BOSTON — Many observers have wondered why Phillip Eng, who recently retired as president of the Long Island Railroad, would want to take on the job of leading the problem-plagued Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
While the question is still worth considering, it should be noted he will be well compensated for the large task at hand.
CommonWealth Magazine reports Eng received five-year contract with a base salary of $470,000 and an “annual retention payment” of $30,000, plus a 1.5% increase of base salary each year beginning Sept. 1, 2024. He will also be eligible for “success bonuses” of up to $47,000 in 2024, $70,500 in 2025, and $94,000 in the three subsequent years. The exact bonus will be determined by state Transportation Secretary Gina Fiancada based on criteria agreed on by Fiancada and Eng.
The salary is $130,000 more than that of former MBTA general manager Steve Poftak, and near the top of a salary survey conducted by a firm hired by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.
The Boston Herald reports that Eng is also receiving a $184,288 pension from New York in addition to his MBTA salary. Eng currently lives in New York but is receiving $80,000 in relocation funds.
In other MBTA news, the head of the Massachusetts House Transportation Committee has filed legislation that would remove Boston-area commuter rail operations from the management of the MBTA and place them under the state Department of Transportation.
State House News Service reports that H3452, by Rep. William Straus (D-Mattapoisett), includes the provision moving oversight of commuter rail from the MBTA to MassDOT as part of a series of public transportation reforms. Another seeks to move oversight of MBTA safety from the state’s Department of Public Utilities to the Department of the Inspector General [see “Legislators seek new safety oversight …,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 8, 2023].
But Jarred Johnson, executive director of advocacy group Transit Matters, called Straus’ plan “a very expensive deck chair-moving operation,” saying it went against efforts the MBTA had made to improve commuter-rail service. Schedule changes have helped the MBTA commuter rail system reach nearly 70% of pre-pandemic ridership in the first half of fiscal 2023, well ahead of the subway system.
For a cash strapped agency as they proclaim. This amount of money is nuts! Give a less generous salary. Make system improvements and reward him kindly. No results no money. This will not help the agency in any way, except to deplete its budget quicker
They’re trying to hire someone who can make their trains run safely and on time. Given MBTA’s history, it appears that have to pay a premium for such a person.
If the citizens of the Peoples’ Republic are fine with having their tax dollars in that matter, then fine.
It’s obvious that government types, who excel at spending other people’s money and precious little else, have decided that their work is so important that they should be paid as much as people in the public sector who actually do the work, produce the goods and services, and pay the taxes that fund the lavish lifestyles of these parasites.
Whatever happened to the concept of being a public servant?
If one has to deal with B$&&#@+t, ones salary is going to be a pretty penny. If Massachusetts thinks that this is what Mr Eng is worth, then they should be willing to pay for the privilege.
Beyond obscene! More than $1000 a day! NOBODY is worth that much money. I don’t care how smart you are there is still only 24 hours in a day.
To be honest, given his resume, what the job entails, and the Boston area location, it doesn’t seem out of line.
Good for him. I never begrudge anyone for how they make their living or how much the job pays. School offered those of that took it seriously opportunity to train in careers of our choices. Some pay better than others.
Too much