger trips over the past eight years. Meanwhile, Cuomo has tried to pass some responsibility of the subways to the city and Mayor Bill de Blasio. Both the mayor and the governor have agreed that the MTA needs more funding, though each has their own dueling proposals.

Byford said that he hopes he’s “allowed the time and the space to do what I need to do.” Over the past 10 years, Transit presidents have typically stayed on the job for a little over two years, on average.

“At the end of the day the MTA is a state-run authority,” Byford said. “So it’s the governor’s prerogative to have a view. I think it would be perverse if the governor wasn’t interested in transit or in the subway because, at the end of the day, he’s an elected official and I think all elected officials should be concerned about making sure this city’s transit system runs effectively.”

As Byford trekked downtown, trains were still running smoothly in the early hours of the morning rush. He used a word to describe his commute that not many New Yorkers would associate with the subway: “flawless.”

But, just about an hour after he entered MTA headquarters, the MTA reported delays or service changes on B, D, 2, 3, 6 and 7 trains and the morning commute looked more familiar.

Source: https://www.amny.com/transit/andy-byford-mta-1.16207907

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MTA

New NYC Transit president Andy Byford takes subway to work

Video: http://abc7ny.com/traffic/new-nyc-transit-president-takes-subway-to-work/2953033/

By Tim Fleischer

Tuesday, January 16, 2018 06:34PM

LOWER MANHATTAN, New York (WABC) --

The MTA's new NYC Transit president rode the subway to his first day on the job Tuesday.

"This is a dream come true," said Andy Byford, who comes to New York after running the Toronto Transit Commission. "I haven't come here to be a tourist. I've come here to get the job done."

It's a job that will take all of his skills to run the massive 24/7 subway and bus system that moves this city.

"New Yorkers rightly hold their 24 subway dear to their hearts," Byford said. "But equally, they expect me to provide more reliable service. If they are to do that there is no gain without some pain."

He has already set priorities, starting with improving subway and bus reliability and critical upgrades as part of the massive Subway Action Plan. Another priority is to meet with city officials who have balked when it comes to funding improvements in the transit system.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said he looked forward to working with Andy Byford.

"Despite disagreements with Albany, we work every day with the MTA," de Blasio said. "We work with them to create Select Bus Service and in so many other ways. They've been productive. My door is always open."

The new president will follow the progress of improvements by riding the subways and buses which will become part of his routine.

"I've never owned a car in my life," Byford said. "I don't intend to buy a car here. I will be riding the system every day. I make it a point of riding buses, as well as subways."

Another priority is to focus on employee morale, performance and development. He's expecting MTA workers to "up their game."

Byford began his career as a station foreman in London's underground system and left the Toronto system to come to New York City, where he doesn't shy away from the challenge.

"Absolutely hold me to account," he said. "Absolutely challenge me. Keep my feet to the fire, but let me get on with the job."

Source: http://abc7ny.com/traffic/new-nyc-transit-president-takes-subway-to-work/2953033/

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Yep. Given his outstanding record over at TTC, he will only fail if he's kneecapped by the city or state bureaucracies. Let him run NYC Transit much as he did in Toronto and we may just turn this mess around.

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31 minutes ago, Lance said:

Yep. Given his outstanding record over at TTC, he will only fail if he's kneecapped by the city or state bureaucracies. Let him run NYC Transit much as he did in Toronto and we may just turn this mess around.

Speaking of which, is that what drove away others?

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I like the guy.  What really impresses me is that he will be using the system daily (not for press but because he has to and wants to) since he doesn't have a car and is constantly interested in public feedback.  The fact that he knows how to dress already has me won over.  Prendergast looked awful with those cheesy shirts with the hideous collars, not to mention that he was obese (shows how much he used the system... <_<).  This British guy may show some in the (MTA) how to dress. Nice french cuff shirts with cutaway collars, with ties knotted properly and the guy is in shape. That's how you do it when you earn what these guys make.

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Not to defend Prenderghast's performance as chairman since it was under his tenure that subway delays have grown significantly, but I'd hardly consider somebody's weight or what they wear as indicators of how they'll handle the subway. I don't care if he looks like Don Draper or a bum; as long as he's able to fix the ailing system, everything else is just noise.

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4 minutes ago, Lance said:

Not to defend Prenderghast's performance as chairman since it was under his tenure that subway delays have grown significantly, but I'd hardly consider somebody's weight or what they wear as indicators of how they'll handle the subway. I don't care if he looks like Don Draper or a bum; as long as he's able to fix the ailing system, everything else is just noise.

