Phillip Eng

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Phillip Eng
Phil Eng final MTA board meeting (51901480316).jpg
Eng in 2022
Born1961or1962(age 62–63)
Alma mater Cooper Union (BE)
Years active1983–present
Known for

Phillip Eng (born 1961or1962) [1] is an American civil engineer and transit executive currently serving as general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

Contents

Early life and education

Eng is the son of Chinese immigrants. He grew up in Williston Park on Long Island, then moved to Mineola. [2] [3]

He earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Cooper Union in 1983. [4]

Career

Eng began his career in 1983 as a junior engineer at the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). He became the department's chief engineer and executive deputy commissioner in 2013. [5] At NYSDOT, he helped execute projects including the construction of the Kosciuszko Bridge and the opening of Rochester station. [4]

In March 2017, Eng was named chief operating officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, then became the New York City Transit Authority's interim president for four months beginning that October. [2] [5] In 2018, he became the 40th president of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). [2] [6] In that role, he enacted the initiative "LIRR Forward" to improve the system's reliability, setting on-time records in 2020 and 2021. [7]

After he retired from the LIRR in 2022, he was hired as executive vice president of the LiRo Group, a construction management firm. [8]

Eng was appointed by Massachusetts governor Maura Healey to head the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and started as general manager in April 2023. [9] At the time he assumed leadership, the MBTA faced a maintenance backlog worth an estimated $24.5 billion. [10] In his first year, he vowed to clear the slow zones that plagued many of the MBTA's lines and recover ridership lost to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. [11]

The MBTA had been widely criticized for mismanagement before Eng's appointment; the executive director of the agency's advisory board told Axios six months into Eng's term in leadership that "with Phil Eng, it's like the adults are finally in charge." [12] He is the first MBTA general manager since 2015 with previous experience leading a transit agency. [1] In April 2024, Boston.com ran an "unscientific" poll of its readers, finding the plurality of readers giving Eng a grade of 'A' for his job performance at the MBTA. While some were frustrated by the deliberate shutdowns created to clear the slow zones, most readers had praise for Eng's tenure in Boston transit, emphasizing Eng's positive changes in transparency, communication, as well as tangible improvements in their commutes. [13] Eng has also been lauded for his improvements in management and culture at the MBTA. [14]

Personal life

Eng is married and has four children. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, near the Lechmere station. [1]

Eng is a beer enthusiast and homebrews his own beer. [15] He is a fan of the New York Mets. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority</span> Public transport agency in the U.S.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network includes the MBTA subway with three metro lines, two light rail lines, and a five-line bus rapid transit system ; MBTA bus local and express service; the twelve-line MBTA Commuter Rail system, and several ferry routes. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 239,981,700, or about 796,300 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024, of which the rapid transit lines averaged 265,900 and the light rail lines 95,900, making it the fourth-busiest rapid transit system and the third-busiest light rail system in the United States. As of the second quarter of 2024, average weekday ridership of the commuter rail system was 107,500, making it the fifth-busiest commuter rail system in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Line (MBTA)</span> Light rail system

The Green Line is a semi-metro system run by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in the Boston, Massachusetts, metropolitan area. It is the oldest MBTA subway line, and with tunnel sections dating from 1897, the oldest subway in North America. It runs underground through downtown Boston, and on the surface into inner suburbs via six branches on radial boulevards and grade-separated alignments. With an average daily weekday ridership of 101,000 in 2023, it is among the most heavily used light rail systems in the country. The line was assigned the green color in 1967 during a systemwide rebranding because several branches pass through sections of the Emerald Necklace of Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange Line (MBTA)</span> Rapid transit line in Greater Boston

