So far we trust the English language.
Perhaps that’s one reason why Fiandaca found himself on the wrong side of Team Healy.
It is said that he did not see eye to eye with her. Eng, veteran leader He was the person who ran New York’s transportation system. She also didn’t get along well with Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits Nutt, who was appointed on the same day as Mr. Fiandaca. Now, Tibbits Nutt (who I hear was a finalist for her secretaryship) will become her acting secretary when Fiandaca resigns on September 11th.
Thanks to Tibbits Nut, I have another reason to stay calm and collected about my commute.
As a former managing director, 128 Business Council, she knows her traffic policy. On the Business Council, she represented the needs of suburban commuters. Her organization operated a private bus shuttle that carried about 200,000 passengers a year and connected Alewife to transit hub stations such as the Red Line station.
Appointed by then-Governor Charlie Baker, Mr. Tibbitsnutt also served for six years on the MBTA Financial Management Board (including vice chair) and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors.
I heard that Ms. Tibbits Nutt was initially removed from her job as a secretary because she did not have enough work experience. Mr. Fiandaca has proven himself in this capacity, first serving as Boston’s transportation commissioner under former Mayor Marty Walsh, and then as assistant city manager overseeing transportation for the city of Austin, Texas.
One can’t help but think that Tibbits-Nutt joined the Healey administration with the goal of one day becoming Secretary of Transportation. I don’t think anyone expected that day to come so soon. Transportation secretaries tend to come and go, but less than eight months may be a modern record.
So, is Tibbits Nutt, 41, ready? The people I talk to say yes.
“She’s quiet, but she’s very smart and thoughtful and absorbs information and asks the right questions,” said Jim, who runs the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and worked for the T in a previous life, including as interim general manager. Rooney says.
Rooney said he first learned about Tibbits-Nutt as a business group leader and was so impressed that the Boston Chamber of Commerce recognized her as an Outstanding Young Leader in 2021. Rooney then worked with her when she sat on the T control board. Fixing the transportation system is one of her biggest priorities in the business world.
“Monica is passionate about transportation and thinks strategically,” Rooney said. “Although her experience in management roles is limited, I consider her an inspirational and collaborative leader in her own right.”
Kate Dineen, CEO of Business Advocacy Group better cityshe said she was surprised by Fiandaca’s resignation but knows the state’s transportation system is well managed by Tibbits-Nutt.
Dineen, whose group focuses on transportation issues, said Tibbits-Nutt is trusted by advocates and stakeholders. On the control board, Tibbits Nat was known as a vocal advocate for riders, pushing for: Discounted fares for low-income earners.
“I’m not the only one who thinks Monica is great,” Dineen said. “She is in a very good position to step up and ensure a smooth transition.”
I don’t expect the Healey government to rush into a nationwide search. I think the governor will give Mr. Tibbitsnutt a chance to prove he is ready for his permanent post.
Tibbits-Nutt certainly has the resume and experience to get the job done. She is reminiscent of the Baker administration’s first Secretary of Transportation, Stephanie Pollack, who came to the role from a background in academia and policy. She served for six years, one of the longest tenures for a transportation secretary.
As a Black woman, Tibbitsnutt also brings an equity perspective to the MBTA’s increasingly diverse ridership. The 2022 MBTA Rider Survey found that people of color (black, Latino, or non-white) made up 58% of riders, compared to 34.3% from 2015 to 2017. There was found.
Only one other Black person has served as Secretary of Transportation — Richard Taylor, appointed in 1991 by then-Governor Bill Weld.
We may never know exactly what happened between Fiandaca and Healy so quickly. Perhaps, as speculation goes, Fiandaca, a girl from East Boston, wanted to return to Eastie for one of the most coveted jobs in the public sector: CEO of the recently opened Massachusetts Port Authority. It might have been.
I have no intention of getting involved in palace intrigue. The most important thing is whether someone can solve our traffic jams and make the trains run on time.
That’s all there is. Carry on, commuters.
Shirley Leung is a business columnist and host of the Globe Opinion podcast “Say More with Shirley Leung.”Find a podcast apple, spotifyand globe.com/saymore.
Shirley Leung is a business columnist. Contact her at shirley.leung@globe.com.