Known as a strong advocate for commuters, former state Sen. Bob Gordon is stepping down from his position on New Jersey Transit’s board of directors when his term expires next week, the third person to leave the board this year.
“With the expiration of my term, I think this is a good time to leave,” Gordon said in an interview with NJ Spotlight News.
The longtime public servant was one of the authors of a sweeping reform law that Gov. Phil Murphy signed in 2018 overhauling the transportation agency.
“I think we were a little naïve because we thought we could bring about fundamental change,” Gordon said of the reforms. “But I do think we made a great deal of progress … The board on a number of occasions has really shaped policy and advanced policy the administration may not have wanted to pursue.”
Gordon is leaving a board as it faces a steep financial deficit in the coming year.
“There are significant challenges facing the organization,” he said. “All the financial projects show a deficit, essentially a fiscal cliff of over $900 million, and the organization needs to fill that hole and, ideally, find a stable source for the organization.”
