Mr Cuomo found nobody working in that April evening on the track, and anybody got fired...?
It took over 10 years, if not longer, to fix BQE, for about 12-15 miles, from 2000 to 2010 or so.
Someone I know once told me that he got yelled at for working too fast at his job. He is in the union.
In fact, the NYT has documented previously that cops in some precints arrested people during the last hours of their shifts so that they could claim OT for filling out the paperworks....
Talking about corruptions. Go figure....
8
Alas, Byford wasn’t very successful in his relationships with politicians when he was in Toronto, either.
6
meanwhile, the NYS Capitol's steps remain fenced off because they need to be repaired.
I'd say it was problem literally at his front door, by Prince Andrew would have to Google Albany's location to get there
3
Andy, please come fix NJTransit , we need you!!!!
4
This proves that three terms as governor is enough. Andrew's ego has grown larger than a blimp and he has forced out a true expert who delivered for the riders. Enough is enough.
us.
19
I like that Cuomo is getting so involved in the MTA. It’s the past ignorance of the inside machinations of the MTA that let it rot. This needs to stop.
2
I wish it had been Cuomo that resigned.
13
Seemed like Cuomo is taking an aggressive stance to get the MTA functioning. What’s the problem? Byford chose to resign - wish he stuck with it but I don’t put that on Cuomo.
8
Yes, the governor of New York has to deal with numerous challenges facing the state. But to paraphrase and old movie, there are nineteen and half million stories in the naked state; and the MTA is one of them.
The MTA deserves to be on the list of challenges for the Governor's attention.
2
Plain and simple - Governors should not be involved in the affairs of a city transit system. That should be left to local leaders and a local board.
The Governor can have his or her say when it is time for state funding, but otherwise stay out of it. The City's transit system needs transit professionals running the system, not politicians. The proof? New York's MTA.
5
Echos of Rudy Giuliani and Bill Bration.... Politicians who can't tolerate attention-drawing, competent subordinates, no matter how well-deserved the attention.
Gee, I hope Cuomo meets a better end than Giuliani.
Another reason why I don't really care for political "dynasties" -- candidates who seek to succeed their parents and/or spouses -- although I seem often to end up voting for them as the least bad option.
9
How many egomaniacal New York politicians can this nation take?
12
Byford for Governor!
13
He’s English
1
I feel like the MTA has always been a mess, is currently a mess, and always will be. I have zero reason to think otherwise.
Over the years, I've heard some say it should be privatized, but then others say it's a 'bad idea'. I don't profess to understand all the ins/outs to know which is true, but all I know is that union workers DO have pretty cushy jobs (I hear the stories from people I know with such jobs..and really...don't we all see MTA, Post Office etc. workers who sail through their jobs as if there is never any sense of 'urgency'?). That, and that the current system clearly is not working.
I understand the system is old. That there will be problems within the system. My biggest point of contention however is how the MTA addresses those problems when they occur. Communications, both internal (to their own employees) and external (to riders) are horrible. P/A messages garbled. When there are severe delays, riders are not given truly meaningful information so that we can then decide whether it makes sense to stay on the train or get off. (Typically it's 'we are delayed'... 10 minutes later 'we hope to be moving shortly'.... 20 minutes later 'there is a broken down train they are working to move'. None of this is meaningful. Tell us How Long We Can Expect to Be Sitting Here. Don't lie to us. Don't be vague. Give us specifics. If we are then kicked off the train for shuttle buses, it's the blind leading the blind. Where are the buses? Etc.
4
Never, ever would I have thought I'd say, "Gee, I'm really enjoying riding the subway." The trains seemed to be getting me to where I needed to go on time. The digital posters (which at first irritated me) suddenly became kind of interesting and artistic. Wow. lots of possibilities there. The relatively new train arrival read-outs were working. I thought to myself, how could someone, i.e. Andy Byford, get all this done in just two years? Well he did. And that afternoon sitting on a #7 train -- reading news on my smart phone that was picking up MTA internet signals (Yeah!!!) told me that Andy Byford resigned. In two years, he has been able to lift the spirits of subway riders. Not only because of his accomplishments, BUT BECAUSE HE TRIED.
20
The only only train the transit workers and their union is interested in is the gravy train they've been riding for decades. They are the biggest impediment to improving NYC transit. A repair workshop that is supposedly operating three shifts a day and not a worker in sight an hour before before the end of a shift? They are well paid while actually working less than 50% of the time they are actually on the clock. Not long ago it was revealed that many LIRR workers have been collecting disability payments while working other jobs, bilking taxpayers for millions. When are we going to rid ourselves of these parasites?
14
"Mr. Byford’s underlings would be summoned to the governor’s office on Third Avenue in Manhattan for interrogation by Mr. Cuomo about cleaning procedures, signal changes, fare evasion and construction projects. He chewed many of them out. Few spoke back, even when he was mistaken.
"Mr. Byford was never invited."
Byford should have quit sooner.
11
Dear Andy,
Come to the San Francisco Bay Area. Our transit system is in dire need of your expertise.
7
Bring Byford Back! Postive changes were happening! Cuomo needs to step out of the way and allow Byford to continue his good work. It is despicable if Cuomo allows him to leave and denies the 8 million people of NYC a chance at improved public transportation.
11
You all need to leave your parochial village of NYC and visit a modern city to see how a mass transit system is run. The filth and stench of the NYC Subway system remains its only outstanding feature.
4
There are some Management 101 issues here. I'll put most of the blame on Byford. He could have talked to Cuomo about joining in on the meetings with his staff. He could have talked to Cuomo about the study before publicly stating it was going to be reviewed - and that error actually could have been fixed.
The biggest problem is how a leader builds a team. My direct reports know what's expected. They, in turn, build a team that knows what's expected, etc. I know it's not that simple but it's how you make sure things get done and have accountability in place. In doing so, Byford could have asked for Cuomo's advice.
Leaders/CEOs (and Boards in the nonprofit world) can have big personalities. At least Cuomo was making an effort to learn about the issues. You have to learn to navigate that relationship and address problems in the relationship immediately.
By the way, I'm not from NYC and don't really have any feeling about these people. My comments are just about leadership/management.
2
I use the LA transit system rather than the NY one and thus have no stake in the subject, but I found this article riveting. It recounted positive actions by both Cuomo and Byford. Cuomo's personal unmasking of gross malfeasance in MTA operations is remarkable and deserves recognition. But at the end of the day, he should have taken this knowledge and presented it to his talented Mr. Fixit executive at the agency. He needed to partner with his manager, not compete with him.
9
I was heartbroken when Byford resigned. I take public transportation a lot, using both subways and buses, mainly in Manhattan and upper Manhattan. The A Train has started to resemble an actual EXPRESS train again. I seem to be waiting shorter times for trains and buses. The train is my lifeline, the circulation system for the city, and - as the writer notes - a big contributor to the region's and even the nation's GDP. If only these two talented men - Byford and Cuomo - could have developed more synergy. Governor Cuomo, I'm WITH you on cleanliness. Clogged drains. I HEAR you. Absent cleaners at 207th Street? I feel your - actually my - pain. At the 207th Street A Train terminus, several locations on the platform have cleaning "equipment." First of all, there HAS to be better cleaning equipment on the market. All we have are brooms, some box to contain the sweepings, maybe a bucket. But what good are even these primitive items when NO ONE IS USING THEM! Most of the time these little collections of cleaning equipment are sitting on the platform like a still-life painting; workers are no where to be seen and the trains leave the station with no cleaning at all or the most cursory cleaning possible. This is evident when I get on the train at 181st Street, just 3 stops south of the 207th Street terminus. There's no time for the train to have accumulated all that junk on the floor: litter, dried drinks on the floor, still-liquid drinks on the floor, and - a few weeks ago - vomit.
7
Cuomo seems to have the sense that he is both the Czar of NYS and NYC.
I'm perplexed by the article's comment that the Gov is "gifted at PR." Actually, he's lucky that all of his actions are not being tracked as fervently as Trump's.
He has alienated large segments of the state, and not only the conservative upstate regions. He is gifted politically, I guess, as he managed to shove through legislation that is acceptable to the left, altho' totally failing to clean up Albany.
He'll never attract and keep the best people - because, not unlike Trump, he expects loyalty - fealty - as the first requirement.
7
Mr. Cuomo has issues...big issues! Way too much ego and a total lack of trust in people.
If Mr. Byford can't work for Cuomo then, nobody can. Please come back to Toronto Andy where you were loved & appreciated. You're the Best!
9
Well done Andy! Not so much Andrew.
Once again the humongous ego of Cuomo hurts our city. As a subway ruder for over a decade I can say Byford was improving a shameful system.
Gov. Cuomo why can't you, don't you just get out of the way and play nice. Geez.
9
Cuomo may be an accomplished governor by some standards, but he is also, clearly, an emotionally stunted individual.
Can’t get along with DeBlasio. Can’t get along with Byford. All, apparently, because they might be competition.
Seriously?
It’s nice that Cuomo is finally paying attention to transit. But he really needs some therapy too. Or a hug, at least.
5
I just don't understand the NYT's "take" on this story.
Simply put, the MTA head serves at the Governor's pleasure. The Governor is the boss; Byford was an employee of the Governor. A boss can fire an employee -- or in this case force him to resign.
Now, the Governor serves at the people's pleasure via elections. The Governor was chosen by the people and can be defeated if he runs for re-election. If folk don't like that the Governor has fired his employee, Byford, they can defeat the Governor at the polls effectively firing him.
So why doesn't the NYT just explain that an employee of the Governor with whom the Governor was displeased simply got fired? Doesn't anyone at the NYT ever get fired?
1
@George The "employee of the Governor" was popular and apparently effective. Don't you think the people who voted for the Governor--an executive position--might want to know why he lost a popular and effective employee? Might the voters want to consider that when evaluating the Governor as an executive?
8
Wowee, this reads like a procedural novel. Gov. Cuomo's like Elliott Ness and the pizza rat & its dinner are in his cross hairs. This is a story about overreach, quite like when Bloomberg seized a third term as mayor, which left a sour taste in the mouths of New Yorkers. Same here. I get that Cuomo's a gear-head and loves to see how things work. But, at the same time, I've been supervised by bosses like him and its so diminishing and discouraging when the guy assembles a parallel team to work redundantly to your own responsibilities. Thanks to Andy Byford, who made us have hope in the turnaround of the transit system.
12
It would be unacceptable in any actual company for senior leaders to -not- find a way to work together.
The fact the Andrew Cuomo, who I respect, literally did not speak to / could not get along with
1) NYC Mayor diBlasio, and
2) MTA leader Byford
is just ridiculous.
In the real world, people have to suck it up and make it work. Or else risk losing their jobs.
That we have now lost Mr. Byford is tragedy for NYC, just as the subway is noticeably improved.
I could not be more mad about this stupid turn of events.
~
10
The MTA is the villian of this piece.
Those "workers" getting double overtime yet absent. Those hundreds, perhaps thousands, of worthless, unqualified 'executives" sucking endlessly at the public teat while screwing up everything that passes their desks. The union bosses, cozy in their political payoffs, who demand and get the highest rates in the world for the least work. Those "well connected politicians" who have abused their offices by meddling and blackmailing the inert, corrupt MTA.
Flush 'em all out. Disband the MTA, uncouple it from New Jersey and start over.
And bring back Mr. Byford.
6
Did I miss where Buford was getting more press than Andy?
I take the subway every day. And I do not see the wonderful improvements that the New York Times swoons about.
Yes, service is marginally better compared to 2015. To be blunt, that isn't saying much. I do not know where the New York Times gets its statistics about this 80% on-time performance. It's certainly not happening on the Q, or the 4/5/6. The best accolades that I can come up with for the Q is that, well, it hasn't derailed lately.
Let's be honest here: the L shutdown proposal was a colossal debacle for Mr. Byford. And Mr. Cuomo was perfectly justified in canceling that shutdown plan.
This publication is set on faulting Mr. Cuomo for being intolerant of debacles. That's not a fault.
I realize that the New York Times has committed to an unconditional display love for Mr. Byford, who can -- apparently -- do no wrong. Reality is quite a bit more nuanced than this publication would like you to believe.
4
Idiocy at work.
I was in NYC for a few years, when the subways were improving. I'm happy I don't have to use them now.
Mr Buford, please take over public transportation in Massachusetts!
Mr Cuomo, you blew it.
5
Clearly a hit piece against Mr. Byford.
At least the author is honest about his relationship with Mr Cuomo.
4
130 guys were supposed to be working until 11pm. Cuomo couldn't find them anywhere. Unions playing New Yorkers for suckers. Don't worry, it happens in CT too.
My other favorite tidbit was Cuomo racing to blame climate change for clogged drains. Typical liberal.
3
Never voting for Cuomo.
7
New Yorkers complain about Cuomo and DiBlasio yet we won't vote these bozos out of office. We deserve every last bit of pain we get for our political stupidity.
6
Mr. Byford, please come to Boston and fix our MBTA system.
3
The people of Los Angeles would gladly welcome Mr. Byford to our city. We need HELP!!!
3
This is a great Jim Dwyer piece focusing on New York City's transit issues. New York City. Where is Bill de Blasio?
@Dave Williams, the governor, not the mayor, controls the MTA. And, as this piece demonstrates, the governor does not work well with others.
2
@Objectively Subjective True but the subways and buses run through New York City and the city government apparently funds a good portion of the MTA budget. The lazy, mendacious de Blasio has been silent on transit for years. Another fight with Cuomo Wilhelm can't win.
Why was the "Partnership for New York" there? What kind of corporate shadow government is this?
3
You say "clash of egos" in the title, but then barely shed light on the fact that there's only Cuomo's ego. Byford was just trying to do the job he was assigned.
