Kevin Stephen Corbett (born December 5, 1955) is an American transportation and economic development executive. He became President and CEO of New Jersey Transit (NJT), the New Jersey state public transportation agency, in February 2018.

Kevin S. Corbett
Executive Director New Jersey Transit
Assumed office
2018
GovernorPhil Murphy
Preceded bySteven Santoro
Personal details
Born (1955-12-05) December 5, 1955 (age 68)
EducationGeorgetown University

Background

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Corbett was born December 5, 1955. His father, Andrew Corbett, of Pelham, New York, was the chairman of A. J. Corbett & Sons, a steamship agency and maritime consultancy.[1][2]

He is a graduate of Georgetown University.[1] He serves as a Blue and Gold Officer for the U.S. Naval Academy.[3] He was a fellow of Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.[4]

Corbett married Siobhan Alden, a physician, in 1991.[1] He and his wife reside in Mendham;[3] both use NJ Transit regularly.[5] The couple own a private home and a 5-acre farm in the town.[6]

Career

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Corbett was a vice president of the global transportation consulting firm AECOM.

Corbett was a vice president of Wilhelmsen Lines, a shipping company in Oslo, and was the general manager of its subsidiary in New York, the Barber West Africa Line.[1] He has worked for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Empire State Development Corporation (Executive VP and COO)[7] and Galliford Try.[citation needed]

Corbett has been on the board of the New York League of Conservation Voters,[8] the Regional Plan Association,[9] the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey.[10] and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign.[11]

New Jersey Transit

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New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has called NJT a "national disgrace".[12] In January 2018, Murphy asked for resignation letters from approximately 20 senior staff members,[13] and signed an executive order calling for a complete audit.[14] Corbett was appointed by Murphy in January 2018.[15][16][17][18] He will replace Steven Santoro, who announced he will resign in April 2018.[19] At his introduction, Corbett said there is "untapped value" in the agency.[20]

During his tenure, NJ Transit implemented the federally required Positive Train Control (PTC) safety system, with work completed in December 2020.[21]

NJ Transit had no 'capital plan' when Corbett took over. He contracted one, expected in December 2019.[22]

In February 2020 there were calls for his resignation citing the lack of improvement in service in his two year tenure.[23]

In June 2020, Corbett revealed a 5-year Capital Plan with over $16 billion in capital spending and the agency's first 10-year Strategic Plan.[24]

See also

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Further reading

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  • Higgs, Larry (24 March 2019). "We asked the head of NJ Transit (and some of his critics) to grade his 1st year. How'd he do?". nj.com. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  • "NJTPlans - A 5-Year Capital and 10-Year Strategic Plan". njtransit.com. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2021.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Siobhan Alden, Physician, Wed". The New York Times. April 14, 1991. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  2. ^ "ANDREW CORBETT, CONSULTANT, DIES". www.joc.com. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Governor Murphy Nominates Kevin S. Corbett to Lead NJ Transit as New Executive Director" (Press release). State of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. January 30, 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and serves as a Blue and Gold Officer for the U.S. Naval Academy. He and his wife Siobhan have three children and live in Mendham.
  4. ^ "Kevin S Corbett". LittleSis. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  5. ^ "Phil Murphy unveils pick for new NJ Transit boss". NJ.com. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  6. ^ "NJ Transit boss pays $19.42 in property taxes on his 5-acre farm". 16 September 2019.
  7. ^ Sagalyn, Lynne B. (5 August 2016). Power at Ground Zero: Politics, Money, and the Remaking of Lower Manhattan. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190607036. Retrieved 31 January 2018 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ "Kevin Corbett - New York League of Conservation Voters". Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Board of Directors". Regional Plan Association. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Officers and Directors – MAPONY/NJ". nymaritime.org. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Governor Murphy Nominates Kevin S. Corbett to Lead NJ Transit - New Jersey Business Magazine". Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  12. ^ "NJ Transit is a 'national disgrace' that must be torn down and rebuilt: Murphy". 20 December 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Purge of senior staffers underway at NJ Transit". 10 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Murphy orders audit of 'national disgrace' NJ Transit". 22 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  15. ^ Corasaniti, Nick (31 January 2018). "A New Leader for a Troubled New Jersey Transit". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  16. ^ "Phil Murphy Nominates Kevin Corbett to Lead NJ Transit". The Observer. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  17. ^ "Meet Murphy's pick for new NJ Transit boss. Can he fix 'national disgrace'?". NJ.com. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  18. ^ "Gov. Phil Murphy appoints Kevin Corbett to turn around troubled NJ Transit". North Jersey.com. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  19. ^ Berger, Paul (30 January 2018). "Private Sector Executive Tapped to Lead NJ Transit". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  20. ^ "Murphy's Pick to Fix NJ Transit Is Infrastructure Expert, Veteran Commuter - NJ Spotlight". www.njspotlight.com. 31 January 2018.
  21. ^ "NJ Transit meets deadline for speed control system, averting federal threat to stop the trains". 18 December 2020.
  22. ^ "NJ Transit wants to address ailing stations, trains and buses — but will it be funded?".
  23. ^ "Commuters start petition calling for NJ Transit's CEO to step down". 27 February 2020.
  24. ^ "Murphy unveils 2 sweeping plans to get NJ Transit back on the right track". 8 June 2020.