NEW YORK — Sarah Feinberg has stepped down after 17 months as interim president of New York City Transit, but she may not be finished with the parent Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Feinberg’s last day came Friday, a day after the former head of the Federal Railroad Administration first told the New York Post of her departure, saying “it’s important for me to get back some other pieces of my life.” She said overseeing the city’s subway and bus system is all-consuming: “You are not serving New Yorkers well unless you are on call 24/7 and you are owning every rush hour.”
However, she said she would serve as the MTA chair if given the opportunity. Feinberg was nominated for that position in June at the same time Janno Lieber, the current president of MTA Construction and Development, was appointed as MTA CEO by Gov. Andrew Cuomo [see “New York MTA changes …,” Trains News Wire, June 9, 2021]. However, that nomination remains in limbo because of legislative resistance to splitting the chair and CEO positions, which previously were held by Patrick J. Foye [see “Digest: State legislators balk …,” News Wire, June 10, 2021].
Feinberg was already an MTA board member when she was named by Cuomo to succeed Andy Byford [see “News Wire Digest for Wednesday, Feb. 26”]. In a Friday interview with WPIX-TV, she said she had anticipated she would hold the position for three to six months.
Another case of Cuomo trying to micromanage the agency, and driving out well-qualified people in the process? What a dunce!