Metro-North's Permut to step down, Tri-Rail's Giulietti to be named successor, media reports say

MTA Metro-North Railroad President Howard Permut plans to step down following a year of tragedies and other challenging events at the commuter railroad, New York City-based news organizations reported yesterday.

Permut announced his retirement to Metro-North staff late yesterday afternoon, according to the New York Times. Joseph Giulietti, executive director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), is expected to be named Permut's successor, according to the Times and the Wall Street Journal. SFRTA operates Tri-Rail service.

Permut has been Metro-North's president since 2008. The past year has been particularly difficult for the railroad, with the most tragic event occurring on Dec. 1, when a speeding train derailed on a curve north of the Spuyten Duyvil station near the Bronx, killing four people and injuring more than 70 others.

The Federal Railroad Administration issued an emergency order to require Metro-North to make numerous safety improvements.