BOSTON (WWLP) – Patrick Lavin was appointed to the position of MassDOT Chief Safety Officer, according to an announcement Monday by Governor Maura Healey and Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Gina Fiandaca.
The new position created by Governor Healey serves as a representative for overall safety issues relating to transportation. This includes ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all employees, passengers, and the public, in all modes of transportation, including rail, bus, commuter rail, paratransit, and highway.
Beginning May 8th, Lavin will report directly to the Secretary of Transportation and MBTA General Manager.
Lavin has 40 years of experience in transportation safety and operations. Since 2019, he has served as Director of Operations Safety and Investigations at K & J Safety and Security Consulting Services, where he has been responsible for performing risk-based operational safety assessments, developing agency-specific incident investigation procedures, and assisting transit agencies in addressing the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) safety advisories and directives.
“Pat Lavin is a dedicated public transportation expert who shares our administration’s commitment to improving safety and reliability across our transportation system, including the MBTA,” said Governor Healey. “We created this position to ensure we had a senior official coordinating efforts across all modes of transportation and driving strategies across the system to improve safety for riders and workers. I’m confident he will work closely with Secretary Fiandaca and General Manager Eng to deliver the service that the people of Massachusetts deserve.”
“We’re excited to welcome Pat Lavin to Massachusetts at this critical moment for our public transportation system. It is so important that we have a proven leader at the helm who will make sure that safety is at the forefront of all of our decision-making,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “Pat has a track record of delivering results at large, metropolitan systems across the country, and we know he will do the same here.”
“Patrick Lavin is a nationally recognized expert in the field of transportation safety and has a proven track record evaluating processes and improving safety at major transit systems in the United States,” said Secretary Fiandaca. “Mr. Lavin has led collision and derailment investigations, evaluated organizations for compliance with regulations, managed multi-million-dollar budgets, and developed and implemented safety programs for public transportation systems. In addition, he has a familiarity with the MBTA having been part of an independent safety review several years ago, and he understands the sense of urgency now to identify issues and find solutions at the T. We are confident he will effectively execute strategic plans which will improve safety for everyone who travels in the state, including those who use the MBTA.”
“I look forward to Pat Lavin taking on this new, crucial position as we transform the safety culture at the MBTA,” said MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. “Prioritizing safety for our customers and our workers must be a daily priority in our transportation system, and Pat has the experience and expertise that is needed as we improve safety for all.”
“I am looking forward to working collaboratively with the MassDOT team, agency personnel, local stakeholders, and our federal partners to improve safety at the T and at a broader level across the state,” said Pat Lavin. “I am humbled by and grateful for the confidence that Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, and Secretary Fiandaca have placed in me, and I look forward to starting this very important work.”
