McGreevey Names Head of N.J. Transit

Governor James E. McGreevey, joined by Transportation Commissioner James Fox, announced today that Amtrak President and CEO George D. Warrington, the leading rail expert in the nation, has been chosen to become the new Executive Director of New Jersey Transit.

"George Warrington-a proven leader with years of experience handling major transportation issues in New Jersey-is the ideal person to tackle the challenges confronting NJ Transit," said McGreevey.

McGreevey is charging Warrington with using his strong leadership skills and results-oriented management style to address the overarching problems at NJ Transit such as overcrowding on buses and rails, poor customer service and financial difficulties.

"In addition to addressing the agency's financial problems, I am charging George with taking action to resolve overcrowding and improve the agency's day-to-day reliability," said McGreevey. "Literally, George will be responsible for making sure the trains run on time."

During his tenure at Amtrak, Warrington led the company to all-time record levels of ridership and revenues, while at the same time, building a more efficient, business-focused organization. His tenure was marked by the launch of Acela Express-North America's first high-speed rail service-and operation of a national rail network in the face of financial challenges which included inadequate federal support and conflicting mandates.

"George Warrington is arguably the nation's foremost rail expert. He has led Amtrak to record growth through improved quality of service-which is exactly what New Jersey now needs him to do at NJ Transit," said Fox. "Since September 11, more commuters are relying on New Jersey Transit than ever before. But we will not keep those riders if the system is too crowded. The challenge for George Warrington and New Jersey Transit could not be more clear-to provide a high-quality level of service that will keep more people riding."

Warrington will continue serving as Amtrak's President and CEO until the Board of Directors names an interim successor. The board has already begun a nationwide search for a permanent successor.

"My decision to lead NJ Transit is yet another opportunity for me to make a difference in the transportation field by building the infrastructure and running the operations necessary to make progress happen," said Warrington. "And it provides me with a chance to return to New Jersey."

New Jersey Transit is the nation's third-largest transit agency, with 10,000 employees serving 226 million heavy rail, light rail and bus commuters annually.

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Author: Paul Aronsohn