New Executive Director at NJT

[NJ2Yonkers]

Richard Sarles, 62, was named executive director of NJ Transit today. The 62-year-old executive was previously in charge of the agency’s $1.3 billion capital plan.

NJ Transit has 240 bus routes, three light rail lines and 11 commuter rail lines – the third largest in the nation.

Anyone know anything about this new Executive Director?  Should we expect any changes to the status quo?

Since he was head of the capital plan and quite a bit of that money was used for operating expenses I get the feeling we are in deep trouble with this guy.

[Shamroxx]

We're doomed.  The guy once worked for Amtrak.  Bad habits die hard.

[PJrider]

What is with all the Amtak retreads at NJT??? Warrington was one too.

[ThirdRail]

What is with all the Amtak retreads at NJT??? Warrington was one too.

Looks like the third time is the charm, PJRider! Here's another Amcrap person coming your way!

Better you than us!! 

Wait!! I ride NJT too!! OH NO!! 


http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=22347


Leadership changes on tap at NJ Transit, Hampton Roads Transit

On Monday, New Jersey governor-elect Chris Christie announced his intention to appoint James Weinstein New Jersey Transit’s executive director and James Simpson, the state’s transportation commissioner.

Currently vice president of architectural and engineering firm AECOM, Weinstein previously was commissioner of the New York State Department of Transportation, senior VP of the Northeast Corridor-Amtrak, and commissioner for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New Jersey Turnpike Authority, New Jersey Highway Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority. He would succeed Richard Sarles, NJ Transit’s executive director since 2007, who plans to retire.

Former administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, Simpson is chairman and co-founder of infrastructure management firm Spartan Solutions, and chairman of Victory Worldwide Transportation. He previously was a senior advisor to the U.S. transportation secretary and commissioner of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Meanwhile, Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Townes on Monday announced he would step down from the top post on Jan. 31 and retire at September’s end.

Townes had been under mounting pressure to resign after the cost of HRT’s light-rail project in Norfolk, Va, exceeded its budget by about $100 million. He became HRT’s president in 1999, when PenTran merged with Tidewater Regional Transit.

Townes will help HRT officials during the leadership transition process.
Comments

[craps]

I could do the job, but I am over-qualified.

[rubengineer]

How are you over qualified? You can think for yourself?

[NJT Commuter]

I spoke to two employees of NJT.Rail today and asked them if they were familiar with Transithell. The said they were and everyone has a good laugh when they read some of the post. Management doesn't pay any attention because it's always the same people complaining. They noticed that people that are no longer commuter's are still registering complaints, this sight has lost any creditability it might have had.

[mhnj]

I spoke to two employees of NJT.Rail today and asked them if they were familiar with Transithell. The said they were and everyone has a good laugh when they read some of the post. Management doesn't pay any attention because it's always the same people complaining. They noticed that people that are no longer commuter's are still registering complaints, this sight has lost any creditability it might have had.

I don't want to speak for Ripper, who started this site, but I think that this site was not originally intended to provide a forum for commuters to tell NJT directly what was wrong. It was intended to let commuters vent their frustrations (and occasional positive stories) to other commuters. When we learned that NJT personnel were reading some of these posts, we were surprised, and also hopeful that some of our concerns would be addressed. If NJT management now feels that they don't need to pay attention to their customers, well, that says something about how they view us. And if they are laughing at serious problems we address, then that's truly disturbing and they should find another job, because you don't denigrate the people who are supplying the money that pays your salary.
 
Maybe, as they claim, the same people are always complaining because a) these people have the most experience at riding the rails and can more easily spot problems than someone who rides only every once in a while; and b) since there are only a small number of commuters who contribute to this site, it's only natural that the same names will keep popping up. And just because someone is no longer a commuter doesn't mean that they still don't ride the trains once in a while. Their input is just as valuable as a regular commuter's.

If NJT personnel really monitor this site, they may notice that it has been fairly quiet the last few months. Maybe that's because things have been running more smoothly lately, so they should take that as a compliment. Or it could just be that some of the key contributors have lost jobs or stopped commuting by train. But I'd like to think it's more the former, because I think that things overall have improved. BUT, there's still room for improvement, and we'll keep pointing out things we see that need to be fixed. If you think that the site has lost credibility, I'd counter by saying that this site was not originally meant to provide a conduit to bring things to NJT management's attention; it was just a nice outcome that they started reading it.If they feel that the site's comments are now irrelevant, that's their problem, not ours. We'll just keep conversing with each other, and if NJT reads some of our posts, that's fine by us, but if they don't, that's fine by us too. But they'd be missing out on some input that could make the railroad better. 

[craps]

I spoke to two employees of NJT.Rail today and asked them if they were familiar with Transithell. The said they were and everyone has a good laugh when they read some of the post. Management doesn't pay any attention because it's always the same people complaining. They noticed that people that are no longer commuter's are still registering complaints, this sight has lost any creditability it might have had.

Sounds like they were talking about me. 

[PJrider]

From APP.com:

Weinstein, who was nominated by Gov. Chris Christie earlier this month, will earn a salary of $261,364. He also will be eligible for an annual incentive payment of $10,000 based on performance measures such as reliability, safety, customer service and progress made on the $8.7 billion second Hudson River tunnel project. Payment of that incentive will be determined by the chairperson of the NJ Transit Board's Administration Committee, according to the contract.

If that performance payment is granted, that amount and his base salary would become the base salary in the following year. His total potential salary by the fifth year is capped at $302,000. Weinstein would also receive use of a motor vehicle and 25 vacation days and 25 sick days.

So they are going to have a budget shortfall but they need to give this guy a fatter salary than the Governor?  And WHO gets TWENTY FIVE SICK DAYS??? REALLY? On top of 25 Vacation days?  50 days a year off?   Bet those sick days carry over too.  Wasn't Governor Fatso just saying how agencies are paying too much?

He should NOT get a car - make him ride his own system and see how often they are giving people free train rides.

[mhnj]

Not only that, but like most (all?) State employees, he'll probably get paid for all those unused sick days when his contract is up. So if he doesn't use any sick days for a five-year period, that's a nice $150,000 or so check when he leaves, just for showing up to work when he's not sick.

[yellowbird]

25+25 = 10 weeks off.    must be a stressful job.

[ThirdRail]

From APP.com:

And WHO gets TWENTY FIVE SICK DAYS??? REALLY? On top of 25 Vacation days?  50 days a year off?   Bet those sick days carry over too.  Wasn't Governor Fatso just saying how agencies are paying too much?

He should NOT get a car - make him ride his own system and see how often they are giving people free train rides.

25 sick days? 25 sick days??  Why does this man get sick time?  If he calls in sick, is there anyone to take his place anyway?

As for his vacation time, it must be nice. I have to work 25 years to earn 5 weeks vacation time.

If I ever meet him, I'm going to sneeze on him.

NO SEVERANCE CHECK FOR YOU, BUCKO!!