New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman/CEO Thomas F. Prendergast appointed Carmen Bianco as president of MTA New York City Transit (NYCT).

Bianco is the seventh person to serve as president since the title was created in 1980. He has served as acting president since April and previously served as sr. VP, department of subways, overseeing the entire subway system since 2010.

“When I returned to New York City Transit, Carmen was my pick to head the Department of Subways because of his extensive background in safety, his management skills and his vision of guiding the system into the future,” said Chairman Prendergast. “Carmen is a leader with lengthy mass transit and railroad career experience. He understands the issues, is an advocate for the customer and will remain someone the employees can depend upon for support.”

Bianco, 61, led the subway system through the MTA’s response to Superstorm Sandy, which flooded tunnels, inundated stations and washed out tracks in the most devastating event to ever strike the subways. He oversaw the immediate efforts to pump out water and make round-the-clock emergency repairs, the unprecedented construction work to restore damaged areas to service and the long-term planning to prevent future flooding.

As head of Subways, Bianco oversaw the restructuring of the Department of Subways, led the development of the successful the FASTRACK program, and continued NYCT’s introduction of new technologies, particularly those that improve customer communications and efficient train operation.