Joe Lhota provided stability to a transit system in crisis. His leadership and commitment have helped move the MTA in a new direction by building a team whose entire focus is improving the system with recognizable results; he started the road to recovery by highlighting how important transit is to the vitality of the region. Joe understood that the MTA is still a system in crisis – underfunded and under siege – and that investment in the MTA is an investment in the future of New York. As the voice of MTA riders since 1981, we thank him for his service.
We wish acting Chairman Freddy Ferrer much luck as he guides the agency through these difficult times and hope that a permanent chair is appointed quickly, particularly as riders face fare hikes and the MTA faces a shortfall of tens of billions of dollars. For the good of the nearly ten million riders of the nation’s largest transportation network, we hope that everyone works together toward the common goal of improving our transit system, the region’s true economic engine.