To the dismay of transit advocates, Elliot “Lee” Sander announced his resignation as CEO/executive director of the MTA yesterday. The news came a few hours after Governor Paterson signed a bill to reduce fare increases and stop service cuts and publicly called for reform and a shakeup of MTA management.

Sander’s tenure at the agency was hailed by transit advocates and labor unions, and many expressed concern that a replacement would not be as qualified to run the unwieldy agency:

“Lee has been a champion for nine million daily weekday passengers, working hard for improved and expanded subways, buses and commuter rail,” said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign. “If the Straphangers Campaign was in charge here, we would have begged Lee Sander to stay.”

“He took the first real major steps to turn the agency around, to restore the customer-service orientation there, to restore employee confidence and to make the agency more transparent and accountable,” TWU President Roger Toussaint told the NY Times. “My greatest concern here is that the progress made could be lost if the governor makes a wrong choice.”

“Lee is a transit advocate and we hope that Governor Paterson will appoint someone who’s equally qualified,” Kate Slevin of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign told the Journal News.  “Lee really understood transportation policy.”

Sander told news outlets, including Reuters and WNYC, that by accepting his resignation, Governor Paterson was pushing him out.

Sander’s accomplishments during his two years at the agency are numerous and include:

• Improved customer service with email and text alerts about service outages, and annual rider report cards for each subway line.
• Improved relationship with labor unions.
• Integration of MTA’s three bus companies into one, a vital step toward improved, better coordinated service.
• Implementation of the  Select Bus Service in the Bronx.
• Progress on the agency’s megaprojects including 2nd Ave subway and East Side Access.
• Greening the MTA with a sustainability initiative.

Governor Paterson promised to conduct a national and international search for “the strongest possible candidate.” Many media outlets have cited Paterson senior advisor Marc Shaw as a possible replacement.

HELP WANTED: TRANSPORTATION PROFESSIONALS NEEDED

With Sander’s resignation effective May 22, New York State will lose two top transportation leaders this month. Astrid Glynn officially resigned as New York State Department of Transportation commissioner today after announcing last month that she would step down. Both Glynn and Sander were well respected and, absent of strong replacements, their departures could mean a step backward for transportation reform efforts in our region.

There is at least some reason for optimism. Port Authority executive director Chris Ward, Gov. Paterson’s biggest transportation appointment so far, has emphasized transit improvements and has been credited for putting the rebuilding of Ground Zero back on track.