'Transit' Names New Subway Line Bosses On 'Number' Trains

New York City Transit has introduced a new set of individual subway Line General Managers in its gradual restructuring of subway management.

For the last year, the L and 7 lines have operated with new Line General Managers who are responsible for each line, instead of lines operating under the auspices of a centralized management. Metropolitan Transportation Authority Executive Director and CEO Elliot Sander said this would cut out a layer of management, reduce costs and hold managers more accountable.

Line Divisions Created

NYC Transit Oct. 27 announced two new line divisions, the IRT West (the 1, 2, 3 and 7 lines) and the IRT East (the 4, 5, 6 and 42nd St. Shuttle).

Louis Brusati, who had been the Line General Manager on the 7 line, will be the Group General Manager for IRT West.

Evelyn Koehler, who started her career as a Station Agent, will be the 1 Line General Manager. Joseph Ragusa, who worked his way through the Car Equipment Division, will be responsible for the 2 line.

After serving as Deputy Line General Manager on the L line under Greg Lombardi, Demetrius Crichlow will oversee the 3 line. John Hoban will take over Mr. Brusati's position supervising the 7 line.

With experience at Amtrak as well as NYC Transit, David Knights will serve as the IRT East Group General Manager. Herbert Smith will handle the 4 line and the 42nd St. Shuttle, Robert Smith will oversee the 5 line, and Gricelda Cespedes will be the 6 Line General Manager.

A statement from the Transport Workers Union Local 100 Stations Department said that one advantage of the Line General Manager system on the 7 and L lines was that it kept lunch relief workers assigned to specific lines rather than being moved around the boroughs.

"The implementation of the line-management program on the L and 7 lines now has [Station Agents] on those lines working exclusively at stations along those lines," it said. "No more getting tossed around like a pinball throughout the system."

The Transit Supervisors Organization has supported the change, and the Straphangers Campaign has cited the Line General Manager system for improved service on the 7 and L lines in the past year.