Hemmerdinger Quite the Humdinger

Posted on October 22nd, 2007 by The SUBWAYblogger in This just in, Transit Failures

hemmerdinger2.jpg(Sorry for the headline. Couldn’t resist)

Ok, let’s break this down. There’s some amazingly stupid shit happening up in Albany. This shit smells remarkably similar to the shit dished by George Bush when asked why the hell he thought Mike Brown was qualified to run FEMA.

As we all know, there is an opening for Chairman of the MTA. The way this works is that the Governor nominates a replacement. Then there’s a confirmation process, yadda yadda. Well, as you can imagine, there’s potential for some cronyism because you have to be nominated for the job.

Enter Spitzer’s nominee, H. Dale Hemmerdinger.

Hemmerdinger freely admits that he knows very little, if anything, about transportation policy. In a nutshell, he knows when he presses the gas, his car goes forward. That is the extent of his transportation knowledge.

Before the State Transportation Board, he was peppered with questions.

Asked what the state would do to handle more riders if New York City imposed congestion pricing, Mr. Hemmerdinger replied: “I only know what I read in the papers at this point.”

On his familiarity with the authority’s proposals for a fare increase: “I’ve looked at it as I’ve read it in the paper.” [NY TIMES]

Yes, he used the “read it in the paper” response at least a dozen more times, according to the New York Times.

Maybe someone without any transportation experience whatsoever is exactly what the MTA needs. A fresh perspective perhaps?

  • 8 Rider Opinions
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  1. Tom McManus said on October 23rd, 2007 at 11:55 am

    Yup, he’ll fit right in with the rest of the BILLIONAIRS.

    Reply
  2. Todd said on October 23rd, 2007 at 1:54 pm

    It’s spelled ‘billionaires’

    So for your safety you better hope that I am not lacking mentaly.

    Reply
  3. Tom said on October 23rd, 2007 at 2:42 pm

    No suprise another empty suit who does not know a thing about hard working New Yorkers.

    Reply
  4. Tom McManus said on October 23rd, 2007 at 4:24 pm

    Todd, I missed a keystroke, don’t get full of yourself. Nobody is perfect. I’m not writing for a right-wing newspaper I do TRACKWORK!

    Reply
  5. Todd said on October 23rd, 2007 at 7:02 pm

    I know, and you’ve already said how hard your job is, how heavy the tracks are, how badly you are desensitized because of all the crazily dressed New Yorkers you see, and on, and on…

    I feel terrible for you.

    Reply
  6. Tom McManus said on October 24th, 2007 at 2:20 pm

    Thanks Todd, I fell butter nou.

    Reply
  7. Emprice-Sario said on October 29th, 2007 at 4:43 pm

    Am I the only person who thinks that this guys resembles Anderson Cooper? Just an observation.

    Reply
  8. [...] course, the subway literati are a bit dismayed by this development. SUBWAYblogger compared the situation to President George W. Bush’s disastrous appointment of Michael Brown to head FEMA; Gothamist [...]

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