Let's be honest. We both know that man was NOT using the subway. If he was, he wouldn't have been the overweight slob that he was.  That's my point.  Byford is relatively young, stylish, in shape and with it.  The man will use the system EVERY DAY.  I got the impression that Prendergast only used the system when he had to.  There's no better way to understand the system then to use it daily and to be an actual rider DAILY.  It's kind of like you.  You love throwing out those sayings that sound good, but you clearly don't use the subway daily or not a lot of it.  Maybe one line or so at best.

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1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Prendergast looked awful with those cheesy shirts with the hideous collars, not to mention that he was obese (shows how much he used the system... <_<). 

 

32 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

 he wouldn't have been the overweight slob that he was. 

You sound like an idiot--and also a particularly nasty and vindictive person--when you refer to a qualified professional with decades under his belt working for Transit in these demeaning and dehumanizing terms. It reveals ignorance, but also a particularly ugly spirit. It debases the entire conversation and makes all of us just that little bit dumber for reading. In the future, it would be helpful to evaluate based on competence, not figure. 

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51 minutes ago, Brillant93 said:

I hope he could speed up the signal upgrades. Something isn't right when it would take nearly 30 years to have our system updated. 

and that something is leadership, which we all hope Bryford will make up for (somebody correct me if I used the wrong term) On average, our system should've been upgraded within 5, 10 years or so (maybe less depending on complexity) I'm just gonna sit back .... and study for my finals tomorrow. 

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Wow. Clearly Byford is looking in the right direction. He's already pointed out some problems like the constant political nonsense going on and the luxurious spending problem. I hope he can effectively move NYC in the right direction, unlike past presidents. Clearly shows how he's world-renowned.

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1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Let's be honest. We both know that man was NOT using the subway. If he was, he wouldn't have been the overweight slob that he was.  That's my point.  Byford is relatively young, stylish, in shape and with it.  The man will use the system EVERY DAY.  I got the impression that Prendergast only used the system when he had to.  There's no better way to understand the system then to use it daily and to be an actual rider DAILY.  It's kind of like you.  You love throwing out those sayings that sound good, but you clearly don't use the subway daily or not a lot of it.  Maybe one line or so at best.

As a fellow overweight slob (you would call me one), I find your remarks despicable and hateful.  The weight of a person has no effect on how good or bad his job performance is.  When you see a person in a wheelchair or walking with a cane, do you call them a cripple?  When you come across a deaf person, do you call him a dumb mute?  When you see a person whose ears stick out, do you call him Dumbo?  You seem to think Prendergast would be in shape (according to your standards) if he took the subway running up the stairs and sweating on the platforms in the summer.

 

2 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I like the guy.  What really impresses me is that he will be using the system daily (not for press but because he has to and wants to) since he doesn't have a car and is constantly interested in public feedback.  The fact that he knows how to dress already has me won over.  Prendergast looked awful with those cheesy shirts with the hideous collars, not to mention that he was obese (shows how much he used the system... <_<).  This British guy may show some in the (MTA) how to dress. Nice french cuff shirts with cutaway collars, with ties knotted properly and the guy is in shape. That's how you do it when you earn what these guys make.

 

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6 minutes ago, N6 Limited said:

I wonder if he'll ride the subway at night when the delays cross into torture territory.

I would assume so. I mean if he's advocating for more Fast Track it makes sense to see if the alternatives offered are adequate  (so he can still say he's on the job if he's taking the train home after a long day at the office)

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Just because you take the subway doesn't mean you'll be in shape, I'm a railfan so ride the subway a lot in addition to commuting and I'm a little on the chubby side since I was a teenager. I go to the gym now and used the stair stepper and from my experience, no way a subway rider will be in shape just from climbing the stairs in the subway system alone. I would imagine the average subway ride spends a minute at most climbing the stairs in the subway each day. 

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2 hours ago, MHV9218 said:

 

You sound like an idiot--and also a particularly nasty and vindictive person--when you refer to a qualified professional with decades under his belt working for Transit in these demeaning and dehumanizing terms. It reveals ignorance, but also a particularly ugly spirit. It debases the entire conversation and makes all of us just that little bit dumber for reading. In the future, it would be helpful to evaluate based on competence, not figure. 

Aww... I feel so horrible, though I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be "vindictive" about. I can live with my comments and stand by them. I doubt he was using the subway or buses with any regularity. It was under his watch that the subways have deteriorated along with bus service across the city, so he may be qualified but that doesn't mean squat unless you get results.  While we're on the subject of sounding like an idiot, and being demeaning and dehumanizing, you can look at yourself in the mirror because your words describe yourself perfectly. You think that by ridiculing others that disagree with your liberal point of view that somehow that makes you sound better. Very funny.

