London Transit Guru Moves to New York's MTA

The nomination requires approval from the state legislature, which won't likely make a ruling for months.

"A native of the Rockaways who rode the A train as a child, Mr. Walder began his career in public service in the darker days of New York’s transit system, when graffiti and crime were rampant. He helped lead the transportation authority out of a financial black hole in the mid-1980s and held several leadership positions, including chief financial officer, before moving to London in 2001.

His experience there, as the planning and finance director of Transport for London under Robert R. Kiley, his former boss in New York, offers hints about what might lie in store for New Yorkers."