The Hartford Courant's Don Stacom reports:
The man in charge of the rail and bus operation at the state transportation department was named Friday to run the entire agency until a long-term commissioner is appointed.
James P. Redeker will serve as acting commissioner, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Friday afternoon.
"Jim Redeker is a talented, dedicated transportation professional with recognized expertise in the realm of public transportation, which is right where our focus needs to be right now," Malloy said in a statement. "We have just begun to put new rail cars into service. We are rebuilding the New Haven line commuter corridor, and we are doing everything we can to boost public transportation and reduce congestion on our highways."
Redeker is the last of three senior transportation executives hired as part of then-Gov. M. Jodi Rell's high-profile campaign to shift the DOT's focus from highways to mass transit. Unlike many of their predecessors, all three had backgrounds in public transportation: Her commissioner, Joseph Marie, managed light rail development in Minneapolis and Phoenix; his hand-picked deputy, Jeffrey Parker, worked at Atlanta's METRA rail system; and Redeker was hired from an executive position at NJ Transit.