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1 hour ago, trainfan22 said:

Just because you take the subway doesn't mean you'll be in shape, I'm a railfan so ride the subway a lot in addition to commuting and I'm a little on the chubby side since I was a teenager. I go to the gym now and used the stair stepper and from my experience, no way a subway rider will be in shape just from climbing the stairs in the subway system alone. I would imagine the average subway ride spends a minute at most climbing the stairs in the subway each day. 

That wasn't my point and I never stated that. I said he wouldn't be obese if he used the system regularly, with the idea being that he would be getting more exercise overall, and thus slimmer, not necessarily in shape. In his case, his lack of exercise and eating habits clearly don't line up. 

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1 hour ago, Bill from Maspeth said:

As a fellow overweight slob (you would call me one), I find your remarks despicable and hateful.  The weight of a person has no effect on how good or bad his job performance is.  When you see a person in a wheelchair or walking with a cane, do you call them a cripple?  When you come across a deaf person, do you call him a dumb mute?  When you see a person whose ears stick out, do you call him Dumbo?  You seem to think Prendergast would be in shape (according to your standards) if he took the subway running up the stairs and sweating on the platforms in the summer.

 

 

Unless one has some genetic disorder, obesity can be controlled. All of the other things you mentioned are different entirely. We're all responsible for our actions at the end of the day. If one lacks self-control and discipline, well it is what it is. The people up in arms here I'm sure have said far worse about other people, so please spare me with your feigned outrage. LOL

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28 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Aww... I feel so horrible, though I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be "vindictive" about. I can live with my comments and stand by them. I doubt he was using the subway or buses with any regularity. It was under his watch that the subways have deteriorated along with bus service across the city, so he may be qualified but that doesn't mean squat unless you get results.  While we're on the subject of sounding like an idiot, and being demeaning and dehumanizing, you can look at yourself in the mirror because your words describe yourself perfectly. You think that by ridiculing others that disagree with your liberal point of view that somehow that makes you sound better. Very funny.

 

24 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

That wasn't my point and I never stated that. I said he wouldn't be obese if he used the system regularly, with the idea being that he would be getting more exercise overall, and thus slimmer, not necessarily in shape. In his case, his lack of exercise and eating habits clearly don't line up. 

 

17 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Unless one has some genetic disorder, obesity can be controlled. All of the other things you mentioned are different entirely. We're all responsible for our actions at the end of the day. If one lacks self-control and discipline, well it is what it is. The people up in arms here I'm sure have said far worse about other people, so please spare me with your feigned outrage. LOL

 

This series of individual replies was a waste of forum space and a group of mediocre responses to a universally disliked comment. No, nobody else says things anywhere near that malicious.

You would have done better to rethink your mistake instead of doubling down. It displays an angry, perhaps jealous and unsympathetic self. Very revealing, and very distracting from the topic at large. 

Here's to Byford.

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3 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Let's be honest. We both know that man was NOT using the subway. If he was, he wouldn't have been the overweight slob that he was.  That's my point.  Byford is relatively young, stylish, in shape and with it.  The man will use the system EVERY DAY.  I got the impression that Prendergast only used the system when he had to.  There's no better way to understand the system then to use it daily and to be an actual rider DAILY.  It's kind of like you.  You love throwing out those sayings that sound good, but you clearly don't use the subway daily or not a lot of it.  Maybe one line or so at best.

The general fitness of subway riders leads me to believe otherwise. In any case, is taking catty little potshots even productive?

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1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Unless one has some genetic disorder, obesity can be controlled. All of the other things you mentioned are different entirely. We're all responsible for our actions at the end of the day. If one lacks self-control and discipline, well it is what it is. The people up in arms here I'm sure have said far worse about other people, so please spare me with your feigned outrage. LOL

My point was since you don't comment about other peoples situations I mentioned, you don't make comments about obese people.  Period.  You don't make negative comments about anybody.  If you don't like a persons' appearance, you keep your mouth shut. If you can't say something nice about a person, then don't say anything.

You're the one who said that obesity affected his job performance.

Finally, Prendergast was NYCT President several years ago, he retired as MTA Chairman.  Byford is being hired as NYCT President, who reports to the MTA Chairman.

 

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1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

That wasn't my point and I never stated that. I said he wouldn't be obese if he used the system regularly, with the idea being that he would be getting more exercise overall, and thus slimmer, not necessarily in shape. In his case, his lack of exercise and eating habits clearly don't line up. 

