Power Players in Transportation

Concetta Anne Bencivenga has been director of the New York Transit Museum since January 2017. She guided the institution through an 18-month pandemic closure and has steered the organization through its successful recovery. A seasoned nonprofit executive, Bencivenga holds a bachelor’s in history from Loyola University in Baltimore, MD and a master’s of public affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School at the University of Texas at Austin. A Manhattan resident, she takes the subway.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I’m a museum professional with an advanced degree in public policy. I feel fortunate to get to work at the intersection of arts, culture and government. The Transit Museum is a fantastic and beloved New York institution that shares the past, present and future impact of transportation. You experience New York the way you do because of mass transit. Many folks just don’t know it – and those are the stories we get to tell.

What is your favorite travel experience?
In 1994, upon completing my Peace Corps service in Thailand, I decided to return to the US via the Trans-Siberian Railroad (through Manchuria). Eight days and seven nights after departing Beijing we pulled into Yaroslavl Station in Moscow. Post Glasnost/Perestroika Russia was just re-emerging. It was an incredible time to be there. Epic trip and, unbeknownst to me, a harbinger for things to come!

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
I’m excited for all of it but if forced to pick – I’d go with the bus system re-designs for Brooklyn and Queens. Today’s routes are almost identical to the trolley routes from more than a century ago that were established to take people from the crowded downtown to the country (Greenwood Cemetery!) While New Yorkers notoriously don’t like change, we also don’t live *or commute* like we did in the late 1800s.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Mass. And again, if forced to choose – I’d say rail. Some members of my extended family have been commuting on the LIRR since 1927 and I’m on the subway every single day. Moreover, the impact of rail on the history of the United States generally, and how the commuter rail and subway system changed New York specifically are truly seismic.

Jeff leads community engagement, communications, and public affairs strategies across Hornblower’s ferries and transportation portfolio of public transit, offshore wind, and public-private partnership operations. At NYC Ferry, Jeff expands and diversifies the community engagement and communications that have supported the record ridership and growth of the Ferry Discount Program. Jeff led the communications and public affairs strategies to help Hornblower successfully win the competitive procurement process to continue as the founding operator of NYC Ferry.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Public transportation sits at the center of so many issues impacting everyday people and allows me to play a small part in responding to each of them by helping to expand access and usage of reliable, convenient, and affordable transit options.

What is your favorite travel experience?
My morning commute – hands down the best views of the sunrise in New York City is on the water.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
A bike-to-NYC Ferry combo for travel across the five boroughs

Selvena N. Brooks-Powers represents the 31st City Council District, which includes the communities of Arverne, Brookville, Edgemere, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, Rosedale, and Far Rockaway. She is the first-ever Black woman to serve as majority whip of the City Council as well as chair of its Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I believe that transportation is essential to the health, economic mobility, and welfare of every New Yorker. But for too long, the City failed to examine transportation needs through an equity lens. Outer borough communities, and communities of color, were denied proportionate shares of city investments. So many neighborhoods still bear the burden of those choices. I am proud to advocate for equitable transportation access as chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

What is your favorite travel experience?
I enjoy riding the subway. There’s always something happening on the train that is central to what makes New York City the best in the world! I also enjoy taking flights, traveling, and exploring new cultures and countries. I believe travel is vital because it allows us to gain wisdom about the unique and beautiful differences in the world while also helping us to learn more about ourselves.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
Over the long term, I hope to see extensions of the city’s core transit network into underserved parts of the city. I support the Interborough Express, and I hope the MTA continues to explore new ideas like the QueensLink, which would activate a former LIRR rail line and extend service from Rego Park to the Rockaways. We also need to see more upgrades to our street infrastructure along unsafe corridors, like daylighting and speed humps.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
I use the mode that best gets me where I’m going! Mayor David Dinkins often referred to New York as “a gorgeous mosaic – of race and religious faith, of national origin and of sexual orientation.” He was right about the people of the City, and this description also fits our transportation network. We are a multi-modal city, and New Yorkers benefit from having choices about how to get where they need to go.

