New TransLink boss Kevin Desmond pledges to restore confidence

New TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond says he will work to restore public trust and confidence in the Lower Mainland mass transit system, especially in light ofthe troubled Compass card roll out and last summer's plebiscite defeat.

Desmond's hiring was announced at a news conferenceWednesday morning, although hewon't officially start until March 21 after wrapping up a 12 year careeras general manager of King County Metro Transit in Seattle. He has also workedas the operations manager for New York City transit.

"I understand thatTransLink has suffered a bruise to its brand.Losing a plebiscite is never easy," he said of last summer's 62 per cent Novoteon a tax hike to support transit improvements.

Desmond also says his experience with the ORCA card transit pay system in King County will be valuable in understanding the problems in TransLink'sCompass card rollout.

The King County transit system moves about 420,000 people a day. IncomparisonTransLinkhas more than a million riders per weekday.

ZachShaner, astaff writer with the Seattle Transit Blog, describesDesmond as a straight shooter in his time working for King County.

"I think the way he rode Metro through multiple recessions down here speaks well to his management skills," said Shaner. "And fundamentally he's an operations guy he understands the bread and butter of transit. He's not a bureaucratand I think those skills will serve him well."

Desmond told the news conference he believes ridership is the key to transit success.

"During my 12 years at Metro all the different products that we operate saw a44 per cent increase in ridershipover that period of time," said Desmond. "I'm passionate about ridership."

"If we're focused on ridership, that means we're focused on the customer. If we're focused on the customers as an organization, then we're probably focused on the right things," he said.

Desmond will earnan annual salary of $365,000 with a monthly housing allowance of $1,500.

Former TransLinkCEO Ian Jarvis was removed from the position ayear ago, although he continuesto work for the organization as an advisor.