[URBAN NOTE] "UPX boss resigns over troubled airport train service"

[rfmcdonald]

The Toronto Star reports that heads are continuing to roll in the upper ranks of the Union-Pearson Express.

The head of Toronto’s troubled airport train service has resigned in the midst of an organizational review examining if the Union Pearson Express should be rolled into GO Transit operations.

On Monday, Kathy Haley, president of UPX, announced she would step down as of March 31, just nine months after the highly-touted express train service was launched in June – and flopped with low ridership. Ridership has increased after fares were slashed by half earlier this month.

A spokesperson of Metrolinx, the provincial transportation agency, confirmed the information but could not comment if Haley would be eligible for any severance package with her resignation. Haley also turned down an interview request from the Star.

“We are not able to speak to this any further as it is a personnel matter,” said Anne Marie Aikins of Metrolinx. “We are continuing to work on the organizational review. In the meantime, until the completion of the organization review work, there will be interim reporting relationships for UPX staff within other divisions of Metrolinx.”

Haley, an alumnus of Dalhousie University, joined Metrolinx in July 2011 to head the $456-million airport train with “pedigree in customer experience transformation,” said her UPX biography, including stints at Royal Bank of Canada, Canada Post, Allianz Group AG and Imperial Oil Ltd.