The Orange Line is a rapid transit line operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) as part of the MBTA subway system. The line runs south on the surface from Oak Grove station in Malden, Massachusetts through Malden and Medford, paralleling the Haverhill Line, then crosses the Mystic River on a bridge into Somerville, then into Charlestown. It passes under the Charles River and runs through Downtown Boston in the Washington Street Tunnel. The line returns to the surface in the South End, then follows the Southwest Corridor southwest in a cut through Roxbury and Jamaica Plain to Forest Hills station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airport station (MBTA)</span> Rapid transit station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Airport station is a rapid transit station in Boston, Massachusetts. It serves the MBTA Blue Line and the SL3 branch of the Silver Line. It is located in East Boston under the interchange between Interstate 90 and Massachusetts Route 1A. The station provides one of two mass transit connections to the nearby Logan International Airport, as well as serving local residents in East Boston. Shuttle buses connect the station with the airport terminals and other facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wellington station (MBTA)</span> Rapid transit station in Medford, Massachusetts, US

Wellington station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Orange Line rapid transit station in Medford, Massachusetts, near the border of Everett. It is located on the Revere Beach Parkway, slightly east of its intersection with Route 28. Wellington functions as a park and ride with more than 1,300 spaces, and a bus hub with eight routes terminating at the station. The Station Landing development, connected to the station by an overhead walkway, includes residential and retail buildings and additional parking. Wellington Carhouse, the primary repair and maintenance facility for the Orange Line, is located adjacent to the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MBTA Commuter Rail</span> Greater Boston commuter rail system

The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as the commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA's) transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States. Trains run over 394 mi (634 km) of track to 135 stations. It is operated under contract by Keolis, which took over operations on July 1, 2014, from the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MBTA bus</span> Greater Boston bus network

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operates 152 bus routes in the Greater Boston area. The MBTA has a policy objective to provide transit service within walking distance for all residents living in areas with population densities greater than 5,000 inhabitants per square mile (1,900/km2) within the MBTA's service district. Much of this service is provided by bus. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 91,459,700, or about 318,100 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malden Center station</span> Transit station in Malden, Massachusetts, US

Malden Center station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) intermodal transit station in Malden, Massachusetts. Located on an elevated grade above Pleasant Street in downtown Malden, it serves the rapid transit Orange Line and the MBTA Commuter Rail Haverhill Line. The station has one island platform for the two Orange Line tracks and a single side platform for the single commuter rail track. Two busways are used by 12 MBTA bus routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MBTA key bus routes</span> Bus routes utilized and ran by the MBTA

Key bus routes of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) system are 15 routes that have high ridership and higher frequency standards than other bus lines, according to the 2004 MBTA Service Policy. Together, they account for roughly 40% of the MBTA's total bus ridership. These key bus routes ensure basic geographic coverage with frequent service in the densest areas of Boston, and connect to other MBTA services to give access to other areas throughout the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sullivan Square station</span> Rapid transit station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Sullivan Square station is a rapid transit station on the MBTA subway Orange Line, located adjacent to Sullivan Square in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is a major transfer point for MBTA bus service, with 12 routes using a two-level busway. The station has two island platforms serving the two active Orange Line tracks plus an unused third track. The Haverhill Line and Newburyport/Rockport Line pass through the station on separate tracks but do not stop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairmount Line</span> MBTA Commuter Rail line

The Fairmount Line or Dorchester Branch is a line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Except for a short portion in Milton, it lies entirely within Boston, running southwest from South Station through the neighborhoods of Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park. Weekend service began on November 29, 2014. Most trains reverse direction at the south end at Readville, but some Franklin/Foxboro Line trains use the Fairmount Line rather than the Northeast Corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Framingham/Worcester Line</span> MBTA commuter railroad line

The Framingham/Worcester Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system runs west from Boston, Massachusetts to Worcester, Massachusetts through the MetroWest region, serving 17 station stops in Boston, Newton, Wellesley, Natick, Framingham, Ashland, Southborough, Westborough, Grafton, and Worcester. It is the third longest and third busiest line in the MBTA Commuter Rail system. Service on the line is a mix of local and express trains serving Worcester plus short-turn Framingham locals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CharlieCard</span> Public transit smart card used in Boston