5
Gov. Cuomo has gone from the man who twisted a few upstate arms to insure passage of marriage equality in New York to a bully. Who, in their right mind, would want to work for him? Wish we had a recall movement in NY State.
4
It’s past time for Cuomo to go. America doesn’t have any kings, period.
5
I'm glad the governor, of one of the largest economies in the world, discovered unclogged drains and workers who left their shifts hours early. Yet, is that really the best use of his time and talent given the numerous challenges NY State faces?
Byford sounds like he was improving the MTA one unit at a time. That must have been an overwhelming list. Unfortunately, the units he was working on were not the ones failing in Cuomo's observations. The governor's insistence must have exasperated Byford.
58
Sometimes, it just seems with the subway, the governor won't let anybody (like Mr. Byford) do it, get out of their way, and give them what they need. He won't partner with anybody because he doesn't work and play well with others. And, he obviously CAN'T devote himself full-time to carrying out the fixes the subway more and more desperately needs.
I really don't see how this ends well for the millions of us using, or trying to use the subways. I hope we're not all waiting for the magic of congestion pricing. All that's going to mean is there will be more money to fight over.
3
Recently, I had the pleasure of a one week vacation in NYC and the subway system was one of the most pleasant and efficient sights i encountered. The 4 and 5 trains from my hotel to the museums on the upper east side arrived on time, were quite clean, and offered a choice of seats. Contrary to the familiar stories, the train platforms and track beds also were clean and the only odor I smelled on one train was perfume. While there no doubt are problems, the overall impression is one of efficiency.
4
Keywords: Upper East Side — the wealthiest area of the city. Did you happen to take the R train to Queens or the C to the Bronx?
2
@Eggs & Oatmeal
No, I did not. There was so much to do in Manhattan that I left that island only to take the obligatory walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. While I do not deny that the subway system apparently has problems, at least some parts of that system work well - very well. The 4 and 5 lines were the equal of any metros I've ridden in Europe.
2
Byford's resignation is a big loss for New York straphangers and another huge stain on Cuomo's armor. It's time that he take a refresher on Leadership 101. If he's so adept at negotiating deals with the legislature, he ought to be able to manage his staff.
If he has any presidential ambitions, he is severely reducing his appeal.
9
Byford's resignation is a big loss for New York straphangers and another huge stain on Cuomo's armor. It's time that he take a refresher on Leadership 101. If he's so adept at negotiating deals with the legislature, he ought to be able to manage his staff.
If he has any presidential ambitions, he is severely reducing his appeal.
4
It is astonishing the citizens of New York tolerate such incompetence and based on this article fraud in their government. New Yorkers pay astronomical levels of taxes and fees for the “privilege” of living in or using the services of New York or NYC, which by the way they’ve either purchased or maintain with their tax dollars.
Based on this article your tax dollars aren’t being spent nor managed responsibly by those elected to manage those dollars. Photo opportunities and news bites of politicians aren’t policy. With Governor Cuomo taking all opportunities to get in front of cameras to show his involvement voters should judge his performance as governor by the improvements or lack thereof when considering weather to re-elect him. Voters can change if they all get out and vote.
7
"He maneuvered to make changes in state law to curb the little-known powers of a few well-positioned politicians to take hostages in exchange for M.T.A. spoils."
Can anyone expand on this?
4
When Amazon had different cities competing for its HQ expansion, one of the things I heard from New York was promotion of its outstanding labor market. Are they talking about a different New York I thought? This article more accurately describes the labor force in New York I am familiar with.
3
I don't think the governor should be praised for his role in MTA re-org effort, and other micromanaging efforts that the author is naming. The governor has the right to appoint the MTA chairman and some other board members, and their job is to run the agency. If the agency is not being run properly under the governor appointees, then the problem is the governor himself. I have a fundamental issue with this act of heroism by a governor.
Secondly, the governor has violated the state law by rejecting the engineers' plan for the "L" train. The plan (good or bad) had been signed and sealed by "professional engineers" and the governor as a lawyer is fully aware that it is not his position to object professional recommendations.
If the plan was poor, he could have another engineering panel to review the work and bring professional misconduct against the frim who has signed and sealed the plan and ask for taxpayers' money back from the firm.
My understanding is the engineers that the governor is relying on are not "professional Engineers" in the State of NY, and it is seriously questionable to have their opinion counted for the State.
4
and if fairly certain that there's a large, well-funded and old-fashioned union that champions those invisible workers that so frustrated Cuomo. No wonder the MTA can't get anything done
7
Cuomo is an egomaniac who has always put himself first, rather than the task at hand. The fact that he didn't have regular meetings with Byford tells you everything you need to know about what happened. A good leader finds good people (which Byford seemed to be, since the fruits of his labor seemed to be evident throughout his tenure) is to choose good people and trust them to do a good job, offering the support they need. Cuomo needs to hear his name in the news or he is not happy.
I have disliked him for years and I have only voted for him because the alternative, the abominable Republican Party, is surely worse. I wish someone challenged him so we could get him out of there.
15
What do the corporations want to do about your transit system? That is what is going to happen. Infrastructure takes money, money that comes from tax payers, yet corporations call the shots and most pay little or no taxes. Democrats are no different than the GOP except that they are somewhat less homophobic and racist, but not much. Your transit system will continue in decline because money can't be found, in the richest country in the world.
7
Where is Mr. deBlasio in all this? Out here in the provinces (Los Angeles) the mayor would be playing a big role.
1
Unfortunately, NYC transit is under the control of the state, not the city, and suggestions it should be otherwise usually end badly for the city and/or whoever suggested that. The voters don't seem to care, at least not enough to do anything about it.
8
Despite Cuomo's boots-on-the-ground, forward-leaning profile, Mr. Byford saw ONE OR MORE Cuomo-imposed, actual divergences from best practices.
I don't what, but we'll find-out when progress is stifled and the bad choice(s) come to light.
To focus on ego, is to ignore the room that is the 600-lb gorilla.
2
There is no follow up on any actions taken against the inspectors filing the falso reports or on the entire(!) night shift now working. Am I correct to assume these are not Impeachable offenses in the MTA Adnimistration?
12
I am sensitive to the difficulties of being a politician. It can be a thankless job at times. So I will cut a cantankerous politician a break every now and then when he acts out. The job is stressful. We get it.
But Andrew Cuomo is a different breed of politician. He doesn't seem to get along with anyone.
And people are free to disagree with me, but the sad thing is that it appears Cuomo has the potential to be an excellent President even if he is a lousy human being.
2
All the attention from Cuomo will be on the mega-projects and not the NYCT infrastructure, operations, future and image.
2nd Ave, LIRR, Pain Station and the airports are on his agenda.
4
Good luck finding as qualified candidate as a replacement. Who would want to work for an ego maniacal micromanager?
11
so basically Cuomo is the reason NYC can't have nice things?
Seems pretty obvious.
5
You all think Trump is bad, wait for President Cuomo.
4
He's never going to be President and he knows it, and can only assume that is at least partially to blame for his egotistical behavior -- a desperate attempt to create a "legacy."
Isn't it amazing that at his age and with his experience he couldn't just for once have backed off for the good of the people, do what the people wanted? Imagine the size of the ego (and perhaps mental wounds) of someone who would behave like that!! Just breathtaking.
3
I had precisely the same thought.
@Rich Murphy Cuomo is a somewhat grating individual who can't get along with anyone, but I've never once worried that he might accidentally start a nuclear war with North Korea via Twitter.
Cuomo‘s only interest in New York City is cherry-picking issues that will satisfy his outsize ego and raise his political profile so he can run for President. Andy Byford really wanted to get the trains to run on time, and from the perspective of this jaded New Yorker he was an expert who was making headway. The governor, by micromanaging him to death, has driven him away. Who’s going to want the job now?
9
But the real pity is Cuomo was never and never would be a viable candidate for President.
2
Has no interest in Presidency wants a fourth term as Governor.
Since when was our dear governor "gifted at public relations?"
His approval rating is falling. He has won three terms thanks to being a Dem in a deep blue state, massive financial backing and a lack of qualified opponents.
7
Cuomo is a small man with a big ego. Great leaders communicate a vision and delegate. Small insecure people micro manage.
8
And was lucky to get as far as he did because of his father (his younger brother too). Would have been a nobody but for his father.
1
One thing Cuomo and Trump have in common. They both believe they know more than anyone else.
6
They strike me as having been struck from the same mold. That the State of New York can't find one single qualified person to run against someone with such little regard for a critical part of the city's infrastructure is sad and shocking.
1
I don't think the Cuomos have been good for this state. This is one situation where having Republicans in the Democratic party gets to be a real drag. Had the run of the mill Republicans not been run out of the party by the crazy wing, these guys would have stayed in their party and we could have had real democrats.
2
Byford's last stop before NYC was Toronto, and he was doing a great job here. He was really starting to move the needle in a thankless, dysfunctional, and deeply-politicized environment. We miss him, and would gladly have him back.
My advice to whatever city is lucky enough to land him next is to give him the tools and support he needs to do his job, and then get out of the way. And do whatever you can to keep him around for as long as possible.
113
@Jay Sands totally agree. He was always very upfront and visible with the public. He took the heat and the accolades with equal grace. He won’t be out of a job for very long, although I’m sure a nice vacation is in order.
11
@Jay Sands
I really wish he'd come back, although with Ford in office, that'll never happen.
5
@Jay Sands Totally agree. Our transit systems are crippled by decades of government failure to fund maintenance.
Cuomo made a big mistake here. It is not easy to find someone who can fix our crippled transit systems, crippled by politicians like him. I too would be happy if Byford would return to Toronto.
6
This was a really well written article. The truth is much more nuanced than the headlines around Mr. Byford's departure would suggest, and I think this article captures it.
3
Byford's departure resulted from a total absence of communication between him and the Governor- period. Yes, Cuomo is and will continue to micro manage and address minutiae like drains and repairs in the middle of the night and yes, Byford would want a clearer demarcation of responsibility but he should have known this going in.
As far as the drains and night repairs- perhaps had Byford also taken a field trip it would have helped- or invited Cuomo to accompany him and address the issues there- water and absent employees ARE significant issues. Te old adage that an army travels on its stomach is true. As a career government employee I can attest to the need to address the impact of what may be considered minutiae on government operations. As far as changing Queens bus routes- I believe he underestimated the effect of a Town Hall meeting to announce major change. It creates resistance and hysteria- especially in the NY area.
3
@robin Andy Byford was out and about in the tunnels and stations 7 days a week, talking to customers & employees. The guy knew the system inside out and didn't need to participate in cheap photo ops. To imply that Byford doesn't understand that standing water and clogged drains are important issues, doesn't match with the man's experience.
And the Queens bus redesign is way overdue. Routes drawn up in the streetcar error that don't match up with how the current population gets around. It's one of the big reasons bus ridership has to decline while the borough continues to grow.
5
Byford led the Toronto Transit Commission and left here for New York. I have the outmost respect for him and miss his superb leadership skills and tact in dealing with the public. I have no doubt his departure will be New York's loss.
9
Andrew Cuomo has always been in the Andrew Cuomo business. He blamed others for failures of the MTA even though he was its head, so it’s not surprising that he’s not interested in sharing credit when things are on an upswing.
7
I always loved Mario Cuomo but Andrew Cuomo, with his unchecked ego, is simply not his father. Cuomo senior may have also had a good opinion of himself but he knew when to keep it in check. This is an ability that Andrew Cuomo has simply never mastered and has resulted in his being involved in one unproductive political feud after another. Just listen to the bombastic way that he talks as opposed to how Mario Cuomo was such a skilled orator and you get the idea.
7
Andrew Cuomo would have been a nobody but for his father.
3
I've been a huge supporter of Byford since he arrived - because he understands that before you can fix a system you have to recognize and motivate the PEOPLE who run it. And his task was the tallest of orders.
I'm at odds with Cuomo - who typically grandstands and lays down the iron fist when he knows it benefits him politically. But I can't argue with his determination to upend the MTA - ultimately his responsibility - and a disgrace decades in the making. Quite simply put, he's gotten things done others have been unable to.
While it's clear this was a power struggle, the question remains, will Byford's groundwork be enough to carry the system out of disrepair under Cuomo's managers? Or will Cuomo regret letting his ego get the better of him, resulting in the indirect loss of a proven transit reformer.
8
Where was Andrew Cuomo’s great interest in on-the-ground decision making and conditions at NYCT ten years ago when MTA debt was ballooning and none of the money was going toward the long-term viability of the existing subway lines?
In some ways it’s the same old thing: engineers try to fix things given the constraints they are handed, while politicians, who can actually do something about the constraints, choose instead to spend their political capital building shiny new things. But add to this age-old dynamic the all-consuming personality disorder of He Who Will Not Be Crossed or Outshone and NY government looses a dedicated and enthusiastic public servant who actually wanted to fix something that needs fixing.
3
Drain cleaning, not, in 2017:
Okay but clearly the drains were being cleaned much more regularly in 1997.
What changed in those 20 years?
Furthermore 2017 was Andrew Cuomo's 6th year as governor so it is incompetent of him to have not known that the drains in the NY subway system weren't being regularly cleaned. This Cuomo failure, of lets say "just" 2017, makes one wonder what he doesn't know about the subway system in 2020.
11
The only ego in this story is Cuomo's. Byford has been running urban transit systems successfully for 30 plus years. He had a plan to bring NYC's transit system into the 21st century, and he had the resume to make it happen. In a short period of time he was already making real tangible improvements to service across the city. He was also a likable guy who made workers and riders alike feel positive about a system that has inspired so much cynicism over the decades.