Marc Buncher is the president and CEO of Siemens Mobility North America, with more than 4,500 employees and 30 facilities across the US and Canada. Buncher is passionate about innovation, sustainability, and bringing high-speed rail to the US. Under his leadership, Siemens Mobility North America has expanded with over 40 active transit customers and 2,000 suppliers. He received his Business Administration degree from Missouri State University and MBA from the University of Texas, Dallas.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
Although I’d always been interested in transportation, I didn’t plan for a career in the industry. I started out working in a steel plant as part of a rotational program and quickly realized my passion for manufacturing and operations. After I got into the rail industry, I saw how important it is to our economy and our society. Now my focus is on advancing infrastructure and technologies to create a more connected and accessible society.

What is your favorite travel experience?
It’s hard to choose! In my extensive travels across India, South Africa, Europe, and the US, I’ve witnessed how rail supports economic growth and community connections. A standout experience is riding a high-speed train in Europe. Traveling from Munich to Berlin and seeing the growth of the many villages in between because of rail over the years inspires me to bring this transformative technology to the US, unlocking similar growth and connectivity for our communities

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
The prospect of high-speed rail in the US has the potential to reshape the nation’s transportation landscape. Beyond fostering economic growth and job creation, it addresses sustainability concerns by reducing reliance on air travel. With federal-state partnership grants enabled by the Biden Administration and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, I am confident that we can turn this vision into a reality.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
As someone who has spent my career transforming the rail industry, trains are my preferred mode of transportation. Train travel combines convenience, sustainability, and a sense of adventure, making every trip enjoyable. Whether I’m taking the subway in New York, an intercity Brightline in Florida, or a cross-country Amtrak train, each provides its unique benefits, while allowing me to reach my destination reliably and safely.

Dr. Gerrard P. Bushell is president and CEO of the $9.5 billion New Terminal One, a consortium developing and building a world-class international terminal at JFK, and delivering more than 10,000 jobs and MWBE participation beyond 30%. Dr. Bushell was president and CEO of DASNY where he led DASNY to be the nation’s top issuer of infrastructure financing between 2015-2019. He joined DASNY as an accomplished investment advisor who raised public and private capital.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
The opportunity to work on the largest public-private partnership to build a new international gateway to the front door of our nation was one that I wanted very much to lead. The project combines my expertise in infrastructure and the ability to deliver a meaningful impact in Queens. Projects like the New Terminal One can positively impact millions of lives, both in the travel experience and for the thousands of local jobs they create.

What is your favorite travel experience?
I’ve had incredible experiences flying Air France as well as other of our partner airlines. A smooth direct flight with my noise-canceling headphones, listening to music, or working on my iPad, is ideal. I’ve particularly enjoyed recent flights to Seoul on Korean Air.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
I am looking forward to the New Terminal One, opening in 2026. We’re currently on time and on schedule and are excited for travelers to experience this incredible world-class terminal. We are also having an impact on the community, exceeding our goals for 30% participation for minority and women-owned business enterprises and 10% for local business enterprises. The New Terminal One will be an incredible way to arrive in New York while delivering impact locally.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
Flying is the most efficient way to travel across long distances. It is part of the reason I was excited to be involved in building a world-class international terminal here in my home city.

Michael Carrube began his career in NYCT in 1989 as a train conductor. In 1993, he was elected shop steward. He then served as TWU 100 division chairman from 1997 to 2004. In 2007, he was promoted to supervisor and joined the Subway-Surface Supervisors Association. In 2010, he was elected section VP. In 2014, he was elected SSSA president. In 2018, he created the National Association of Transportation Supervisors, representing supervisors and managers.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I pursued a career in the transportation sector because it’s an exciting field with great career opportunities and benefits.

After her 12-year-old son Sammy was killed in 2013, Amy Cohen joined with others and helped found Families for Safe Streets (FSS). FSS confronts traffic violence by advocating for life-saving changes and providing support to those personally affected by crashes in our communities. Amy is now the co-chair of the New York chapter and also is helping lead the organization’s expansion nationally.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I would give anything to not have this career and still be working in social services. But after Sammy was killed, I decided to give up my prior career and focus on preventing this heartache from happening to others. No one should have to endure the pain all of us have experienced from this preventable public health crisis.

