In the first major shakeup under the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new leadership, Thomas Prendergast last week was appointed to head the New York State agency’s New York City Transit.
“Tom is a leader who brings an extraordinary variety of experiences from around the world to a system that he already knows extremely well,” said MTA chairman and chief executive officer Jay Walder. “Tom’s work running one of the most technologically sophisticated systems in Vancouver will be invaluable as we take the MTA to the next level in performance and customer service.”
NYC Transit is the operating agency within the MTA that manages New York City’s subway and bus system.
Prendergast comes to the MTA from the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, Vancouver’s mass transit system, also known as TransLink. He served as CEO since July 2008. Prior to TransLink, he had helped oversee infrastructure projects at Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc..
Prendergast is returning to the MTA, having begun working there in 1982 and having previously served as president of MTA Long Island Rail Road from 1994 to 2000 and as senior vice president of subways at New York City Transit from 1990 to 1994.
He earned his undergraduate degree in socio-technological systems engineering at the University of Illinois and is a graduate of the Harvard Program for State and Local Government Executives.
Prendergast replaces Howard Roberts, who resigned last week.