As a reward for this good work he was effectively demoted. Furthermore, his work was constantly undermined by the governor and his lackeys for no good reason. Very few people with any self respect and options can be expected to put up with that type of work situation. Hopefully, Byford's underlings can continue his good work, but as long as Cuomo is in charge I'm not optimistic.
29
Isn't there an inspector general of the MTA? If government records showed that drains were clear or work was done when it wasn't, isn't that fraud? When workers are on the clock and getting paid but aren't at the repair facility, shouldn't there be people losing their jobs?
We have public works projects that are horribly behind schedule and over-budget but where is the audit to show what went wrong? Seems like Cuomo rattles a few cages every so often, but he doesn't seem to have much follow through on actually fixing any of the core problems.
12
We need to not lose the fight and keep expecting improvements.
2
The corruption of the MTA is absolutely staggering — always has been, and sounds like it still is. Years ago a friend quit his job hiring for the MTA because he feared facing prison time for being forced to hire an inordinate number of unnecessary workers. Growing up in NY it was common knowledge that the MTA had at least two sets of books — and the public only got to see one of them. Years ago a Times article detailed how multiple people were on the payroll to oil a piece of equipment no longer in existence. And now 130 technicians are supposed to be on the job, under an emergency order, and are nowhere to be found? I’m not the biggest Cuomo fan in the world, but I certainly understand his desire to ask the question: What exactly is going on here?
15
@Pax those mechanics fulfilled their norms and went home. Now they’ll sit around for another two hours and twiddle their thumbs. Or they’ll work slowly for 8 hrs.
Sanitation men used to go home around 1100 after doing their route. Now they sit around till 2 o’clock. There is a certain amount of work that is agreed is fair. You are not going to get people to work flat out for 8 hours.
3
I'm in Toronto and I had a bet that Mr. Byford wouldn't last 2 years in the larger more sophisticated marketplace of NYC transit. You all sound upset with Cuomo and I would not begin to understand your politics, but my experience of Mr. Byford is based on 8 years hearing him on my radio, weekly then daily, before his departure, spouting endless optimism, technobabble fog with obscure statistics, and always followed with calming salves with shades of wartime leadership. Interviewers went flat, perhaps unsure if questions had been actually answered amid the charming flow of workingman accent and rapidfire salesy patter. He is most certainly a figure of "cheerful candor" and "tireless optimism". When he's new, it's fresh! But in Toronto, his projects remain UNFINISHED.
Too many largescale initiatives begun simultaneously. Too expensive. But for all his voiced passion about our city, Byford did not stay to finish anything. He left just as all the projects were peaking, were grossly overbudget and past due, and as people were losing patience with the radio. Transit riding has honestly never been worse. Byford does have a 'vision' (though I think he's just porting a European design) but I don't think we should have paid so much for his UNFINISHED work. You may be better with only 2 years of him. I do not miss his voice. Cuomo you can vote out.
7
@Elly
Our experiences under Mr Byford's leadership of the TTC in Toronto were obviously vastly different.
I saw leadership, system improvement, employee engagement and pride and a much happier ridership. Mr Byford's legacy continues, most obviously by greater more open communication of issues and response actions.
16
unfair criticism. Byford made real long lasting changes to the TTC that still exist today. Like NY, the provincial/state government who sign the cheques in Ontario insert politics into transit planning. Byford was the best thing to happen to the TTC in my 20 years riding it. Sad loss for NYC
13
@Elly
You blame Byford for unfinished projects in Toronto? Like what specifically? Please name them. Try taking a look at the workings at city hall and the never-ending interference of the province. And don't forget the constant lack of funding. The city and the province are great at making plans but they are the ones that don't follow through on anything. Rob ford mantra of - Subways! Subways! Subways! - hamstrung TTC development for 4 years. And then recently, after 10 years of planning a desperately needed relief line for downtown Doug Ford comes along, throws it to the wind, and introduces his new Ontario Line which had a lot of nice coloured lines on a map but no real substance or basis in what is actually needed. Toronto does not need a subway running up to the Science Centre from Ontario Place. SMH.
Andy Byford is very very good at his job and it's unfortunate that New York has lost his expertise.
4
Andy Byford is a remarkable asset and individual. I am just sorry that his talents were not fully appreciated in New York.
Of his many successes in just two years, his greatest in the MTA (and previously at the TTC) was to engage the workforce and build pride in and of the workforce. Not only did service vastly improve but the basic communication about delays and service issues was greatly enhanced to the benefit of the riders. Mr Byford was also smart enough to know that it is important to not just take credit for these successes but to share that credit with the employees who actively carried out the policy and the work, building their culture and their pride in their work.
In Toronto previously and lately in New York, Mr Byford was not just an executive at the top, but he was actively visible on the system and in the stations, noticing, affirming and pitching in as needed. He is a man of immense talent and while he will be missed, I understand his desire to spend the next chapter of his career somewhere where his efforts are fully welcomed.
Sir, I wish you all the best.
16
@R Fishell I will certainly agree that he is a superior rhetor and respect your fandom. But Union Station has been ripped up since 2011 and I cant get downtown on weekends, and folks who bought homes based on UPExpress rates are having a shock now. Please be fair in the work, not just Mr. Byford's amazing celebratory speeches. He really should run for politics to gain the control level he seeks.
1
Speaking on behalf of my fellow Bostonians, it would be extremely refreshing if the governor brought in someone who remotely cared about fixing the public transit system. Even if that person got their feelings hurt and quit because they were overmanaged, transportation systems in this country could benefit from governors like Cuomo who have an actual interest in making sure registered voters get to work on time. People at Byford's level should have thick enough skin to deal with a temper like Cuomos.
3
@S. Carlson Agreed — but give him full control, do NOT have him report to the incompetent Stephanie Pollack.
He did a fine job dealing with Cuomo. I do not blame him for leaving a job that has been hollowed out. Cuomo even took his signature signal modernisation project away.
3
@AMH With all due respect, the signal modernization project predated Mr. Byford. Prince Andrew not withstanding, it's not a project that can be done by fiat or by snapping one's fingers: it takes time. Don't make me quote Augustus Caesar here; I'm saving that for a more appropriate time.
1
When you are a proven leader and problem solver, autonomy to get the job done must be granted. It us a shame that Governor Cuomo could not find a way to share the lime-light.
8
Cuomo has serious issues. He has a massive ego and gets into fights with everyone who might be in the limelight instead of him. Cuomo has got to go. Remember at the polls!
12
@Really? Byford would make a better governor! Cuomo is just the type to alienate anyone more capable than him.
Is anyone at all surprised at the attitude and demeanor of Cuomo? He, not unlike Trump, is plainly obvious as to who he is, narcissism and all. From his trashing ethics reforms (an getting reelected in spite of it) to his think skinned need to be in charge and have his name splashed all over the place, Cuomo - empowered by the voters time and again - is just being Cuomo. Frankly, people shouldn't be mad at him for it - they told he could be that way and gave him the power to do it, often just because of the 'D' after his name.
As the now cliche line says and how we ended up with Trump, elections have consequences.
6
It sounds like Byford never had a chance. Once Cuomo decided to step in, the MTA became his baby, and he wasn’t going to share it - much less hand it over - to anyone. Too bad.
7
Andrew Cuomo is a lousy manager. He is a micro-manager and surrounds himself with a whole bunch of kids under 30. They are all very good looking and preppy but have no idea of what they are doing. He also surrounds himself with thugs and corrupt people (see how many how been charged of corruption).
A good manager brings people of caliber and lets them work, like Byford. As a manager, you keep an eye on key performances based on a plan with time frames. Of course, you verify the results (i.e., get on the train and see on time performance, station and car cleanliness, etc.) If the person you hire is failing to meet the performance that was expected then you find the reasons and intervened if needed. In this case, Byford was delivering. But unfortunately, Andrew Cuomo feels threatened by competent people (thereby his mediocre staff) and his micro-managing.
As for Pat Foye, he is a scary character who worked for Pataki and falls in the second group of Cuomo's staff (not the kids). In either case, New Yorkers and the subway system are the losers due to the current administration, Cuomo and Fay.
10
I have to support Cuomo.
Subways constantly delayed because no one was cleaning the drains until he stepped in?
This is similar to the Gowanus Canal becoming a fetid diseased cesspool because after the pump broke in the late 60's no one bothered to fix it.
Same thing with the invisible workers, what taxpayers get to keep their job leaving work hours before their shift ends?
2
Hello All:
Mr. Byford, thanks for your talent and your efforts. A little advice - if you get a call from James Dolan, don’t answer.
Cheers,
Jeff Pucillo
3
Why does Kathryn Wylde have any role to play in this? She's the mouthpiece for New York's plutocrats, who would rather remain under the radar, and nothing more. Whenever there's some proposal that might threaten their charmed lives, she appears on the stage, and in these pages, to defend the indefensible. No different than any other corporate spokesperson.
7
"We don't hire smart people and tell them what to do. We hire smart people to tell us what to do." — S. Jobs
10
He's not mentioned once in this article, but I can't help thinking that the person who actually comes off looking the worst here is De Blasio.
3
NYC is a would crass city with a third world subway system. Andy was our last great hope and now he is gone due to our governor's arrogance. Very sad, just go to Europe and you can see how much better their subways are there.
5
“World crass city” is my favorite inadvertent truth in a while.
3
If you read between the lines, the issue isn’t Cuomo vs Byford.
It’s the NYC public worker unions. And it has always been this way.
In my own family we have NYC public school teachers, who basically had part-time jobs with summer vacations and every imaginable holiday. They pulled in six-figure salaries, retired at 55, and draw almost as much in pensions.
The transit system is just another branch of the rot in government-funded bureaucracy.
7
Don’t hate, appreciate. Organize to get the same kinds of benefits.
4
This doesnt sound right -"By some estimates, New York is the only global city to have fewer miles of track today than in 1940. Monumental works of civil engineering — tunnels dug under rivers or threaded beneath the pipe-crowded underground of Manhattan — were abandoned, left empty as generations came and went." - the els were torn down in manhattan, that might be what the original information was about. A few stations became obsolete, and there are a couple of stretches of now-unused tunnels connecting lines that could be reopened, but they are are not that long.
2
I'm guessing they're referring to the lower level of the 63rd st tunnel, which will only be used once East Side Access opens.
3
We finally actually had a person who dealt with the public, moved projects along and was a light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully. Doesn't Cuomo have enough to do besides meddle to make a bigger name for himself so he could look presidential in the future? Mr. Byford's resignation is a loss for NYC commuters. Thank you, Mr. Byford, for the work you have done. Hope to see you again.
7
Clash of “egos”? The only ego was Cuomo’s. As usual. On it’s face, hiring Byford to run the system - and than taking away responsibility for construction - betrayed Cuomo’s inability to let competent professionals do their jobs. With Cuomo, it’s all about me, not what’s best for the people who pay his salary.
14
Cuomo is Governor of an entire state, not the MTA. He needed to hire people who could make the MTA work. He did that with Byford, but couldn't let him do his job. No matter how much Cuomo points out clogged drains or workers not working, he can't do that everywhere. That's why Cuomo is a failed Governor.
9
As a retired 'Private' sector union construction worker of 40 years, who never made over $90k a year, it's more than obvious why the transit system is broken . When Cuomo visited a work-site where 130 workers were supposed to working but obviously long gone and $800 million dollars in emergency maintenance money was allocated for repairs , who's watching the store. When supervisors and middle management and above aren't doing their jobs, workers won't be doing theirs, I was a foreman, I know! A simple check on seethroughny.net will reveal the abuses taking place throughout the ENTIRE public sector payroll system. Two small examples. One a machinist making $35/hr and an engineer of work equipment at $39/hr both made over $270k in one year. there aren't enough hours in a day to make that kind of money and these are two minor examples. Theirs no oversight, bloated salaries lead to bloated pensions, heads should roll, people should be fired and money should be clawed back. Let's get to the root of the problem, people aren't doing their jobs.
26
Until legislators from upstate become more sympathetic to the state of our subways, this is a lesson in futility. And to my knowledge, there are no plans to extend the A train to Peekskill or Syracuse.
7
Ego, either a sense of self-assurance, or an undeserved sense of entitlement, wins again, as a thankless job supposed to enhance the public well-being, is being thrown to the winds. Again. To these gentlemen, have they forgotten that politics, the art of the possible, requires some type of compromise? Based on reason and common sense, and willing to improve society's needs?
4
I was so excited when Andy Byford came to New York. Here was someone who was experienced with a phenomenal track record on the London and Toronto metro systems. And he takes the subways himself!
He might have had an ego, but only in confidence as to how to do his job. If I had transformed both of those metro systems I would be confident as well. But in other ways, the ways that mattered, Mr. Byford was humble, and willing to wade into the fray, listen, admit mistakes and make corrections. Exactly the opposite of Cuomo.
Cuomo's flaw, as usual, was to control everything and want all of the limelight for himself, and not let this expert do his job and raise this City to the international standard of others.
The final straw? Andy Byford's moniker, "Train Daddy", reflecting the level of trust and affection New Yorkers had for this man who was going to save our system.
Like a jealous teenager, Cuomo took a bat to Andy Byford's structure and beat it to the ground. If I were Mr. Byford, I would resign too -- why stick around for more beat downs from this vindictive governor?
13
Post Script:
Cuomo is NOT his father. It's time for him to go.
Andy Byford needs to come back!
3
I really believe that Byford and his teams would have made a massive difference in particularly both NYC's existing bus network and particularly the subway system. He and his teams correctly identified many problems in both systems. I just hope we do not rue the day of his resignation.