The CharlieCard is a contactless smart card used for fare payment for transportation in the Boston area. It is the primary payment method for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and several regional public transport systems in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is used on the MBTA's subway and bus services, but is not currently accepted on the MBTA Commuter Rail and ferries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MBTA boat</span> Ferry service in Massachusetts, US

The MBTA ferry system is a public boat service providing water transportation in Boston Harbor. It is operated by Hornblower Cruises under contract to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,260,000, or about 5,000 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024. The system has six routes that terminate in downtown Boston. Year-round routes run to Hingham directly (F1) and via Hull (F2H), and to the Charlestown Navy Yard (F4). Seasonal routes run to Lynn (F3), Winthrop (F5), and East Boston (F6).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Symphony station (MBTA)</span> Subway station in Boston, Massachusetts, US

Symphony station is an underground light rail station in Boston, Massachusetts on the E branch of the MBTA Green Line. It is located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Huntington Avenue. Symphony is the outermost underground station on the E branch; after leaving Symphony, outbound trains emerge onto the surface and continue down the median of Huntington Avenue. Symphony station is named after the nearby Symphony Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the MBTA</span> Story of mass transit in the Boston US area

The history of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and its predecessors spans two centuries, starting with one of the oldest railroads in the United States. Development of mass transportation both followed existing economic and population patterns, and helped shape those patterns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Line Extension</span> Light rail system in greater Boston, US

The Green Line Extension (GLX) was a construction project to extend the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line light rail system northwest into Somerville and Medford, two inner suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. The project opened in two phases in 2022 at a total cost of $2.28 billion. Total ridership on the 4.3-mile (6.9 km) extension is estimated to reach 45,000 one-way trips per day in 2030.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard A. Davey</span> American attorney and transportation executive

Richard A. Davey is an American attorney and transportation executive. He was the Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation from September 2011 to October 2014 and previously the General Manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority from March 2010 to September 2011. He was also the President of the New York City Transit Authority from 2022 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Grabauskas</span> American transportation executive and government figure

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gina Fiandaca</span>

Gina Fiandaca is an American government official who served as secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation from January to September 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dolven, Taylor (July 8, 2023). "The MBTA's new leader is more optimistic about Boston's subway than you are". Boston Globe. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Castillo, Alfonso A. (April 13, 2018). "MTA names its COO, from Smithtown, as next LIRR president". Newsday. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  3. Wolfe, Jonathan (April 19, 2018). "New York Today: A Q. & A. With the New L.I.R.R. President". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Phillip Eng CE'83". The Cooper Union. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 Seay, Bob (March 28, 2023). "5 things to know about Phillip Eng, the new general manager of the MBTA". GBH News. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  6. Dolven, Taylor; Soebroto, Ashley (April 10, 2023). "As Phillip Eng takes over as MBTA general manager, his focus: 'regain that trust'". Boston Globe. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  7. Castillo, Alfonso A. (February 11, 2022). "LIRR president Phillip Eng resigns; Metro-North president named replacement". Newsday. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  8. "The LiRo Group Welcomes Phillip Eng, PE, as Executive Vice President". LiRo. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  9. Deehan, Mike (April 11, 2023). "New MBTA chief Phillip Eng kicks off work at embattled agency". Axios Boston. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  10. Wirzbicki, Alan (December 19, 2023). "For Phil Eng, fixing the T is a step toward bigger things". Boston Globe. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  11. Kashinsky, Lisa; Garrity, Kelly; McCarthy, Mia (November 27, 2023). "Phil Eng spills the T". Politico. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  12. Deehan, Mike (October 3, 2023). "A look at MBTA GM Phillip Eng's first 6 months". Axios Boston. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  13. "Here's how readers would grade Phillip Eng's first year at the MBTA". boston.com. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  14. "MBTA General Manager Phil Eng finishes first year on the job. So how's he doing? - CBS Boston". CBSnews. April 10, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  15. DeCosta-Klipa, Nik (August 2, 2023). "'Little by little': MBTA GM Phil Eng talks hiring sprees, slow zones and beer". WBUR. Retrieved April 9, 2024.