By David Pendered
MARTA’s CEO and another MARTA executive are the two finalists for the top transit job in Boston, according to media reports in Boston.
MARTA’s CEO Beverly Scott and COO Dwight Ferrell are the two finalists to head the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, according to the Massachusetts State House News Service – which quoted the secretary/CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
MBTA is the nation’s fifth largest transit system. MARTA is the ninth largest, according to published reports. Both systems are struggling to maintain their facilities and services at a time of dwindling financial resources.
Both Scott and Ferrell are slated to be interviewed in public on Monday, Sept. 24, according to published reports.
A MARTA official said the Atlanta transit agency had no comment on the situation.
Scott has announced that she is stepping down at the end of this year. Ferrell was among four finalists to succeed Scott, but didn’t make the short list of two candidates.
Both Scott and Ferrell were praised by Richard Davey, who headed MBTA until being named to the state secretary’s job a year ago.
“Either one would be terrific,” Davey said.
Davey was paraphrased as adding that some potential candidates for the job didn’t want to be interviewed because MBTA was releasing their names.
Click here to read the full story as reported by the Massachusetts State House News Service.
- Dwight Ferrell, MARTA deputy GM, COO
According to today’s “Boston Globe”, the Massachusetts Governor has selected Beverly Scott because of diversity and gender. She will be paid $225,000/year, $90,000 less than she is paid at MARTA. Dwight Ferrell is being paid $231,000/year by MARTA.
Now, why would Beverly Scott want to move to Boston, where the cost of living is about 38% higher than Atlanta, and take a 29% salary reduction at the same time? That cuts her standard of living almost in half. And Dwight Ferrell also, for that matter? Could it be that they know more about MARTA’s situation than has been acknowledged? Might it be rats getting off a sinking ship?