4
Cuomo’s problem with the MTA has been that if it ever improves, it will increase the reputation and stature of someone else, either the mayor or the head of the MTA, and Cuomo cannot abide by that. His instinct is always to sabotage anyone who might take the spotlight off him. But running the MTA requires someone who has expertise and stature in his own right, not simply a lackey of the governor.
Plus, Cuomo has an outer borough mindset that the pinnacle of success is moving out to the suburbs and owning a car. At best he views NYC residents and transit riders as burdens he has to placate whose main problem is that they haven’t moved to Nassau county yet
8
What a great, enlightening article by a seasoned pro.
Explained a lot how everything fell apart. Big boys and their “toys”.
Now what do we do? There are no winners.
5
This prima donna, back-room, Tammany Hall political hack Cuomo needs to butt out of the New York CITY subway.
5
One story ends with:
“You guys break your rear ends,” Mr. Cuomo said. “This is what makes the system work.”
Then the next story ends with:
"About 130 people were being paid to work until 11 p.m., though their day had clearly ended well before that."
Well, I guess they are not breaking their rear ends. The biggest issue with the MTA seems to get lost in the fascination with the battle of two egos: the obstructive power of the public employee unions.
10
I'll bet not a single New Yorker will vote again for Cuomo. For him to do this to our transit system upon which we all depend so heavily--is unforgivable. It's as if he took his car to get repaired and some big ego clashing with his mechanic wouldn't let him fix the car. No car, no transport. No vote for you, Mr. Cuomo.
7
Like many others who are in elected positions the longer they are there the bigger their egos and the less ability they have to compromise and get along with others.
Cuomo has gotten worse as the years go on. How do we know? Because he has “feuds” with more and more people from different spheres of government. It cannot be that all of these different people have the same inability to get along. The problem lies with Cuomo. He seems to have a mini case of Trump disease.
4
"As with most humans, Mr. Cuomo’s purposes can be so tightly woven that it was occasionally hard to tell which or how many were driving him at a given moment."
Ugh.
Mr. Cuomo's motives can be difficult to discern at times.
Maybe?
1
Seems Cuomo has some issues with getting along with people.
5
Wow. What a scorching indictment of Governor Cuomo.
No wonder the NYT refused to endorse him for re-election last election cycle.
Er, wait a sec...
11
Hey Andrew, instead of sending NY workers and aid to Puerto Rico so you can feel good about yourself, how about doing what we hired you to do: help the people of NY. There are homeless people, broken subways, clogged and damaged roads that look like they are from Baghdad, and people struggling to find affordable housing. Please, get a grip. Help NYers.
7
Cuomo just can't stand allowing anyone else to have a spotlight. I wish he'd go away. He's a nasty piece of work. Andy Byford was the best thing to happen to our transit system and now he's gone because some egomaniac who doesn't ride the trains (Byford did.) wants to be a hero. Sound familiar? We've got another one running the country.
15
Mr. Byford. Come back!
10
Note that the mayor of NYC is never mentioned in this article! What does that tell us?
5
DiB has no power over subways. Cuomo hates DiB for stealing his limelight. Cuomo hates everyone ...
3
@Dennis Driscoll
Who?
Byford spent long years at the Toronto Transit system. He tried. All major transit systems seem to have parallel problems. But the common theme remains, put politicians at arms length. Get politics out of public transit.
... The same thing happened in Toronto. Yes Byford is a good manager, but he should only be available for periodic review otherwise, Albany wiseacres should stay out of the mix.
... The transit users, and the taxpayers always wind up the losers. The politicians vacation in Hawaii.
... Keep the politicians at a distance from transit. They have a rough time relating to the subway car rider when their Limo runs out of Bourbon.
4
Send Byford back to Toronto, please.
OK, sadly the quite the same scenario has played out here in former times. Meglomaniac politicians messing in what should be the sphere of transit wise-persons.
For good managers, the achievements of their staff should bring them credit, albeit second-hand.
4
Classic Como.
3
I recently used the Tokyo system and have experienced German and British systems as well. We are truly an empire in decline.
8
@Casey
Transportation-wise, I couldn’t agree more. The NYC subway system is an insult to a great city. I used it for years. The stations were freezing in winter, stifling in summer, and many platforms so inadequate that I often feared people might fall onto the tracks. Like Amtrak, each time I got on a car I would say to myself, “Welcome to the Third World!” Cuomo knows diddly about the subway system, but thanks to his arrogance the system is now without a very fine leader. NYC deserves more than a fix-it job on its ailing subway system. It needs a visionary leader who can create a 21st century transportation network and a visionary state government that can provide the funds for doing so — all of which. I fear, are in short supply in this great city and state of ours.
9
@Casey
To paraphrase Leona Helmsley, the subway is for the little people. As New York increasingly becomes the playground of the wealthy, who wouldn't deign to take public transit, getting around becomes irrelevant; if they need to travel, they have Uber and in any case, they seem inclined less and less to even venture outside. They've sucked the soul out of the city to the point that there is nothing outside worth seeing or doing. Stroll? Stroll where, and for what? Securely ensconced in their glass prisons, provided with endless amenities, every necessity is ordered in. Restaurants, which once were the last holdouts in the commercial sector are now closing and working out of centralized communal kitchens. It's Bloomberg's dream, come to fruition.
1
Who of equal caliber is going to want Byford's job?
The particulars of their disputes are not nearly as important as having a head of the MTA who commands the respect that Byford did.
Its great that the drains were cleared. But is the Governor going to oversee drain cleaning for the next decade? Byford's strength was his record of previous accomplishments and his capacity to act as an independent leader of a complex system. How many other people are there in the world who are actually qualified to do Byford's job as well as he did? How many of them will now want to replace him and work under Cuomo after he pushed out Byford?
This was a monumental blunder on Cuomo's part and we will pay for it for the next half century. Cuomo does not, in fact, have Byford's expertise. He can fix a few big problems by force of will, but he can't unfold a complex plan to bring the system into the 21st century. Metropolitan New Yorkers will now suffer for his arrogance.
284
remember vote against Cuomo
14
@Really? Same question: who of any competence wants his job? Answer that one before you vote.
@Really? Regrettably the Republican candidates are too loco
4
You don't know what you got until it's gone.
Cuomo needs to fess up and make amends with Andy (and Andy's team). Byford and his team need to reconsider; leaving an issue public infrastructure project like this undone. The big fix would've solidified his career as an overachiever with this ultimate accomplishment. Where's he going to go? He renewed his lease to his NYC flat late last year.
5
@Sightseer I hope he comes to Boston!!
Management 101, micromanagement is the worst thing you can do to someone that is doing a good job. Those on time performance numbers and things getting fixed the last two years are key indications Byford was good at what he was doing.
Mr Cuomo, trust the next person you hire and let him/her do their job please.
8
According to the David Gunn career trajectory that Andy seems to be on, the Washington DC Metro is next for him, followed by Amtrak.
3
Clash of the titans. I will never vote for this Cuomo I see him as an empty suit & a panderer. That said, I believe Byford's Bus Redesign plans in Queens are delusional; are a cut in service and some of the hacks in the Queens delegation like Stavitsky will passively allow it to leave customers stranded.
4
This should not have happened.
Too bad!
Andrew Cuomo is a talented man, but of late his emotions appear to be operating on steroids.
The malady plaguing him is best diagnosed as a either a bad case of a 'imperiousness' or 'impetuousness.' Both?
Thus the governor's approach to his public responsibilities more and more is running off the rails (an appropriate metaphor for this occasion).
Could it be that Andrew is frustrated?
Or could it be that he has convinced himself that he alone has all the answers to complex policy issues such as MTA?
Donald tells us repeatedly that he is the smartest person on the face of the earth.
Andrew should avoid that 'fake' mantra.
Didn't he harbor aspirations to seek the Democratic presidential nomination?
Is this figuring into his pattern of inappropriate behavior?
The decision of Andy Byford to depart, an expert of international renown, is a mark of failure by the governor. New Yorkers will suffer because of his resignation.
(I heartily agree with the comment from Bill in Augusta, GA: 'How is it that the governor of a state tries to manage the transportation services of a city?')
Get hold of yourself Andrew. Look into the mirror repeatedly, even if the image is a constant scowl. Try to alter it.
You are writing a fraught record that your constituents -- and your unauthorized biographers -- will remember you by.
And be mindful of the fact, Mr. Governor, that the electorate is studiously observing all you.
4
One of the most important things we as New Yorkers can do in the long run is get rid of this perpetual Cuomo dynasty.....
It make Tammany Hall look like a Kindergarten party....
7
Cuomo should be ashamed of himself. What lousy leadership, never mind management. Bring Byford back! And dock Cuomo's pay.
5
Supposedly, Cuomo wants to run for President someday! His ego precedes him.
5
This is a huge loss for New York, thanks once again to Cuomo’s ego.
I know appeals to Cuomo to save our transit will mean nothing to him, so I’ll say this: if he really wants more big, shiny construction projects for his ever-important “legacy,” he needs to get Byford back and get out of his way.
5
It is hard to work for a person who is planning to be president.
I guess Byford should have known that.
3
Go figure. I think this "runs in the family". The Cuomos have a "battlefield" tendendancy when it comes to the sociopolitical arena. It was true when his father was Governor of New Yor, years before "Junior". Additionally, the Transit Authority has it's own difficulties dealing with "other parties"; especially oversight. Now you understand why anyone quits when they have Mr. Cuomo "forming a blockade".
3
Will Cuomo name the transit system after his father?
4
@PM My thought exactly.
I have detested Cuomo for years as an egotistical buffoon with a whiny voice that is almost as bad as Trump's hectoring voice. This story, though, made me respect him somewhat for what he has tried to do at the corrupt MTA. Sure, he should have left Byford do his job, but the ocean of incompetence, corruption and neglect he found at the MTA made him distrust that any one person could set things right there. The article nailed it with this sentence:
"No one could authoritatively parse how much was due to the Cuomo Subway Action Plan or to the Byford operations initiative; both were necessary, neither sufficient."
Surely, better communication between the two would have helped, but I am not sure Cuomo has any humility in him to have taken the step to initiate dialog with Byford.
Finally, why is the governor of NY and not the city's mayor (that other incompetent buffoon De Blasio) responsible for the MTA???
5
Surprise, surprise. Another reason the MTA will never be world class. A clash of egos. Hmmm what next.
3
Actually, when MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota left a few years ago I asked myself "Why?" When Joseph Lhota came on board he seemed to be the perfect candidate. The NY Times never did a story on his leaving. Somehow, the former MTA Chairman was "muzzled" for some reason.
There are all kinds of problems at the MTA besides having issued billions of dollars in bonds with little to show for it. If the system in NY is anything like the system in Los Angeles it is filthy and unsafe with a good chance you'll be traumatized by a "homeless" person along the way.
The Chris Christie, NY Port Authority, "BridgeGate" opened up to the public just exactly what is going on in Public Transportation in NY. Stories about the Long Island Railroad featherbedding just add to the publics perception that we, the public, are being ripped-off. And we are, being ripped-offed.
5
This is Cuomo's fault. On time performance was close to 90% on the subway in 2010. he took office in 2011 and over the his first term it fell to 58%.
The reason for this is years of complete disinvestment of assets from the MTA to Cuomo's pet programs in Upstate. Infrastructure initiatives, cozy contracts to upstate contractors - all meant to guarantee re-election from traditionally GOP districts. He also has had a healthy relationship with MTA union bosses, who encourage the lazy and toxic behavior that Cuomo publicly denounces.
Once he secured re-election, he tried to clean up the mess he created (once he realized his NYC base wasn't as secure as he thought) by bringing in Byford. But it backfired when he didn't get all of the credit, so he proceeded to sabotage the MTA as revenge and blame the continued issue on DeBlasio (who, to be fair, refuses to be of any help whatsoever).
Andrew Cuomo has done some great things for NY: higher minimum wage, universal healthcare, tenant protection, airports, and more. But when it comes to public transit, he may very well be the most two-faced and disgusting excuse for a politician this city/state has seen.
The only solution is for the City to re-assume full control of NYCT & to have its assets protected from political divestment. Additionally, something needs to be done about the subway's shameful and passionless workforce.
21
You’ve nailed it. Cuomo cares about getting elected, and NYC is safe for him. Who cares if we can get to work on time? We’re already in the bag for the Democrats.
I’ve considered joining a party for the sole purpose of trying to primary this joker.
Throwing the baby out with the bath water? It appear that both men are needed for the task at hand, but like Mr Dwyer says, there isn't room for the two egos involved. It also sounds like the union workers, responsible for leaving their jobs earlier than contracted, need more oversight. I wonder if that's a management problem at the MTA or a union issue? Either way, I'm angry my hard-earned tax dollars are being squandered due to someone's incompetence or thievery, (that's what I call getting paid for work not done). Either needs to be fixed, even if it means running a non-union MTA.
7
Write this down: When Government takes over a function that had been performed by the private sector, Government disappears.
1
@acule Government took over the subway lines then existing about ninety years ago because they were in bankruptcy.
3
@acule When has NYC transit been run by the private sector in recent times?
1
When I heard that Andy Byford had chosen to leave as head of the TTC and move to NYC, I said to some friends, "it won't last". He made have had issues in Toronto, but, in a city where party politics is not really a factor, he was generally use to having pretty much "free reign" for his ideas and securing additional funds for future maintenance and expansion.
American politicians are just too corrupt and too beholden to donors who ultimately determine policy, Cuomo is no exception.
