A transit official with experience in two of the largest city transportation networks in the world was appointed as the new chief executive officer for Metro Vancouver's transit authority on Wednesday.
Tom Prendergast, TransLink's new CEO, has more than 30 years experience running transportation networks, including several years in the New York transportation system, which sees 4.9 million users every day, and work with London, England's Underground system.
"When I came to New York in 1982, crime was rampant," he said. "There was uncontrolled environment, graffiti everywhere. There were a number of things we did to employ a sense of order, control, and community presence in terms of policing that changed that mindset."
TransLink Chair Dale Parker said the large scope of Metro Vancouver's integrated transit system demanded a new CEO with a broad range of experience, and the search attracted worldwide attention.
While Prendergast admits he knows very little about Metro Vancouver, he agrees with the provincial government's assertion that getting people out of their cars is a top priority, and will be his biggest challenge.
"There's an adage in this business that you're only as good as your last rush hour," he said.
But Prendergast doesn't necessarily agree with the idea of installing turnstiles on the SkyTrain system, which Minister of Transportation Kevin Falcon has called for by 2010.
"Whether you put them in or not, you take it through a decision making process," he said. "But there are pros and cons to having turnstiles."
The new official may face tough criticism from transit users, who have seen fare increases four times in the past eight years, and say the system is overcrowded.
Prendergast replaces Pat Jacobsen, who left TransLink in May.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Shannon Paterson
