MTA New York City Transit

Next-generation New York MTA R-211 cars previewed

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority unveiled on July 18th the design features of 1,025 “new and reimagined” subway cars—including enhancements to the exteriors and interiors of current-design cars, and addition of up to 750 “Open Car End” R-211 cars that will reduce station dwell time and increase capacity.

New York MTA to APTA: We’re leaving

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, North America’s single-largest public transportation agency, has pulled the plug on Transit Member status in APTA, the American Public Transportation Association.

Leader no longer leads New York’s subways

Joe Leader, a 29-year veteran of MTA New York City Transit, resigned his post as Senior Vice President Subways on Nov. 18, 2015. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer-Service Delivery Wynton Habersham (below, left) will fill Leader’s position in an acting capacity. Leader had been SVP Subways for slightly more than two years.

Hakim returning to her MTA roots

New Jersey Transit Executive Director Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim will be returning to the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority after only 18 months leading NJT. She will become President of MTA New York City Transit on Dec. 28, replacing MTA Bridges and Tunnels President James Ferrara, who has been serving as NYCT Interim President since the August 2015 retirement of Carmen Bianco.

Battelle lands MTA QBL West Phase 1 CBTC ISA contract

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority has awarded a $3.1 million contract to Battelle to perform an Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) and provide safety certification support for the design and implementation of interoperable Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) on Phase 1 of the Queens Boulevard Line (QBL) West project on New York City Transit.

NYCT No. 7 line open for business

The long-awaited, long-overdue extension of MTA New York City Transit’s extension of the No. 7 subway line to Manhattan’s far west side opened to the public on Sept. 13, 2015. It is the first new line on New York’s system in 20 years.

Bianco to retire as NYCT president

MTA New York City Transit President Carmen Bianco has announced his retirement, effective Aug. 1, 2015. In his time as president, Bianco “transformed the agency’s organizational culture to align management strategies, enhance safety and improve customer service,” the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority noted.

NYCT named in OSHA harassment ruling

The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ruled that an MTA New York City Transit supervisor discriminated against an employee for exercising his safety rights under the National Transit Systems Security Act (NTSSA). As a result, OSHA has ordered NYCT and the supervisor to pay the employee, whose identity was not disclosed, $52,500 in damages and take other corrective action.