10
As soon as I heard Mr Byford was leaving Toronto I knew our subway system would get worse. And it has. Funding is a huge issue-constant under funding, with weekend shutdowns of sections for repairs. The week before we had a morning mess with thousands of people late due to shutdown of several stations due to an almost derailment of an equipment car being used by a repair crew. Happened at 8:30 am but at 10 am people were still trying to get on buses sent out to get them. We just learned that a track was seriously worn down which lead to this fiasco. So when I saw that Mr Byford was available I tweeted Bring Mr Byford back, we need him. Big mistake New York. Best wishes Mr Byford.
12
The problem with the MTA is that it should on both the budget and control of NYC, not NY State. Putting it under the state means that no governor will ever face real scrutiny over the MTA and the mayor can just blame the state/governor.
Also, I love how this article states that Byford "fixed" the MTA. Yes, there were improvements from its recent worst years but MTA is by far not fixed.. just patched.
8
At least Cuomo was taking an interest in transit, rather than like all the other governors ignoring it. If he went to a transit yard and saw that no one was working, he should be asking why. Though I doubt he will do anything about it, the transit unions have a lot of political clout and the work rules that govern them are archaic, not to mention the outright featherbedding and as he found out, people being paid for work they aren't doing. I had a friend, a student, in an MBA program a while ago and he worked for the MTA. They had rules like if a motor rebuild was supposed to take two days, and the guy doing it finished in 1, he literally took the second day off, didn't work on another project in the hopper. No other business allows that, you finish one task, you start another. If he is serious, he would push for revising the union contracts and putting teeth into work rule productivity, but don't hold your breath. It is one thing to force out a manager, it is another to take on the byzantine world of the TA unions.
15
@music observer
Spot on!
2
Another comment in this thread affirmed my conclusion that this is union-caused. Just try getting rid of union workers who are not doing their jobs, just try. A wholesale house cleaning is what is needed, but unlikely to happen. Cuomo should spend his time doing that instead of other peoples' jobs.
21
Imagine how much better the MTA would be, and be, if these two individuals had built a good relationship with each other.
12
Mr Byford is a transit expert with a strong resume. It was great that NYC got him. Didn't he get things going in the right direction (no pun intended here)? Gov Cuomo, evidently, is an unapologetic micromanager with an inability to recognize that he should have left Mr. Byford to do what he does best unfettered. There's a lesson here for anyone in a leadership role, or for middle-managers as well. You just may hear me utter "av a nice day, gov" when I go to the polls and vote.
15
Has Andrew Cuomo forgotten the first rule of Management? Hire the best people and let them do their jobs.
27
Cuomo and his staff found an alternative to the incredible disruption the MTA was ready to cause by shutting down the L train. I wish Cuomo could have gotten along better with Andy Byford, but a chief executive who personally walks on subway tracks to look at drainage issues and also discovers criminal fraud at a repair station demonstrates a laudable sense of duty and competence from our governor that shouldn’t be overlooked.
9
Like any patient with a heart attack get NYC to slow down and adopt a year long reduced urban emergency transportation regimen. Bring back Byford. Send all MTA workers on one year paid vacation. Get them all offsite. Then hire the guys in China who know how to work. Who can build a 1000 bed hospital in two weeks. A year later hand a gleaming new fully functional system back to the MTA workers. Bottom line: It will work. And it will be cheaper. And then let NYC figure out how to weed out the bad workers.
10
@Coy, they maybe able to construct a hospital, but they clearly didn’t learn any lessons from past flu outbreaks about common sense prevention measures and how covering them up only leads to worse outcomes. Who know what shortcuts are being taken in the building of that hospital.
8
I am surprised by how few people are focusing on what Gov Cuomo discovered at 10:15 - whether that was due to grandstanding or whatever - that certainly is an example of mismanagement. To respond that it’s an example of him getting involved in things that he shouldn’t is an effort to avoid responsibility, etc.
It’s also very unlikely that this is the only time that has happened.
7
@Boyfromnj It's not the first; and the on site supervisors and managers are aware of it, and allow it to happen. Sadly, been there, done that, and for years was the happy recipient of breaks at the end of the work day. I recall an NYCTA retirement party where the guest of honor stated he was retiring from the TA after 30 years. Some wag in the audience yelled out, "and you owe them fifteen." So true. Things had gotten better while I was still there, but.....
1
Interesting how this article uses the term "MTA Workers" when they really mean the TWU. The union has the city by the throat and no one is willing to go up against them. The workers who were supposed to be working on trucks and were absent should have been fired point blank. When we arrive at that place, service will get better.
21
@alocksley then who would repair the trains? They did their days work and Cuomo knew they wouldn’t be there. Now they’ll stay on TA property for 8 hours, still do the same amount of work.
This is like DSNY used to go home after they did their route. Now they hang around til 2.
“About 130 people were being paid to work until 11pm though their day had ended well before that”
This is not just an MTA problem. Now one can better understand where tax dollars are going and who is in charge.
23
In some cities, mass transportation is one of many options for residents and commuters. In NYC it is a necessity; it is an indispensable part of the social contract. The system is a failure and a disgrace.
13
"Mr. Byford’s underlings would be summoned to the governor’s office on Third Avenue in Manhattan for interrogation by Mr. Cuomo about cleaning procedures, signal changes, fare evasion and construction projects. He chewed many of them out. Few spoke back, *even when he was mistaken*."
Never was a big fan of Cuomo, but this is an all-time low.
27
Cuomo sounds like another New Yorker (sorry, recent ex-New Yorker) who can't let people do their jobs, resulting in ridiculous turnover.
15
I would trade Cuomo for Andy Byford any minute! Let’s face it it’s all Cuomos fault! I would prefer the city lost its incompetent mayor vs a true star and professional such as mr Byford! The real question is who will fix this mess now? I wish Cuomo took a subway home every day but even if he had to he wouldn’t because he lives in chappaqua, the affluent part of westchester. Now all of us will suffer.
15
@KatyNYC I just want to point out that Cuomo is Governor of NY State, NOT Mayor of NY City. But your confusion is understood since its the Governor and State who is responsible for the MTA not the Mayor of NY City.
Cuomo lives in Mt Kisco (or New Castle depending on how you look at his residence as its postal address or where his taxes go) or in the Governors Mansion in Albany.
1
New York City should be in charge of its subways and buses, not the Governor.
12
Great article. Thanks for the humor, Mr. Dwyer.
4
Down here in Georgia, I don’t get it. How is it that the governor of a state tries to manage the transportation services of a city?
14
Because the MTA is a NY State authority, controlled by the state of New York.
1
I think the best thing Gov. Cuomo could do would be to send Mr. Byford a big bouquet of roses, a sincere apology, and beg him to return. I ride the subway irregularly but have noticed palpable improvements: express trains seem to run more smoothly and there are fewer delays. Please don’t blow it when you’re just getting ahead of the many, many remaining problems.
73
@Frostie Too late.
2
Fire Cuomo; fire everyone in the MTA and hire some useful ones back, without union contracts. Get Byford back.
31
Someone should make sure the governor sees how well respected he is by NYTimes readers.
14
New York’s subway is truly amazing to me. I can only hope Byford comes here, to Boston, to help straighten out our messed up transit system.
16
Why would Andy Byford be expected to do what everyone thinks he can do? He comes from Toronto where we have the worst transit system of any major city in North America. I know.... I live here. We are thirty years behind where we should be in 2020.
3
@Gary Heaneys Parts of New York are far more than 30 years behind: some of signal switchers are still manual and literally over a 100 years old.
5
@Kevin Any manual switches are in yards that have not been electrified, and are less than 100 years old (the yards may be, but not their equipment). Main line switches are electric or electro-pneumatic, and are replaced on an on-going basis. The signal system may be old (fixed block), but it works just fine; requires regular maintenance, as would a newer system.
2
Sounds like a replay of the feud between Rudy and Bill Bratton, Bratton was mostly responsible for cleaning up the city, rousting the squeegee guys,etc. but Rudy couldn’t stand seeing Bratton’s name in the paper more than his.
24
After updating antiquated physical MTA elements and plans, it finally came time to reform labor union financial agreements and work rules. That cannot happen in any New York City department or agency. End of story.
17
If the most important role of an executive is to find the best people-- and to know the best when he finds it--then get out of his way, then Mr. Cuomo has failed that test.
Hard to tell from New Hampshire what is happening in NYC, but in some ways the distance may allow for greater clarity.
The voters of New York may have to decide whether they would prefer to keep Mr. Cuomo or bring back Mr. Byford, under a new governor.
12
Mr. Cuomo's virtues are often compromised by his huge ego and thin skin. We'd be so much better off if he could have left well enough alone, let Mr Byford, who is a proven expert at his job, just do it and get some credit for doing it. By insisting on butting in he may have killed the goose that lays golden eggs.
58
Cuomo is clearly the most incompetent, destructive and divisive governor that we have ever had. I'd much rather see Cuomo resign than Byford.
By the way, what are we going to do for electricity when the Cuomo-mandated shut down of Indian Point takes place next year?
It's one disaster after another with this whining clown and his photo ops.
Everything he's ever headed has blown up. Keep in mind the disaster which resulted when he headed HUD, and caused the housing and banking crises in or about 2008.
https://www.villagevoice.com/2008/08/05/andrew-cuomo-and-fannie-and-freddie/
And then there is the Buffalo Billion, much of which wound up in the pockets of his cronies many of which have been indicted and tried or are awaiting trial.
https://nypost.com/2018/07/13/cuomos-buffalo-billion-was-beyond-corrupt/
You want to impeach somebody? Here's your guy.
43
Is it me or does Andy Byford look like Vladimir Putin?
First, does Ms. Wylde actually ride the subways? 'Make the subways better?' 'Won the hearts of New Yorkers?' Having ridden the subways for 40 years I hate them more every time I am forced to take them. And if the disgruntled faces in every car are any indication, I am only one of millions. And we pay more and more for the privilege of being mistreated by transit employees.
What schedule? The idea of a transit schedule is as foolish as pressing the buttons on stoplight crosswalks and thinking they do anything. Doors held open too long? I have seen a train stand in the station, with doors open, just until the connecting train pulls in. THEN they close the doors and depart before people can cross the platform.
Many years ago, the Transit Authority was a client of the company for which I worked. I was perpetually shocked by how clueless the MTA staff was -- and apparently still is.
14
If this reporting is an accurate depiction of Cuomo, Byford and the MTA it's too bad the two have parted. I've had mixed feelings about Cuomo over the years but in this instance he did what managers on the ground weren't doing. The piece about crews quitting early and silt clogged drains are examples of hands on management that clearly wasn't taking place. You can argue that's not the Governor's job but leaders who swoop in from time to time to understand and pay attention to detail have always been the best leaders in my career. But Byford too looks like he had much to offer if he and Cuomo had spent some time together and agreed to work in partnership. I think the business of partnership is sometimes a difficult ask for Andrew.
18
So Cuomo visited an empty construction site that on paper had scores of workers being paid. He knows how much fraud and abuse the MTA puts the ny taxpayer through. Then why is his solution to give them another billion dollars funded by congestion pricing??
15
Micromanaging people that understand the job at hand better is poor management. Cuomo should be fired.
10
The governor is stupid to ignore the fact that Byford was the best thing to happen to the Subway in a long, long time, and by extension, to the governor’s political standing.
24
NYC deserves the political leadership it gets. Mr. Byford's efforts made the MTA service much improved. The guy knows how to do it,was passionate of his work, too bad for the city that he is gone.
37
@UKyankee It is NYS that does this, not NYC. NYS mismanages, NYC pays.
2
Cuomo's reorganizations included consolidations of power, not consolidations that improved efficiency or effectiveness. I know, I had created automated systems for personnel and payroll-like functions that reduced staffing and improved accuracy and timeliness. Those improvements were abandoned, without the restoration of necessary staff. Byford is not innocent either. He embraced 'Enterprise Asset Management,' in large part because London adopted it. It is supposed to save billions, but that might have been true in London, where automated support was lacking that is present at NYC Transit already. Facts do not matter to those who 'KNOW' the answer, even when they do not know the question.
5
Several years ago, my friend’s son was hired by the MTA to middle/lower management position. He had a graduate degree related to the work he was supposed to perform. When he arrived on the job, he was immediately put in his place by the workers, being told bluntly that he shouldn’t try to change anything and that everyone there was very happy with the way things were just as is. They reminded him that they were union workers and they would never be reprimanded let alone suffer any serious punishment if they did not listen to his directives. He was supposed to improve the running of his department. The employees worked barely a small amount of the time when they were punched in. They would neglect the work and Read newspapers, magazines or play caRds all day. Almost no work was done no matter how he threatened them as was laughed at by the workers over his attempts. This explains why Cuomo could not find workers when they were supposed to be working on the cars as described in this article.
92
@Warren I have a friend who helped implement the Metro card system and she told me things about the transit system that would never be allowed in private business but they echo this comment. Lazy, privileged and don't care.
17
What is stopping the City from expropriating the subway system from the state's oversight per the MTA? Let the state keep oversight of Metro North and LIRR for all I care. It's not helpful to anyone that the governor is able to have this level of arbitrary control over a system like. Millions of people rely on the subway and its continued degradation literally lowers the quality of life in the supposed "greatest city in the world."
10
@Nick
The answer to your question should be obvious, whatever you think of Cuomo and the MTA, imagine the subway system run by the likes of Diblasio. For example, the city is supposed to contribute to the subway, and Diblasio shifted something like 250 million dollars of this support from the subway to pet projects of his. The reason the MTA was formed was because the NYCTA had driven the subway system to the precipice of total failure, by the late 60's it literally was falling apart. The problem is the city council and the mayor see transit as something to be kicked down the road, something to take money from to fund other things.
That doesn't mean the MTA is great, but the idea was to try and stop city government from using transit as a piggy bank for other projects. The other reason is the MTA gets money from running the TBTA, if the city took the subways over that funding would no longer be available.
