NYC Transit Boss Revokes Resignation Amid Reports Of Departure

NEW YORK — Andy Byford, the transit boss widely credited with stabilizing New York City's beleaguered subways, revoked his resignation Friday amid reports that he wanted to leave his post.

The New York City Transit president has rescinded a letter of resignation he reportedly submitted to Metropolitan Transportation Authority brass last week, MTA spokesperson Abbey Collins said.

"I'm not going anywhere and I remain laser focused on improving day-to-day service for millions of New Yorkers and delivering a transformed transit network," Byford said in a statement.

Since starting his job in January 2018, Byford has overseen a rescuscitation of subway service and proposed a sweeping plan to modernize the city's sprawling but troubled public transit over the next decade.

But he has also grown weary with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's micromanagement of the MTA and does not want to oversee service cuts that top transit officials have proposed, according to Politico New York, which first reported his quiet resignation.

MTA officials worked in recent days to convince Byford to stick around, Politico reported, an effort that was apparently successful.

Byford's near-departure came just a month after the MTA unveiled its massive $51 billion capital plan that includes historic investment in the city's transit system. It largely aligns with Byford's Fast Forward plan to resurrect the subway by installing modern signals, making more stations accessible to disabled riders and implementing other improvements.

"The historic $51 billion capital plan provides a golden opportunity to further transform the subway and bus network — with unprecedented investments in accessibility — and my team and I are totally focused on achieving that," Byford said Friday.

Friday marked at least the third time that Byford was reportedly said to be near stepping down. Gothamist reported in June that he was ready to quit, and The New York Times reported in April that he might leave because of his conflict with Cuomo.

But Byford's relationship with the Democratic governor appears to have softened since then. Cuomo called him a "get-it-done guy" with "New York mojo" at a news conference in September.

"The Governor and I are on exactly the same page about the need to dramatically improve the transit system in New York and we now have the plan and the funding to do that," Byford said in his statement.