Librera Exiting NYCT Subways

Sally Librera, the first woman appointed MTA New York City Transit Senior Vice President Subways, has resigned, effective July 24.

“It has been my privilege and honor to work with an incredible team of professionals for the past 16 years at New York City Transit, and lead the hardworking, brave employees of the subway for the past two years,” Librera said in a statement. “I am incredibly proud of what we have done as a team to markedly improve performance for our riders and carry New Yorkers through the unbelievably challenging peak of the COVID-19 pandemic this year. I will forever be inspired by the bravery and fortitude of the subway’s employees, each of whom are true masters of their crafts. I have made the difficult decision to transition toward new opportunities, but I am confident the talented subways team will continue to deliver for our customers.”

Librera joined the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 2004 as a transportation planner following a teaching career in California, rose through the ranks over the next 16 years, running the Staten Island Railway prior to her appointment as SVP Subways in 2018. MTA officials said she had planned on leaving just before New York City became the U.S. epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, but stayed on to help the agency through the crisis. Librera is credited with “managing the suspension of overnight service (a 1:00 AM to 5:00 AM shutdown for intensive cleaning and disinfecting of every subway station railcar; keeping the subways running with an unprecedented number of workers out and amid general workforce concerns (a single positive coronavirus test could force many workers on the same subway line to be quarantined).

Librera’s resignation is the third major departure for NYCT this year. On Jan. 23, Andy Byford resigned as President, followed on the same day by Vice President Network and Resignaling Pete Tomlin. Byford is now Transport for London Commissioner. NYCT Subways Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Frank Jezycki will take over for Librera on an interim basis.

NYCT Interim President Sarah Feinberg also released a statement, praising Librera for her accomplishments: “When you have someone as passionate and incredibly talented as Sally Librera, you know at some point she is going to continue her journey and move on. MTA New York City Transit has been fortunate to have Sally leading Subways since May 2018 and holding various roles, including VP and Chief Officer of Staten Island Railway, for the past 16 years. Running subways is one of the hardest jobs in the country, and over the past two years Sally has been instrumental in improving the system’s performance. In the past four months, she has proven her strength and leadership getting the system through an unprecedented pandemic, and I know she will command her next endeavor with the same diligence she has at the MTA.”