5
@Nick
What is stopping the City from expropriating the subway system from the state's oversight per the MTA? The law.
"...by the measure of things built, laws changed and electoral votes won..."
Er, don't you mean just: votes? I think his window to pursue that other type, the ones you get in Montana and Arkansas etc., has closed.
Anyhow, the irony here is that New York was long overdue for a governor who would take a more engaged approach to NYC mass transit, but ill-served by the fact that when it finally happened, Mr. Cuomo was the governor in question.
Didn't anyone tell Mr. Byford that no one in Mr. Cuomo's orbit is allowed to shine?
12
Another Cuomo blunder. Byford was a godsend to NYC commuters. His job was to transform a large ailing and unmanaged system. He was making progress.
It's as though bureaucrats like Cuomo want fools they can control versus competent individuals who can do their jobs.
45
Byford was the greatest thing that ever happened to the corrupt, bloated, wasteful MTA. That he resigned in the face of a petty and controlling governor was no surprise. I wish Byford luck elsewhere, where he is more valued and can have more autonomy to the right thing for riders.
37
''He's as honest as the day is long,'' his father, the Governor, said yesterday (the second shortest day of the year).” Mario’s observation about his Andrew, printed in this very paper back in 1987, sadly needs little revision.
If only Andrew knew how to work with other leaders and acted to complement their strengths, rather than undercut them to grab the limelight, all New Yorkers would benefit.
Having laid claim to the MTA, Andrew now owns it. Maybe this paper should keep a daily scorecard listing on time, breakdowns and crime statistics - along with an explanation for why specific capital project cost multiples of what any other city pays.
So Andrew wants to play with fire by forcing out Byford and taking control? Let’s hold his feet to the flames until we see lasting results. Bonfire of the vanities, indeed.
26
Gov. Cuomo has violated the basic tenets of good management by going around his chosen manager of the NYC's public transit system, Andy Byford, & given orders to Mr. Byford's subordinates,
The governor would be much more useful to his constituents were he to dedicate his time & energies to suppressing the widespread corruption that flows thru the whole state administration system. Leave managing the transit system to professionals who know what they are doing.
23
Cuomo and Byford were a match bound to clash. Both very strong personalities and neither willing to give. Cuomo is notorious for micromanaging every situation and certainly every crisis. He loves the camera and showing who is in charge. Byford has a highly successful transit career, knows what needs to be done and is not shy expressing himself.
What I don’t understand is how either thought this would work. Did Byford think Cuomo would let go? Did Cuomo think Byford would not assert himself? Both had to give, Cuomo much more than Byford and it is Cuomo’s failure that set this up to fail. Byford was doing the job to which he was hired. Cuomo just couldn’t step away from the limelight and let Byford succeed.
Classic micromanagement failure. Too much ego Mario. You failed and everyone else suffers.
9
Wonderful writing!
2
Cuomo is a bully. He will push anyone out who does not kiss his ring. Read "The Contender" about how Cuomo makes everything about him and those around him exist to serve his personal agenda, which is self aggrandizement.
Byford didn't have a chance.
14
However much Cuomo knows or thinks he knows, he has just cut off his right arm. If he really wanted to get things done, he would have collaborated with Byford himself, rather than only with his underlings.
12
This article is a little too generous about Andrew Cuomo.
23
Cuomo's ego hobbles him. A good manager would have been thrilled to have an excellent transit head and let Byford succeed. Cuomo seems to be an intrusive micro-manager.
20
Let's see, I could work for Coumo or take a sharp stick to the eye, its very close.
13
Cuomo's most ardent admirer is himself —if his staff or others in his circle are unable to confront him in his arrogance, then none of the changes in the MTA inspired by him will be other than superficial, and likely temporary.
Cuomo's egotism is not only tiresome, but counterproductive.
16
The Governor can only hope to play at fixing the transit system; he has many, many other responsibilities and demands on his time. In this case, his apparently insatiable need to feed his ego and long-standing desire to control key parts of the day-to-day administration of New York City has cost those of us who live in the city dearly.
Byford’s main flaw seems to be that he didn’t kowtow enough. He clearly loved the challenge and is more than up to it. Plus, he listens, a skill neither our governor nor our mayor has mastered.
Now that the governor no longer has a popularity contest to contend with, I suspect his interest in and attention to our critical transportation infrastructure will fade. Oh, well, at least we’ll get more exercise as we resort to our own feet and legs to get around.
252
@Stephanie Strom Does anyone else see a sad replay of the ego clash between then Mayor Giuliani and Police Commissioner Bratton? Giuliani was so jealous of the praise Bratton was receiving for the drop in crime that he made his tenure unbearable, forcing Bratton to quit. Different men but same scenario, and once again the city loses.
36
@Stephanie Strom
Couldn't have said it better myself. Cuomo always put his own needs ahead of those of the residents of the city of New York. Whether it's Mayor de Blasio or, in this case, Andy Byford, the need to feed his ego always comes first and always has!
It's very disappointing that a politician as smart and talented as Cuomo just can't seem to work through his issues.
28
@Stephanie Strom
Byford should have known that Cuomo is a micromanager and has some personality issues others find difficult - however- in his defense- it is the Governor, not his appointments who is ultimately responsible. Additionally the condition of the MTA outdates Cuomo. Perhaps Byford had the illusion that working in NY would afford him the same level of independence and recognition he found elsewhere. Anyone could have told him he needed to cultivate Cuomo more and there would only be one star.
3
Part of being a governor is to let others with greater knowledge and expertise do their jobs.
It's easy to go and cherry pick opportunities for criticism -
'Look at these closed drains!', 'Where is everyone at 11pm?' but that's not what Cuomo is being paid to do.
Byford inherited a system that had been neglected for decades. Bus routes were based on old streetcar lines??!? The subway signal system is based on technology that's how old?
None of these things can be 'fixed' in two years. That's not enough time to even get a handle on all that needs to be done.
The bigger problem is that nobody is going to want to take a job where their boss is continually sticking his nose into things but you are ultimately responsible for fixing everything.
560
@cynicalskeptic It's not really a 'job' if you get none of the credit and all the blame.
3
@cynicalskeptic Sort of like being coach of the Dallas Cowboys
Our loss. I like Cuomo but he needs to check his ego and think more about the larger goal: NY needs a win and that means building a talented team to tackle the MTA challenge. C'mon, man. You let a really good executive slip away because of petty nonsense. New Yorkers are left to suffer.
Not cool.
194
"I like Cuomo but he needs to check his ego and think more about the larger goal. . ."
Problem: That is not going to happen. Like, EVER.
4
I’m a consistent supporter of Cuomo, but not this time. Notwithstanding the positive intervention of the governor concerning the L train shutdown, overall Andy Byford has been outstanding in implementing subway improvements. Let’s be fair, ladies and gentlemen and Governor Cuomo. When you hire a person who’s supposedly an expert to lead an agency and implement drastic changes, you have to let them do the job unencumbered. Without any support from our hapless mayor and mixed signals from Cuomo, Byford nevertheless made tremendous improvements with a very sclerotic agency, known for spending a lot and doing very little. His departure is a real loss for the city.
575
@ManhattanWilliam
You do know ANY NYC mayor has zero control over the MTA. By design of Albany (which incidentally NYC Taxpayers disproportionately fund).
The blame lies with Cuomo. There’s plenty to be upset with Deblasio about, but not this.
36
@ManhattanWilliam:
"I’m a consistent supporter of Cuomo, but not this time. Notwithstanding the positive intervention of the governor concerning the L train shutdown, "
You mean the intervention which uses unproven technology for a fix while the rest of the job risks drilling a hole, or 3, in the tunnel wall?
@Yaj I mean the intervention to fix the tunnel in record time that is nearly COMPLETE.
Some people are simply unwilling to be OBJECTIVE when viewing the performance of individuals or policies.
1
This spat is typical Cuomo - he wants to be King of New York, often to the detriment of its citizens. So glad I moved out of that dysfunctional state.
12
The article conveniently misses the fact that Cuomo's budgets underfunded the MTA year after year until the service almost collapsed. Cuomo redirected MTA money to prop up a ski resort upstate. It's ridiculous to write an article about his newfound evangelism without mentioning that, or that he controls the MTA board while claiming he does not.
41
Cuomo is consistently demonstrating that he's a liability. NY needs strong, apolitical anti-corruption action and NYC needs a functioning transit system. Nobody needs a governor who can't stand it when people do a good job. Byford was a keeper.
23
@Dan
Agreed. Wish Mike Bloomberg's ego weren't so large. He should run for governor of NYS.
4
An excellent overview with some insightful points - although too many allusions to Cuomo's brutish style and tactics. Example: "As with most humans, Mr. Cuomo’s purposes can be so tightly woven that it was occasionally hard to tell which or how many were driving him at a given moment." Just say it like it is.
In addition, always know that wherever the guv decides to put Foye, there will be deceit, deceptiveness and financial shenanigans. Just how the guv likes it.
5
Why must the Times pretend that this is a clash of egos, as if both men were equally to blame Byford’s resignation. Cuomo is a bully, who always has to have his own way. Think of how he threatened the politicians that dared oppose him on the Amazon deal, saying their positions in the State legislature would be given less power because they dared to challenge what he thought was a done deal. As far as the subways go, he has closed them done on a snow day which caused havoc , without first informing DeBlasio, knowing DeBlasio woukd get blamed.
Of course Cuomo couldn’t stand that Byford was getting praised or that he was so competently doing the job that he was be was being paid to do. I wonder what Byford thought about paying for 500 extra policemen on the trains when so much money was needed for repairs. Of course Cuomo thought he knew more than any expert. He reminds me often of his fellow Queens born politician Trump, who said he knows more than any general. The next time I’m stuck on a sweltering subway platform in the middle of summer waiting for a delayed train, it will be Coumo I’ll be silently cursing out. I can’t wait until he is out of office. It can’t come soon enough.
55
I don't care for Cuomo, but I have to applaud a governor willing to get his hands dirty and check on workers cleaning out a drain. Showing up unannounced at a repair shop is nothing short of brilliant.
The MTA has a lot of issues. Cuomo isn't going to solve them all, but showing support for workers at a dirty work site and exposing dysfunction at a repair shop are both positives for the governor.
14
I’ve been on subways, trains, buses and trams across Europe and North America.
The entire New York metro system, from Morris county NJ to Suffolk county, LI, out toConnecticut and down the Jersey shore, is an inexcusable disaster compared to all those other places.
The NYC subway is without question the worst of them all. Filthy, crumbling and overrun with threatening weirdos and malodorous homeless.
The city buses are paralyzed in traffic and in no way any sort of match for other bus or tram systems. Our transit access to all three major airports is a disgrace!
The commuter rails are often obsolete and shoddy and do not honor their schedules. In any other major area you can set your watch by the arrival and departures. Here you’re lucky if they can follow a calendar instead.
The entire system needs a personnel gutting and rehiring. The entire system needs new, non-political managers. The fare systems need to be harmonized on a common system, like the Oyster card in London or interchangeable tickets like Paris.
The entire system needs to be unified and work together as one part of a whole. In no other global city would such fragmentation continue to exist.
The workers who commit payroll fraud need to be fired immediately, to “encourage the others.”
It’s sad that Andy was driven out. Gov. Cuomo now owns this mess, along with the feckless Murphy in New Jersey.
57
@Vote For Giant Meteor In 2020 Agree completely. So depressing to come back from riding the subway in Tokyo which is close to perfect and then getting on the subway in NYC-Boston too for that matter.
3
@Vote For Giant Meteor In 2020
I wouldn't blame Governor Murphy -- he's only been in the job for a short while and NJT is so hopelessly broken, it will take years of high quality effort to change it.
@Vote For Giant Meteor In 2020 Well, at least NYC HAS a REAL regional transit system and you can actually live here WITHOUT owning a car. You can't really say that about any other US city.
Great information. Would the!term ‘feather bedding’ be the appropriate term for what was occurring? ...”About 130 people were being paid to work until 11 p.m., though their day had clearly ended well before that.”
13
I would not let the governor take out my appendix. He is not a trained physician. Nor is his job to micor manage the MTA. His job is to give the expert in pubic transit the support and political cover to do his job. Cuomo's job is not to inspect drainage grates. He should hold leaders accountable. That's the role of an executive.
15
I had an extended 4-week stay in London a few months ago. I was on the Underground multiple times a day. It was, safe, efficient, clean and on time. This is the experience Andy Byford brought to New York. Why can’t our politicians get out of their own way for the benefit of their constituents?
39
Who does this Governor work well with?
12
@mark : himself.
1
As a life long New Yorker this article make me laugh. The governor and mayor are fighting over control of a third world subway system. Both men should be embarrassed that the alleged greatest city in the world has a third rate transportation System. Are they proud of the subways. The are dirty, smell and most elevators and escalators don’t function properly. Have these two egomaniacs been to London, Paris or japan? Yes, they are smaller systems but overall, there is no comparison. Even the press in NYC gives the governor and mayor a pass as they don’t report and show photos of a very disgusting subway. The alleged greatest city is the world statement is pure malarkey!
15
the Mayor has no control over MTA, only the Governor.
1
You know, the older I get, the more it seems that men are emotion driven, not the logical beasts they think they are.
The male ego can't seem to take any challenge without having to pass a testosterone-level test.
Personal feuds, mass shootings, stadium violence, terrorism, mistreatment of the weak, ignoring the poor in order to climb over others, and of course, war war war. Always running to war.
In just this one case, clash of egos means the citizens suffer. Then there's trump, ugh.
I'm getting tired of the egos of powerful men.
26
No problem; Prince Andrew knows best, so he can appoint himself to be the MTA chair.
