NJ Transit names Tabon chief of new safety office

New Jersey Transit's board has appointed Gardner Tabon chief of the agency's recently established Office of System Safety.

The appointment was part of the agency's effort to "reinvigorate" its safety culture, NJ Transit officials said in a press release. In May, Executive Director Veronique Hakim established the office to monitor, review and evaluate safety measures, programs and incidents across the system, as well as analyze overall safety statistics and develop safety programs pertaining to operations and facilities.

Tabon previously served for six years as chief of safety and security for Valley Metro in Phoenix, where he established and managed a system safety program. Before that, he spent five years as a system safety officer at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, where he established policies and procedures that enabled the operating departments to function safely and efficiently, NJ Transit officials said.

"As a career professional with nearly 25 years in the transportation industry, Gardner's broad experience in rail, bus and light rail system safety will serve [us] and our customers well," said Hakim. "His depth of knowledge pertaining to safety will be an asset to the agency as we focus on improving and emphasizing common safety principles and practices across our network."