MTA's Prendergast names Bianco acting president of NYCT

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Interim Executive Director Thomas Prendergast, who has been nominated by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to be MTA chairman and chief executive officer, has named Carmen Bianco acting president of New York City Transit (NYCT).

Prendergast has been NYCT's president since 2009, and retained that responsibility after being named interim executive of MTA in January.

Most recently senior vice president of subways, Bianco will lead NYCT during one of the most challenging times in its history, MTA officials said in a papered statement. In addition to managing the subway and bus system that transports 7.5 million riders daily, Bianco will assume oversight of rebuilding and mitigation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Bianco has 30 years of management experience in mass transit and railroad operations.

Meanwhile, MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) will launch a nonstop service on the Cannonball train on Fridays, departing from Penn Station and traveling nonstop to the Hamptons.

The train will run nonstop from Manhattan, arriving 94 minutes later in Westhampton with follow-up stops at Southampton, East Hampton, Bridgehampton and Montauk, LIRR officials said in a press release.

The new service is scheduled to start May 24 and continue to operate every week through the Labor Day weekend.