I can see it now- our intrepid Governor hopping on FDR's Packard and crawling around the tracks in his crisis khakis.
He probably has a train set somewhere
3
@Is And without a safety vest or other PPE. Some example he sets for the rank and file. Sad.
3
@fFinbar dominance display.
3
Smells like when Rudi Giuliani forced out Bill Bratton because Bratton was doing a great job— and, unforgivably, getting credit for it.
Will Andrew Cuomo’s career of public service continue to give off the same smells as Rudi Giuliani‘s?
Our noses will know.
9
I’m sick of Cuomo’s ego destroying everything in NYC. As a daily subway commuter, I could see for myself the difference Byford’s leadership was making. Cuomo can’t stand for anyone to get credit except him. He needs to stop micromanaging and meddling. The losers here are us, the riders.
27
Mr Byford please give Governor Murphy a call. New Jersey Transit is in dire need of help. Please!
9
Interesting piece and great story telling from Mr. Dwyer. It seems clear that the Governor knows from whence he speaks: he did, in fact, get the Second Avenue Subway opened, and he did, in fact, figure out that the L did not have to be shut down entirely. It is curious to me that he doesn't get much credit for those things, or for unclogging all those drains. Mr. Byford may well know how to get the trains to run on time, but his real super power seemed to be courting the press (seems debatable whether he actually registered with the riding public). Too bad he couldn't find a way to use his PR talents to bridge the gap with his boss and work toward the common cause of better service: the subway certainly needs tough leaders who insist on getting things done, but it also needs cheerleaders who can keep the press rooting for success, rather than chortling over the latest delay.
5
So when the Subway system reverses its improving trend and goes back to increasing outages and terrible condition, we’ll know whom to thank. Byford’s track record in major transportation systems around the world is stellar. Ask Buffalo how Cuomo’s initiatives have helped.
15
This reminds me of the Giuliani - Bratton dust up; where the man at the top could not tolerate performance excellence getting good press for his underling. A boss with a large ego will not attract the best and the brightest. No matter how many times we see case studies illustrating this concept, we do not seem to be able to develop a class of business and/or government leaders who grasp it.
9
This piece is interesting but ultimately misguided. Good leaders succeed by setting objectives, hiring a great team, and letting them flourish. Andrew Cuomo is a mean-spirited, micromanaging mediocrity with a Trump-like obsession with loyalty. He has almost no ideas, and the ones that do pop into his head are inevitably bad ones. His legacy will be a pile of shiny new escalators, hallways, and waiting rooms (not to mention an LGA AirTrain that literally goes the wrong way!) built at great expense while the region’s real problems have been left to fester. He’s the kind of person who reads the summary blurb of a Wikipedia article and then acts as if he has a PhD on the topic.
The angle here seems to be a classic case of a reporter being dazzled by someone who grants them special access. But make no mistake, Cuomo is a failure, and the fact that we’re unable to do better than him is a depressing statement about the current state of our country.
66
A lot of money is involved in the Subway construction and renovations and it's always been a subject of wheeling and dealing corrupted by different party's of influences. Check out
James Gray "The Yards" is first movie in 2000 with Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and James Caan.
1
In the end, the top boss is Cuomo. If he really and truly is a great leader, then what he wants is that the system runs better. Getting credit for being the guy that made the system run well is less important.
If what matters most to him is that he gets credit for any improvement, then he really is only a politician. Not a great leader.
Great leaders, like Franklin Roosevelt or Lincoln, they would tell you the same thing.
4
I have no problem with unions. It's the union leaders who fail to build a sense of pride in the work the membership is paid to do.
Men and women union members get paid well and get protected from harsh employers because of the union. Then why does the membership think it's alright to cheat the taxpayers? I blame the leadership. It's the example they set, the rules they make and the enforcement they control.
25
@Leslie Duval What about the leadership of the Democratic Party who will not challenge the unions and gives them everything that they want in exchange for their votes?
@Leslie Duval they’re not cheating. A guy is given eight hours to refurbish one truck. He does it in six and goes home. Now he’ll do it it in 8.
@nycpat If he does it in 6, he should start another and work on it for 2 hours before clocking out IF he's being paid by the hour. If he's a contractor and is paid by the job, then it's fine to go home a bit early as long as the work is on schedule.
Insightful article, but unsettling and sad. I've lived in Manhattan for 29 years and have used the subway regularly.
I witness 1st hand the decline in MTA service from the 1990s till 2017, concurrent with neglect from the Governor (and NYC Mayor). In just two years, Andy signficantly improved the service and more importantly, brought a vision for continued improvements (to a world-class standard) and was admired by both MTA workers and the public. I felt good and optimistic. While Andy may have contributed to the rif between Cuomo and himself, the blame--to me--goes to Cuomo. The Governor, who is an American and from our city, did little over the last 27 years and then hires an "outsider" who brought skills, energy, and a plan to "right" decades of neglect and associated problems by officials. Andy needed the Governor's support, not undermining and a competition for control and adjulation (now that someone else was getting the recognition). Cuomo has some ego and just killed the best chance the MTA and NYC have had in decades. If Cuomo were truly a skilled Governor he would have supported Andy however he could and together they could claim victory. Cuomo is a small man with a big ego.
149
The Mayor has no authority over the subway, can't blame him for this one.
2
@Mark V : Being driven around in a huge SUV shows his concern for mass transit.
4
@Mark V L Train?
New York will never run out of blame to pass around, especially as the so called leaders become more and more incompetent. The same is true in RI, where we lead that pack, and with more corruption throw in for bad measure.
4
If Cuomo is in charge of our subway, why is he not taking responsibility for neglecting it for years on end?
38
The problem is not either of these men even though both have outsize egos. The problem is the out of control unions and MTA workers who hinder any improvement - specially, they see automation as a threat to their princely pensions and lack of work ethic. Some MTA workers are getting paid for “working” 23h day for 365 days/year. It’s was a NYT article (finally) even though the NYP is the one routinely taking that union to task. Until whomever will tackle the union they will sabotage the subway system as far as improvements.
11
Though I've long admired Jim Dwyer's journalism, this love letter to Andrew Cuomo give me pause. Cuomo is, "by measure of things built, laws changed and electoral votes won as successful as any governor in history."
A housing activist would see it differently: By measure of real estate dollars taken in, Division of Housing and Community Renewal budgets slashed, and support for rogue Democratic state senators doing the bidding of landlords . . .
23
I am not sorry that Byford is gone. His plan to cut express buses is a disaster. Many people who are not able to use subways rely on them. Also, pushing for the cardless system will leave out countless people who do not have credit cards or bank accounts or smart phones.
2
I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on unions but most who have followed these stories for years — and see the work ethic of MTA station employees on a daily basis — can likely agree that New York City unions are too strong when 130 people can just doddle on home an hour or two before their shift is up and experience no repercussions important enough to warrant mention in this story... and still get their inflated salary packages before retiring at a nice young age with their inflated pensions (and thanks, DeBlasio, for bloating the rolls of NYC-funded pensioned jobs by 40+%). Those who disagree about the damaging power of NYC unions can tell it to Eric Garner’s family.
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@T Garner’s mother was a transit worker and TWU member. Transit workers can retire at age 55 after 25 years service. Most pensions are in the $30 to $40000 range. If you have specific evidence of wrong doing you should report it.
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@nycpat How cute. A New Yorker (maybe) who still thinks reporting wrongdoing results in repercussions.
3
@T in absolutely does. One of the reasons the TWU is strong is the harsh discipline transit workers face. Railroads may be different is that who you are so cynical about?
Also people hired in the last 20 years or so have to work 30 years to get a pension that does not include much overtime.
Imagine if they had been able to actually talk with each other and work together!
17
Cuomo has to go, period.
This guy complains that he’s “not in charge” of the subway when it’s broken and it needs fixing, but as soon as there is a shiny project, or things are going well, he’s suddenly “in charge”.
Am sick of this man (and any politician really) who constantly sees their time in office as about themselves.
Time to vote him out.
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Every worker who should have been on shift at the 207th St yard and wasn’t should have been fired. How is this acceptable? We pay for it!
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@QED ... this article does not give sufficient detail about the situation for us to make any sort of comment like yours. It was put in the article to elicit anger statements like yours, and then you bring that anger with you and dump it on the poor MTA workers next time you see them. Instead of demanding that these workers be fired, demand that the article be more transparent and detail oriented.
8
@Roberto - Do you live in the "real world" Roberto? What didn't you understand about Mr. Dwyer's description of common NYC union work practices? The NYT has featured many articles detailing how labor practices inflate costs for NYC transit to 3X or 4X those in other major cities!
12
Had MTA been a sports team, they would have done anything to keep Andy Byford. What should Andy Byford do next? Run for governor of NY. now wouldn't that be a great plot twist.
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@Leo this is like if Steinbrenner had fired Joe Torre in 1999 because the coach was too popular after his World Series victories.
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I hope Washington D.C. Metro planners will see this as an opportunity to recruit Mr. Byford.
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1. People die on the trains here. We just found out that for the last 8 years, the WAMTA people had an incorrect phone number to call for emergency services. Andy:Please come to Washington!
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@Michael Berry
Andy would be great for DC, but he's probably going to London.
@Dave No! We need Mr. Byford in Boston! You can’t have him LOL
Here lies another story with an ingredient not identified by the writer- testosterone.
Of course, it is sexist to suggest that these types of political squabbles between ambitious and intelligent men may be partially hormonal, and impossible to prove, but they are all too common in a political leadership dominated by men who so often battle each other even when there seems to be little difference in their goals or political ideology.
Why are the mayor and governor of NY so often at odds and unable to cooperate to forward their very similar liberal agendas?
The recipe is complicated and the precise role of the ingredients unknowable, but I welcome a political world that is infused with a lot more estrogen than the one I now inhabit. Perhaps it's about balance.
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@alan haigh
Yeah, things would be much better if theses titans would simply go out for coffee and a mani-pedi and "talk about it."
@David Isn't is possible than men are more wired for battle than women, that leadership skills and strategies are partially affected by personality?
Anyone with a shred of experience with very young children is likely to come the conclusion that gender has some affect on behavior.
Maybe it's optimistic to suggest we'd have better governance with a better gender balance but it isn't a ridiculous idea.
I wonder if the tendency to use ridicule as a debate strategy is at all affected by gender.
4
A great tragedy. Mr. Byford was the best thing to happen to the subway system. Astonishing that he is no longer here on the basis of Mr. Cuomo being able to get himself reelected. Perhaps Mike Bloomberg will run for governor. That way we will get some things done.
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@SR
Good suggestion. I don't want Bloomberg for president, but he ran the city well and I wouldn't mind seeing him as governor. He really does know how to appoint good people and let them do their jobs.
1
It looks like the worst transit system in the industrialized world is destined to stay that way.
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I returned from a ten-day trip to Berlin last month. I could scarcely believe my eyes (and ears) there! The shiny, puntcual U-Bahn system makes NYC’s subway look like a lot of jalopies hitched together — and moving at the velocity and smoothness of a caravan of Conestoga wagons crossing the plains.
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Yes the differences in appearance and service versus every other system I have used is striking. Another obvious fact is that business professionals no longer use the subway. Years ago you would see them in large numbers. Today they don’t get near the system. And money does not flow to projects and systems the elites have no interest in.
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Who thought Andrew Cuomo would be an effective governor? Who voted for this guy?
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@Midwest Josh: The same people who voted for DiBlasio!
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@Midwest Josh
Who voted for Andrew Cuomo? A lot of people who remembered the Pataki administration and knew that voting for a Republican would be worse.
1
Management aside, I suppose that wholesale firing of our overpaid, highly unionized transit workers—the ones who lie about drains and don’t do the work they are paid for—is impossible?
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“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” - Steve Jobs
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As with Trump, Cuomo thinks he is smarter than anyone.
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@ThePragmatist:
And that is precisely what Steve Jobs did NOT do in real life. Jobs was orders of magnitude worse as a micro-manager compared to Andrew Cuomo.
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@Bob The Builder Food for thought, without explicit citation on my part. But I think I read it in one of the books about Steve Jobs.
It is said that "old Steve Jobs" changed his management style, as compared to "young Steve Jobs". Jobs became less of a micro manager.
I make this point (even though I do not live in NY) in the hope that people can change. That, and the fact that I was going to post: This is a great NYT article; I enjoyed it, and it makes me reflect on my own management style.
2
I haven't even read the article and it is as clear as it ever was - it's long been time to VOTE CUOMO OUT! Just VOTE HIM OUT. Unfortunately, it is already too late, given the damage he has left in his wake, but another chance is upon us in 2022.
From pandering to his moneyed, PAC-contributing, Republican and Democratic tax-avoiding friends and temporary allies, to stiffing the working-class person with taxes, fees, extra any-kind-of-costs, and always blaming his budget woes it on the government worker, it is TIME TO VOTE CUOMO OUT. This man is no Democrat- he's a DINO and always has been. VOTE CUOMO OUT in 2022.
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Quite a drama! From this article I have learned that the MTA is poorly served by its staff, although I wonder if there are reasons for low staff motivation. I have learned that the Governor has identified real problems, but prefers an adversarial approach when he finds them.
Mr Byford comes out best from this. I am impressed that he has not gone to the media, but has tried to stay professional. Sadly, many politicians seem to have lost any sense of professionalism (a sideswipe at Senators).
Even the NY Times does not come out well. Why did your reporters not get information from the MTA workers about what was going on? Is it possible that there were other factors playing into the problems that were unearthed? Will Cuomo actually come to regret bad-mouthing the entire agency? Will sinking morale actually result in further setbacks?
22
The London Transport Commissioners job is vacant from May. I suspect AB is headed there.