Him riding the subway wouldn't make much of a difference when it comes to his weight. The average subway rider probably only burns like 20 calories a week using the stairs :lol: That's not a lot in the grand scheme of things, if you're still eating a lot of junk food, riding the subway isn't going to improve your fitness at all.  

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5 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Let's be honest. We both know that man was NOT using the subway. If he was, he wouldn't have been the overweight slob that he was.  That's my point.  Byford is relatively young, stylish, in shape and with it.  The man will use the system EVERY DAY.  I got the impression that Prendergast only used the system when he had to.  There's no better way to understand the system then to use it daily and to be an actual rider DAILY.  It's kind of like you.  You love throwing out those sayings that sound good, but you clearly don't use the subway daily or not a lot of it.  Maybe one line or so at best.

You know that has to be one of the worst ignorant comment you have ever said on here. You wouldn't like it if people say you're fat now will you?

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Let's come back to the real world instead of judging a person's appearance as a reflection of his/her intelligence. Prince Andrew, the (MTA) head, and the head of NYCT are, by themselves, not competent enough to do jack to improve the transit system. Many years ago I had a few conversations with David Gunn who was the head of transit back then. Over a period of 3 or 4 months we conversed by the Grand Central Shuttle dispatcher's office. I remember the first time we spoke. He introduced me to a group of Asian folk he was guiding around and he called me a C/R. I politely corrected him and pointed to a C/R who was standing nearby. He then called me a T/O and his group smiled in agreement.  The assistant dispatcher, who was standing there bowed his head and walked away as I shook my head. He took the shuttle to TSQ and returned about an hour later, alone. He explained to me that he was relatively new to NYCTA, especially the different divisions and departments. He was also humble enough, or maybe just being polite, to ask myself and a few other hourlies about our jobs and what he could do to improve things. We invited him into the crew room and he immediately started to sweat. The senior C/R present told him that the office/crew room lacked A/C. It was pointed out that there was no air flow in the area with the only airflow coming from a staircase leading up to Madison Avenue. The cleaner who was present explained about his difficulty getting supplies from GC Tower, the main RTO office, and the shuttle platforms. He said he would take care of what he could. Lo and behold, the next morning cinderblocks were removed from the shuttle office and a brand new A/C unit was delivered and installed. When he came by a few days later we thanked him. He pulled me to the side and whispered in my ear " you're a M/M aren't you.?" From that day forward he'd tell me that he had the title but he learned from the little people whom he spoke to. That's what most big-wigs I encountered in transit and other places fail to do in my work experience. Believe it or not after M.r Gunn had the A/C unit installed the very next morning the (4) /Shuttle Supt. cursed out the assistant dispatcher for having it installed without his permission. When Mr. Gunn, the TA President mind you, heard what happened the Supt. was transferred to Coney Island-Stillwell that same day. I'm making this long post to point out that no one person can turn an organization this size around alone. The big Kahuna is only as good as his underlings. Luckily, when I met Mr. Gunn there were still a few Trainmasters in the system who knew the ins and outs better than the new folks who carried the superintendent title.  Mr. Byford's tenure will be judged by who has his ear, IMO. I hope he succeeds in surrounding himself with the right people. Just my opinion though. Carry on.

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10 hours ago, Bill from Maspeth said:

My point was since you don't comment about other peoples situations I mentioned, you don't make comments about obese people.  Period.  You don't make negative comments about anybody.  If you don't like a persons' appearance, you keep your mouth shut. If you can't say something nice about a person, then don't say anything.

You're the one who said that obesity affected his job performance.

Finally, Prendergast was NYCT President several years ago, he retired as MTA Chairman.  Byford is being hired as NYCT President, who reports to the MTA Chairman.

 

The pot calling the kettle black. The people so up in arms on here have done the very same thing, so again this phony outrage is pathetic.

 

9 hours ago, Daniel The Cool said:

You know that has to be one of the worst ignorant comment you have ever said on here. You wouldn't like it if people say you're fat now will you? If someone did, I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over it.  What I stated is factually correct. He is obese and that is a fact.

11 hours ago, MHV9218 said:

 

 

 

This series of individual replies was a waste of forum space and a group of mediocre responses to a universally disliked comment. No, nobody else says things anywhere near that malicious.

You would have done better to rethink your mistake instead of doubling down. It displays an angry, perhaps jealous and unsympathetic self. Very revealing, and very distracting from the topic at large. 

Here's to Byford.

BS. Hypocritical comments. You call people idiots on here all the time, and no one checks you because of your political interests. The pot calling the kettle black. Hilarious. I welcome Byford with open arms. Hopefully your babbbling friend de Blasio can stay out of his way and pony up the funding that the agency needs instead of focusing on the monies the city gave years ago.

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