NJ Transit CEO Kevin Corbett announced his resignation Monday, to take effect on Jan. 15.
Corbett said he was leaving his post for an unspecified university job, according to NJ.com.
“In addition to giving me a chance to spend more time with my family, I have recently accepted a new opportunity with one of our state’s prestigious universities that will allow me to remain deeply connected to the transportation sector,” Corbett wrote in his resignation letter, which was obtained by NJ.com.
Gov. Phil Murphy appointed Corbett to run the state-owned railroad in 2018, shortly after he took over as governor. A registered Republican, Corbett was a surprise choice at the time from the left-leaning Murphy.
Perhaps Corbett’s greatest success at NJ Transit was boosting the number of railway engineers. At the time he took over in 2018, the system was short about 100 engineers and trains were routinely canceled due to lack of staff. Three years later, the railway had returned to full staffing.
The railroad has also been plagued by its share of problems, including numerous delays and cancellations in the summer of 2024. NJ Transit riders became so upset that Gov. Murphy eventually announced a “fare holiday” for a week at the end of the summer.
A protracted labor dispute with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen also extended across almost all of Corbett’s tenure. The union has been working without a contract since 2019 and voted in 2023 to authorize a strike, which has been delayed by legal processes.