8
You think Boris Johnson, as a former mayor of London, will be any better?
Whether it's the NY Subway, or the Boeing 737Max, or especially the country's Health Care system, the common cause of dysfunctionality is greed. As a people we have lost the will to work for the common good. Line my pockets, and look the other way is our creed.
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A good friend of mine is fond of saying that her mother used to tell her, "If you have a problem with everyone everyone is not the problem."
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Perhaps the governor has reached his “Sell By” date.
Too much power and concern for himself to let others do what they need to do. Same for the mayor.
Time to go.
More transparency and accountability for the MTA, the Port Authority, school governance...
Let’s elect people to serve, not be served.
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I loved on CPW for a couple years in the early 2000s. Rode the subway everywhere. I love NY; my favorite part is leaving...
1
Sad.
The one boss that both the customers and the workers liked and agreed did a good job.
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@Nycoolbreez My institutional memory is longer. David Gunn also fit that description; with John Simpson close behind. Of Gunn's successor, the less said, the better.
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I believe the whole system is set up to fail here in NYC. The state has far too much say in local government and the MTA is just one example. Because we have the MTA, state government and local government the average person has no idea who to talk to while this set up allows everyone to pass the buck. In the case of Byford-Cuomo they both decided the buck stops with them.
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@Thomas Renner I agree about the state having too much say in local government. Upstate New York operates under an absurd number of laws that were clearly crafted with "The City" in mind.
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Andrew! Andy! Go immediately to your rooms and close the doors until you can play nicely together!
Nobody needs this high-level clash of colossal male egos. Personal and collective mental health is risk of collapse. Stop playing with PEOPLE!
I loved NYC and lived there for 14 years. But on one boiling-hot morning in 2016, as I stood at 7am on the Manhattan-bound 7-train platform at 82nd St in Jackson Heights, I counted five local trains pass the station, all too full to take more passengers. Delays were endless. I saw children wet their pants more than once because they just couldn't hold it any longer. Tempers flared all the time. Blame for all this lay solely with the MTA.
My anxiety was nearly uncontrollable. I looked at the sky and knew I was done commuting 90 minutes one way, through Times Sq and up to 125th St. Three weeks later, with lease broken and furniture sold, I was gone. I know that most people cannot do what I did, but I'm grateful I had that moment of profound clarity that saved my sanity.
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@Eggs & Oatmeal I believe the blame for the overcrowded trains lies with the unbridled development in Flushing, Queens. NYC continues to allow too much development resulting in stress on our infrastructure. I wonder when drinking water will need to be rationed while all these new buildings continue to go up into the sky.
8
Gov. Cuomo wants to hitch the JFK AirTrain to the Mets-Willets Point/on the 7 train one stop from Flushing Main Street. I maintain that the overcrowded trains are due to slapdash projects and temporary fixes that become permanent. New York had no effective urban planning model.
9
The MTA is and has been big punch bowl for NY politics mismanaged on a grand scale. Andy being a true believer was bound to be tripped up by the politics. The are people that can run these entities but not when they have to appease the grifting class of overseers.
8
Meanwhile, our state roads here in the suburbs are crumbling. We ride in cars with wheels out-of-round and our teeth chatter as we hit the potholes.
It’s time for New York to have a governor who doesn’t make grand, but hollow pronouncements. It’s time we have a governor who focuses on daily quality-of-life issues and not personal grandstanding. It’s time we have a governor who can get along with people. It’s time we have a governor who eschews publicity-seeking projects that mostly serve his ego. And it’s time we have a governor without delusions of being president.
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@LIChef
Well, we could have voted for Cynthia Nixon. I did.
She didn't have experience herself, but she's smart enough that I trusted her to appoint people who know what they're doing. And she was willing to run against Cuomo when no one else would because they feared the vindictive retaliation he's notorious for.
1
“When the governor announced a plan suggested by engineers outside the transit system that would allow most service to continue, Mr. Byford said he would get his own team of experts to assess it, then embraced it.”
If this is the incident that drove them apart, it makes sense. First, Cuomo should have worked with Byford on the alternative idea before going public. Second, even given what happened, Byford should not have challenged his boss in public. He had a fair process to confirm the idea, but that was all ego. In short, there were private communication channels that could have been used to problem solve as a team, share credit, and respect tactical changes.
I’m sorry to make it about stereotypes, but this reeks of a particular kind of “male” ego (which I wouldn’t limit to only men: those types span genders). In other words, not every leader needs to continually battle, in public, over strategic plans. And not every VP, whatever their skills and smarts, needs to reply with *public* skepticism of a change of course. Sometimes you need people with more emotional intelligence to actually finish the hard jobs - contrary to the impulses of Type A’s.
It’s a small point of their combat, maybe, but one can see the problem right off.
25
@X
I took Byford's move on the L train to be a tactical public relations decision, and a wise one.
When Cuomo jumped in to announce this different solution that came from two academics, many, many of us were skeptical that it was anything more than a feeble Band-Aid. When Byford said he'd have people assess it, we relaxed for a minute, and when Byford's people said Cuomo's plan was okay, we accepted it.
Why? Because we knew from experience that Cuomo would jump in with anything that he thought would make himself look good, and we didn't (and don't) trust him. We trusted Byford.
Most leaders cannot repeat turnaround successes due to there being too many political variables involved. He turned the “Tube” around so New York decided he was the man to fix their subway. Had all things been equal or at least close to equal he could have done it.
This type of logic goes all the way down to school boards, police and fire departments which also leaves the taxpayer on the hook. My local government has suffered from politicians bringing in an outsider at extravagant salaries when compared to their predecessor to “fix” something. In most cases nothing is fixed and the carpetbagger jumps ship when their next job opportunity comes along. These kind of leaders have a few successes and then start salary shopping and job hopping while managing to do little to nothing along the way.
5
@JimH
Mmm, Cory Booker comes to mind.
1
Andy Byford was the unluckiest of transit executives - he was appointed to the top post at NYC Transit just as Governor Cuomo decided to take a hands on approach to the agency’s problems. It will be a couple of years before it can be determined whether Byford’s leadership creates any lasting improvement to the city’s mass transit system. Hey, that’s how things unfold at the MTA, slowly and deliberately. One thing we do know, right now, however. It has just become a lot more difficult to world class talent to lead the 50,000 men and women of North America’s largest mass transit system. Who would want to take over a job that is as tough as that one with the Governor leaning over your shoulder and going behind your back? I can’t think of anyone. Maybe Cuomo should apply.
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It's a shame Andy Byford is gone and surely will go on to far more appreciative transit systems of his expertise. Since individuals such as Andy's are so difficult to find, the solution to filling this role is Gov Andrew Cuomo. Clearly he has the hands on skills of a transit expert, having put his fingerprints wherever he could when Blyford back was turned. After all Gov Cuomo has single handily led New York State to vie with California the most taxed, the largest exudus of resident leaving for other states and the most generous distributed benefits and largest sanctuary state in the union, he could do the same for the transit system as it's chief. Clearly Andy Blyford should be considered to run for NYS Governor so that he could "assist" Cuomo run the NYC transit system!
15
Not long after Mr. Byford assumed control of NYC Transit, the New Yorker profiled him in a longish piece that described a consummate professional bringing the same skill set to NYC that had allowed him to turn things around in London and Toronto. The institutional hurdles chronicled, chief among them, a rivalry with Mr. Cuomo, were both intimidating and feudal in terms of fiefdoms and ultimate responsibility. The reader was left with a sense of optimism for Mr. Byford's plan for NYC's future. Like a white knight defeated, NYC now looks to the dark knight, and a sense of dread descends like a Hudson River fog.
63
Byford didn't improve the TTC user experience one iota. In fact, he made it worse. The TTC has never been the crumbling nightmare that is the New York Subway, so expectations and change levels were not impossible to tackle, yet under Byford train service became more crowded than ever, with fewer trains and extended wait times. What won him accolades was his good strategic plan. Credit where credit is due, but TTC riders were not sad to see him go.
1
Excellent article. Mr Cuomo's outsize ego is what gets things done but the flip side of that is he doesn't know when to let the people in charge run things. Egos have no place in the NYC transit system. Thank you to Mr. Byford what he's done, let's hope the next person can carry on, and Cuomo can stand out of the way, using his power to work the plan and support the choice. Where's deBlasio in this mess? Although not in charge of the MTA, could he have not done something? Another big ego, who's been a disappointment.
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@Meighan Corbett - Regarding deBlasio, I guess you don't know how the New York State/City thing works.
The Governor and the State Legislature totally control all the Authorities, plus many other supposed City responsibilities, and have for decades. (For fun, look up how much extra tax money NYC had to shift over to Albany to be allowed to adjust the number of Police Officers on the midnight to 8 AM shift about 40 years ago. This "system" is why the City pays about 70% of NYS taxes and gets back 30%. You folks in places like Rye make out pretty well. Be thankful.)
2
This was the best article I’ve ever read about the NYC subways: detailed, historical, honest. Bravo!
94
It makes no sense for the governor to be in charge of a city's mass transit system. Or its regional transit system. This arrangement makes no sense at all and will continue to hurt New York City.
I used to work for the Subways department at the MTA. There are a lot of problems with the MTA. Chief among them is Cuomo.
315
Can’t wait for next elections! Time fo him to go!!!!!
10
Byford was a civil servant, and Cuomo a politician. There are different motivations for doing one's job well, yet I believe Byford's comportment on the job is less self-aggrandizing than Cuomo, with his dynastic aim to become president.
136
The reporter having been a ‘fly on the wall’ or rather ‘a rat in the tunnels’ nails it in terms of two egos and a surfeit of ambition being too much for two capable and determined men to coexist. I expected before reading article I would think less of Cuomo. But I commend him for identifying with his own eyes the flaws in management and worker ethics as the falsely documented, unresolved drainage and the ghost yard of train repairmen demonstrate rot below, on street level and in the directors’ office suites. Yet, he cannot work with his own chosen subordinates then he has leadership issues, issues that make him unsuitable for Wash DC. Likewise, if the operation executive Mr Byford who was getting results cannot with his team and with the MTA Commissioners ensemble cannot address how to play in the sandbox Cuomo has chosen to micromanage, NYC subway is doomed. Cuomo has elevated the issue and looked to figure out the financing of improvements. We grant him that. No mention of Mayor Bill DeBlasio either who is someone who feuds with Gov Cuomo on this matter historically. I have been riding subway lines since 1970s. It is a travesty. An embarrassment when compared to any other city’s system in the ENTIRE world, dozens of which I have used. Apart from its original extensive network and some minor build out and station upgrades in past decades, it is pitiful. Mostly the desperate and poor ride it now.
54
your last point is just untrue as I and all my coworkers and professional-managerial friends and connections here still use the subway preferentially to all other modes, though this may be regional to a degree (we work centrally in downtown with multiple choices)
43
@Suburban Cowboy You are 100% wrong about who rides the subway every day. I lived there for 20 years and like many white-collar workers in Manhattan depended on the subway to get me to and from work. But yes, it's a mess, and it's overcrowding and breaking down was one of the reasons I left NYC.
29
@Suburban Cowboy
I won’t make assumptions about who is riding their horse to work in Dallas, and you probably shouldn’t guess who’s taking the subway in NY. It’s all of the people who don’t have black town cars ferrying them around or can’t/don’t want to ride a bike in the city’s streets. It’s still the best way to get around this city. On another note, thanks to the reporter for staying on this beat.
33
Yes classic Cupmo. The man who was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple. As far as the third track on Long Island. The jury is out on whether the benefit will be worth the disruption. Surely so far the suburban look an the destruction of greenery is the only thing visible
22
I take the subway every day. It has gotten better in the last year. There are fewer delays and therefore less crowded.
I do think Cuomo should have let Byford do his job. He successfully did it in other cities. By Cuomo going out and finding clogged drains, he corrupts the process and Byford’s leadership.
The subway system has been crumbling for decades. To blame Byford dismisses all the previous management failures. As stated, the drains had not been cleared in 20 years.
Cuomo did the same thing with the Tappan Zee Bridge. I like and support him, but he is overbearing.
The transit system desperately needs lots of help. Getting someone to take it over now will be very difficult. Please, please do not give that to DeBlasio. That would be disastrous.
175
god, what an appalling idea. de blasio has never ridden the subway as a matter of routine in his life. pure suburban windshield mentality. he’d destroy transit out of sheer ignorance and incompetence and bad instincts and refusal to learn.
12
@Cjnyc
One thing about rail, good track comes from good drainage. Keep your tracks from flooding or washing away you'll have good tracks. This applies whether a Class I railroad, a streetcar system of a subway.
2
Classic Cuomo. He consistently puts himself and his national political ambitions in front of the needs of New Yorkers. For someone who grew up in Queens, he seems to have a particular hostility to policies that would improve the lives of ordinary (mass transit-riding, apartment renting, public school attending,...) city dwellers. He quite literally never rides the subway unless it's for a photo op, but he has declared himself the expert and alienated an individual who was making progress on both long-term and short-term needs for the MTA. All hail Prince Andy!
234
I do not live in NYC nor visit often so articles like this are my only window into what is going on. I also do not know how well this article represents the true issues. But based on what was written here it seems that the management of the MTA holds a major responsibility for both the failure of the relationship as well the failure for more progress to be made. Wonder how often the top management of the MTA actually has gone out in the field to see what is going on.
26
I admit I do not understand why the governors is in charge of the NYC subway system. But it does seem that his oversized ego causes many problems, and he should have given more deference to a world expert with proven experience and who also made fantastic progress in NY in a short time. If it falls back or does not improve, seems to me Cuomo owns that. A great technological marvel for many years. It needs to be salvaged.
111