advertisement

---

On Friday, the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) announced that Metrolink Chief Executive Officer David Solow will assume a new role: He will step down as CEO and become advisor-interagency initiatives.

Solow will devote his time to “interagency collaborations” necessary for Metrolink to implement positive train control, other safety enhancements and interoperability agreements, SCRRA officials said in a prepared statement. He will work under an “at will” contract through the balance of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2010, at his current salary.

Solow will report to the CEO, who, for now, is Eric Haley. SCRRA on Friday named Haley interim CEO — for a period not to exceed six months — and announced the board will begin recruiting a top executive. A former CEO of Metrolink member agency Riverside County Transportation Commission, Haley will not be a candidate to succeed Solow, SCRRA officials said. The authority expects to name a new CEO in first-half 2010.

Meanwhile, Metrolink’s board last week took no action on staff recommendations to increase fares and cut service. Instead, the board will initiate the fiscal year 2010-11 budget process in January.