Just over two years after leaving Toronto for the bright lights of New York City, former TTC CEO Andy Byford has officially resigned from his high-profile post as president of the NYC Transit Authority.
Byford, known affectionately among creative New Yorkers as "Train Daddy," announced the news himself alongside Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman Pat Foye in a statement late Thursday morning.
"I'm very proud of what we have achieved as a team over the past two years and I believe New York City Transit is well-placed to continue its forward progress now that the MTA has a record breaking $51.5 billion Capital Program in place," said Byford in an MTA news release.
Andy Byford stabilized the subways during a moment of crisis and laid out a farsighted agenda to improve bus service, make transit more accessible, and modernize subways.
— TransitCenter (@TransitCenter) January 23, 2020
It's a bad sign for New York that the MTA couldn't hang on to him longer. https://t.co/Bc3bZjW9B6
Foye noted that Byford would be departing New York City Transit "after a successful two years of service" and that the city thanks him for his work.
"Andy was instrumental in moving the system forward, enacting the successful Subway Action Plan and securing record capital funding with the Governor and the Legislature, and we wish him well in his next chapter," said Foye.
Interestingly, given his very public recent tussles with New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, Byford thanked both Cuomo and Foye in his statement "for giving me the opportunity to serve New York and to head up North America's largest transit system."
The bad news...former TTC boss Andy Byford, resigns as New York City’s Subway Chief.
— Ryan Doyle (@ryandoyleshow) January 23, 2020
The good news...the TTC still has major issues (understatement)...so that’s always an option for him. https://t.co/idNaFqCJTA
Prior to his resignation today, Byford had long been at odds with Cuomo over their differing visions for the future of New York's transit system.
The former Toronto Transit Commission chief, who served as head of the TTC for five years, actually tried to resign from the MTA in October over possible layoffs and budgetary cuts (as well as Cuomo's insistence that Byford help him set up technology conferences.)
Byford reportedly withdrew his resignation quite quickly, however, after coming to an agreement of some sort with the governor.
This time around, he's not looking back.
I guess having to deal with bed bugs and maggots in the same day was too much for Train Daddy Andy Byford.https://t.co/a2nChoF9i9
— Maya Kaufman (@mayakauf) January 23, 2020
No word yet on what the 55-year-old British boss plans on doing next, but it's safe to say he'll have a job somewhere, if he wants one.
Widely credited with helping turn New York City's subway system around in just two years, Byford is known as one of the best transit chiefs on Earth.
The people of New York will almost certainly miss their train daddy — who "loves you very much" — just as much as Toronto does.
by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO
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