Highway Administrator To Become Interim MBTA General Manager
BOSTON (CBS) -- The state's highway administrator will soon take over for outgoing MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott on an interim basis, transportation officials announced Wednesday.
Frank DePaola, who also serves as MassDOT's chief operating officer, will head a transit system that has struggled to operate during an extraordinarily harsh winter for the region.
The appointment made by the MassDOT Board of Directors is effective March 4.
"With the depth and breadth of Frank's experience as an engineer, a manager, and a problem-solver, I have full confidence that he has the skill sets and capabilities to serve as Interim General Manager," Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said in a statement.
Before he was named highway administrator, DePaola served as MBTA assistant general manager for design and construction for two years. In that position, DePaola managed construction projects and oversaw capital spending for the T.
"I want to thank the Board of Directors for their trust in my abilities, and I am excited to take on this critical role at the MBTA," DePaola said. "I also look forward to assisting with the Special Panel's search to get to the root cause of the issues our transit system faces. Once the issues are diagnosed, I look forward to helping implement a strategy to restore our system to full strength, and restoring our customers' faith in our ability to provide safe, reliable, efficient transit service."
That special panel was announced by Gov. Charlie Baker last week to look into the MBTA's winter weather woes. The system has turned to the National Guard, civilian workers and even inmates to help shovel out tracks from under record-setting amounts of snow.
Scott said earlier this month that she would leave her job in April.
"I cannot think of a better, more qualified person to take the reins immediately, and provide the necessary leadership to move our transit system in the right direction," Scott said in a statement. "I can leave this job I've loved, knowing that MBTA customers as well as employees are in very capable hands and I look forward to working with Frank during the transition process."
Thomas Tinlin, the head of Highway Operations and Maintenance, will become acting highway administrator in DePaola's absence, MassDOT said.
