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A related read: Andy Byford, who made a name for himself running transport systems in London, Sydney and Toronto, is now in charge of turning around New York's

A related read: Andy Byford, who made a name for himself running transport systems in London, Sydney and Toronto, is now in charge of turning around New York's Subway. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43561378 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43561378

repolfx 8y ago
Having read the article, the headline seems like exaggeration. He didn't run a transport system in London. He was a station manager. And he was the COO in Sydney, not the CEO. Still - that doesn't mean he'll do a bad job. He has worked his way up and spent his whole life working in public transport. And some fresh outside thinking might be what the MTA needs.
- tialaramex 8y ago
  "station manager" initially but he then ran the Kings Cross + St Pancras group (a pair of large "terminus" stations next to each other in central London plus a single huge underground interchange to connect them both to six different "tube" lines). It's not New York Subway, but it's already a large sprawling system just for those two stations. In one way it's more complicated than the New York Subway - St Pancras station needs immigration and customs control because it's effectively a border with France. This is definitely a management job, taking personal control over everything, as a station master might, just isn't possible.
  - michaelhoffman 8y ago
    London Underground, where Byford worked, does not control the surface stations at King's Cross and St. Pancras, so immigration and customs control wouldn't be part of his job. Still, King's Cross St. Pancras London Underground station alone is one of the most complex in the London Underground system, with six lines, three ticket halls, and 95 million entries and exits per year.
    - tialaramex 8y ago
      Aha, yes I see. So that's a smaller job than I thought. Thanks.
      - michaelhoffman 8y ago
        Yes. But he had other jobs with increasing responsibility in London up to being operations director for a passenger railway before moving to Sydney. I think people are omitting that.
- michaelhoffman 8y ago
  In London, he was Operations Director for Southern Railway after that.

repolfx 8y ago

Having read the article, the headline seems like exaggeration. He didn't run a transport system in London. He was a station manager. And he was the COO in Sydney, not the CEO. Still - that doesn't mean he'll do a bad job. He has worked his way up and spent his whole life working in public transport. And some fresh outside thinking might be what the MTA needs.

tialaramex 8y ago
"station manager" initially but he then ran the Kings Cross + St Pancras group (a pair of large "terminus" stations next to each other in central London plus a single huge underground interchange to connect them both to six different "tube" lines). It's not New York Subway, but it's already a large sprawling system just for those two stations. In one way it's more complicated than the New York Subway - St Pancras station needs immigration and customs control because it's effectively a border with France. This is definitely a management job, taking personal control over everything, as a station master might, just isn't possible.
- michaelhoffman 8y ago
  London Underground, where Byford worked, does not control the surface stations at King's Cross and St. Pancras, so immigration and customs control wouldn't be part of his job. Still, King's Cross St. Pancras London Underground station alone is one of the most complex in the London Underground system, with six lines, three ticket halls, and 95 million entries and exits per year.
  - tialaramex 8y ago
    Aha, yes I see. So that's a smaller job than I thought. Thanks.
    - michaelhoffman 8y ago
      Yes. But he had other jobs with increasing responsibility in London up to being operations director for a passenger railway before moving to Sydney. I think people are omitting that.
michaelhoffman 8y ago
In London, he was Operations Director for Southern Railway after that.