Rich Davey, General Manager of the MBTA, is getting a salary boost and taking on a new state job, but just because he’s going to rake in more money doesn’t mean he will snub his fellow T riders.
Davey, 38, told Metro he would continue to take the Green Line to work as Secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
“I might need to look into getting a car for when I go out of town for work, though,” he said.
Davey, who became the GM of the MBTA in March 2010, will assume his new position under Governor Deval Patrick on Sept. 1.
He said he will try and fill the shoes of current Transportation Secretary Jeffrey Mullan, who is returning to the private job sector.
Touting his achievements as GM, Davey said he was particularly proud of the real-time data applications launched this year that help commuters know the precise location of their transit vehicle.
“We are leading the nation in transit ideas,” he said, following a press conference with Mullan and Patrick Thursday afternoon.
Patrick said Davey has a “proven record of commitment” to customer safety and service and an energetic leadership style.
Davey focused a lot of that energy this year trying to boost revenue for the MBTA.
With ideas like selling the naming rights of T stops and starting an online store that sells exclusive MBTA apparel, Davey tried to avoid T fare hikes.
But in his final month as GM, Davey said that option is now on the table for the next fiscal year.
Prior to his role as general manager, Davey spent a year and a half at the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, the company that operates and maintains the MBTA’s commuter rail service.
Davey will get to name his predecessor later this month.
Davey’s Reign
The good
-Made data available for developers to create smartphone applications
-Uses twitter as a platform to fix problems with the T and interact with customers
-The T hit a record high in ridership, with 379 million passenger trips, during Davey’s time as GM
The bad
-Poor winter performance for on-time trains forced out an apology from the man himself
-Further delays of the long awaited Green Line extension were announced this week pushing the project to 2018.
-Last month, more than 3 separate trains broke down, trapping customers underground for up to three hours.
Follow Steve Annear on Twitter @steveannear.
