Case Study
Getting a stalled system moving
The plan that led to a historic investment in New York's transit system
“Josh moves hearts and minds. He is so good at being able to walk in, understand what leadership is looking for, and convene widely disparate views. He pulls all that together into something absolutely compelling.”
—Andy Byford, President, MTA New York City Transit
$41 billion new capital funding
approved by New York State Legislature
"A daring plan to fix the subway."
—The New York Times
Winner
Fast Company Innovation by Design Award
Situation
After decades of underinvestment, New York City’s transit system was in crisis, marred by safety incidents and growing delays. Everyone in New York had an opinion about what needed to be fixed. But there was no shared path forward.
Engagement
I worked with MTA New York City Transit’s new President, Andy Byford, in his first hundred days to gather employee input, consult with union leaders, collaborate with senior leadership, and come up with a robust plan to get the system moving.
Results
“Fast Forward: The Plan to Modernize New York City Transit” was released to widespread support from unions, employees, transit advocates, and the media. The momentum generated by the plan led to legislative approval of a historic investment in transit after decades of political gridlock.