New York City Transit's Leader to head Subways Department

MTA New York City Transit Acting President Carmen Bianco has named veteran transit manager Joseph Leader acting senior vice president of the Department of Subways.

Most recently, Leader served as NYCT's vice president and chief maintenance officer. He will fill the post that Bianco held prior to his appointment as acting president, according to an NYCT press release.

An electrical engineer with 27 years of NYCT experience, Leader previously spent 10 years as senior manager with the Department of Subways and five years as superintendent of track safety. He also was director of investigations in the Office of System Safety, served as a line general manager and led an effort to implement the FASTRACK maintenance program.

Leader took a front line, hands-on approach during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and Hurricane Irene in 2011, NYCT officials said.

In the event the SVP position requires a permanent appointment, the position will be advertised and interviews will be conducted, they said.