Steve Poftak to resign as head of beleaguered MBTA in January

MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak will resign on Jan. 3, 2023, opening up the top job at the under-scrutiny transit agency right before the next governor takes office, the T announced Tuesday.

Poftak penned a letter to MBTA staff summarizing his plans to depart after a four-year tenure as general manager, a tumultuous stretch that included the COVID-19 pandemic and a federal investigation that found major safety issues at the T as well as accomplishments such as the opening of the long-awaited Green Line Extension.

In the next two months, Poftak said he will focus on "preparing for the transition to a new administration and to new leadership here at the MBTA."

"While we have faced and will continue to face challenges, I believe in the strength and resilience of the MBTA. As I look back on my four years as General Manager, I take great pride in what we have accomplished together," Poftak wrote. "We kept service going (and made it better) through a global pandemic. In a world where a lot of people stayed home, the MBTA was out there serving our transit dependent customers."

"And while we know we have more work to do on safety, we have made great strides as an organization, building staffing, expertise, and above all, commitment to making the system as safe as it can be," he added.

Poftak's final day will be two days before the winner of the Nov. 8 gubernatorial election takes office.