BOSTON (WHDH) - MBTA General Manager Luis Ramirez is leaving the MBTA after a little more than a year, state officials announced on Tuesday.
Ramirez, who became the agency’s general manager in September 2017, is leaving after coming to a mutual agreement with state officials “that the time was right for him to separate from the MBTA and pursue other opportunities,” the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said in a statement.
MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Vice Chair Steve Poftak will replace Ramirez.
Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack says Poftak will bring “deep knowledge of MBTA operation and finances, 16 years of public policy experience, a network of relationships, familiarity with the key challenges facing the Authority, and a passion for public transportation.”
In a statement, Poftak said, “I am honored to be named General Manager and look forward to partnering with the workforce, the FMCB, the Baker-Polito Administration, transportation advocates, and others in accelerating progress toward improving MBTA service and reliability.”
Ramirez also issued a statement, saying, “I was brought in to the MBTA from the outside corporate world to bring a fresh business perspective and skills to the MBTA. With the progress we have achieved around financial and operational execution, this is a good time to transition to someone with different skill sets.”
In a statement, Gov. Charlie Baker thanked Ramirez for his service, praising his “efforts to increase financial stability at the T.”
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