What is your favorite travel experience?
Just before Sammy died, our family took a trip to England. We did a bike ride around the Isle of White and explored London. At the end of the trip, we took Sammy to an Arsenal soccer game and a tour of the Chelsea Soccer stadium. He said it was the best night of his life. I never imagined it would be nearly his last day as well. He died only a few weeks later.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
Our leaders need to put in place the proven solutions to save lives. I look forward to seeing the Streets Plan fully implemented; passage of Sammy’s Law; a bill named after my son that would give NYC control over its speed limits; implementation of the Speed Limiters for Reckless Drivers bill recently introduced in the NYS legislature; and equipping the entire non-emergency city fleet with speed limiting safety technology.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
I have been a bike commuter for decades and loved taking our kids to their school and activities by bicycle – first on our cargo and tandem bikes and later as they rode around with us on their own bikes. I also love being able to get to nearly all corners of the city by train and bus. However, we need to improve public transit so that every New Yorker has access in their neighborhood.

Confirmed as a director of the Amtrak Board in June 2010, Mr. Coscia was elected board chair in 2013. He is a partner at Windels Marx and serves as a director of OceanFirst Financial Corp and the Neighborhood Property Group, LLC, vice chair of the Gateway Development Commission and senior advisor to Oaktree Transportation Infrastructure Fund, L.P.  Coscia is a graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and Rutgers University School of Law.

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I have always been passionate about transportation. At the core of transportation is customers and providing benefits and connections for them. Our customers are everything, and everything we do – whether it’s safety, infrastructure, service, amenities, etc. – needs to reflect our commitment to providing our customers with the best possible experience.

What is your favorite travel experience?
Earlier this year, I recently rode the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle, a 2,000-mile trip. This awe-inspiring 46-hour journey took me through stunning landscapes, from the Mississippi River to the sweeping vistas of Montana to the sublime wilderness of rural Washington. I didn’t have to worry about taking my eyes off the road to see the sights.

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
More trains to more places for more people. In the past year, Amtrak has:

• Continued to advance major national infrastructure projects, like a new Frederick Douglass Tunnel in Baltimore, Portal North Bridge and Hudson Tunnel in NY/NJ for the Gateway Program.
• Advanced plans to return service to the Gulf Coast (between New Orleans and Mobile, AL).
• Kicked off the process to replace our Long-distance, Northeast Regional and State Supported fleet.

What is your preferred method of transportation?
The train, of course!

Rick Cotton became executive director of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in August 2017. Previously, he served as New York State’s special counselor to the Governor for interagency initiatives and spent 25 years at NBC Universal. Mr. Cotton received an A.B. from Harvard College and a J.D. from Yale Law School, and served as a law clerk to Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Matthew Daus is the transportation practice founder/chair/partner at Windels Marx, a full-service law firm. His NYC public service career included: commissioner/chair/CEO, NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC); civil service commissioner; TLC and Community Development Agency general counsel; Trade Waste Commission special counsel; and human rights prosecutor. Also, Daus serves as president of the International Association of Transportation Regulators, transportation technology chair of City University of NY’s Transportation Research Center, and chair of the NYC Bar Association’s Transportation Law Committee.  

Why did you pursue a career in transportation?
I did not pursue transportation – transportation found me!  As a musician (pianist/guitarist) I pursued entertainment law, but then pivoted to government. I first fought discrimination, poverty, and organized crime, promoting equity/accountability, and then as a transportation regulator, implemented safety, sustainability and technology reforms. Now as a lawyer/academic, my excitement continues in representing clients/teaching students to make more meaningful change. There is a revolution underway in mobility, so I am here to stay!

What transportation improvement would you like to see completed in the future?
I would like to see better governance, more multi-modal connectivity, and the use of technology to make transportation safer, more sustainable, equitable and accessible. More multi-modal government agencies are needed (like London’s TfL) to oversee all mobility services, and the future should include: Mobility-as-a-Service, where passengers can use one smartphone app/payment for inter-modal transport; flying taxis (urban air mobility); automated (driverless cars); and widespread EV adoption & coordinated infrastructure development. 

What is your preferred method of transportation?
I love all transportation modes equally, and I use them all. I use limousines and taxicabs on a daily basis, sometimes use buses and rail (shared mobility), and enjoy driving my car. I am also an avid biker (e-bike owner) and use my e-scooter to move around Manhattan to avoid traffic. I travel by air all over the world, having logged well over 1 million miles. I am a multi-modalist and use smartphone mobility apps often.