Come May 2nd, New Yorkers will have a new Transit Leader, to go to with their Gripes about the City’s Subways and Buses. Last week the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) named Richard Davey, a former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation, as the incoming President of New York City's Division of the MTA.
Davey will have no shortage of pressing issues to grapple with:
- Weekday Subway Ridership remains under 60% of Pre-Pandemic levels as Commuters adopt Hybrid Work schedules.
- The Underground Homeless City that has grown.
- Concerns over Crime in Stations and on Trains have spurred a New Subway Safety Plan from Mayor Eric Adams (D) and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D).
On Tuesday, in his first News Conference with the City’s Press corps, Davey laid out his Priorities for the system.
Safety, Reliability, and Cleanliness
Davey said his Core priorities on day One will be threefold: “making the city’s subway and buses a safer place to commute, increasing frequency for more reliable service, and keeping the system clean. Particularly around crime on the subway, authorities face the challenge of convincing weary riders that it is safe to commute across the system. When asked whether straphangers’ safety concerns are legitimate or a problem of perception. Perception is Reality.” Davey said
“Whatever is happening out in the public spills into our subway system,” he added. “It's crime, homelessness, addiction—and so we need to bring those issues to light.” Davey, who said he supports the Mayor and Governor’s joint Subway Safety Plan, did Not share specific New Safety Initiatives he plans to pursue.
Boosting Transit Equity
Davey, who has Not owned a car since 2010, stressed that Not every New Yorker, particularly the City’s Bus riders, can rely on Public Transit for efficient Transportation. “I have choices that a lot of folks in this city, and other cities, do not. They rely on public transportation in a way that I don't—even though I don't have a car,” Davey said. “So whether it's better bus service or some of the other equity issues—we need that front and center.”
To that end, Davey said Borough Bus Redesigns, such as the Proposal for Queens, along with ramping up Signal Upgrades and Improving the Subway’s Power systems, will be key. “I think it’s taking the ideas that exist and accelerating the heck out of them so that they’re making a difference today,” he added.
"Public service, and public transportation more acutely, are in my blood," said Davey, who described his new position as a "dream job."
The Boston Native comes with a roster of Public Transit experience. He worked at the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, the Fifth-largest Public Transit system in the U.S., from 2003 to 2010, serving as the System's General Manager in his last year. He went on to work as Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation from 2011 to 2014.
Private-Sector Experience
Davey also comes to New York City Transit with the Benefit of having Advised and Studied Global Transit systems, which he did in his most recent Role as Managing Director and Partner of the Boston Consulting Group. His work included New York, where as a Consultant in 2017 he worked on the MTA's Subway Action Plan.
“Whenever my tenure ends—hopefully it's not in two years, hopefully I break some records—folks can look back and say that guy from Boston made a difference,” Davey said.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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