Gov. nominates MTA acting chair, CEO Janno Lieber to head agency

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday nominated Janno Lieber, acting head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to serve as CEO and chairman of the agency.

Lieber, whose nomination must be approved by the State Senate, has been acting chair and CEO since July 2021 when he was appointed by former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. At the time, Cuomo wanted to split the role of chairman and CEO into two jobs but the State Legislature later blocked the plan. The plan would’ve changed how the state-run agency has operated for most of its history.

In a statement released by the governor’s office, Lieber said: "I am honored and grateful to be nominated by Governor Hochul, who has been a supporter from day one of a smart transit system that serves all New Yorkers. I look forward to working with the governor, her team and our partners in the legislature to ensure that subways, buses and commuter railroads continue to be an engine fueling the region's economic recovery."

Lieber has been president of the MTA’s construction and development office and handled projects including the Long Island Rail Road expansion project that aims to construct a 10-mile third track between Floral Park and Hicksville. The MTA is the LIRR’s parent organization.

Hochul also announced she was appointing Elizabeth Velez to serve on the MTA board, the agency’s governing body. There are 22 members on the board.

"The MTA is a crucial connection point for New Yorkers throughout our city. With the impending influx of infrastructure dollars, the MTA is central to not only improving essential transportation, but also to creating opportunities both in workforce and procurement that affects our communities," Velez said in a statement.

The pandemic has hurt ridership on the MTA and the agency has projected it could take until the end of 2024 for 80% of riders to return to the system.

While the agency struggles to lure back riders, a recent LIRR customer satisfaction survey found that dissatisfied riders were primarily concerned with the state of Penn Station, including homelessness and panhandling issues.

The agency has said it is has taken several steps to deal with these quality of life concerns, including by adding police to monitor for illegal activity and working with a homeless outreach contractor.