MTA Chair Pat Foye tests positive for coronavirus, isolated at home

The MTA announced Saturday that its top boss, Chairman and CEO Pat Foye, tested positive for coronavirus and is now isolated at home, “feeling good and maintaining his full schedule.”

“Pat was last in the office on Wednesday, maintained a safe social distance and was asymptomatic at that time,” according to MTA Chief Communications Officer Abbey Collins in a Saturday night statement. “He worked remotely Thursday and Friday, following a previously arranged schedule. All MTA staff have been observing recommended guidelines put in place by the New York State Department of Health, including social distancing.”

Foye, the former executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was appointed to head the MTA back in April 2019. On March 24, he appeared in a video conference to announce service cutbacks amid a dramatic drop-off in ridership due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Foye did not appear at a press conference Friday morning following a deadly arson fire on the 2 train at the 110th Street station in Manhattan. He had also cancelled a number of scheduled media appearances.

“Pat’s top priority remains the health and safety of our customers and employees and ensuring New York’s healthcare workers, first responders and other essential personnel can get to and from work during this public health crisis,” Collins added.

A number of MTA employees have tested positive for coronavirus. Earlier this week, the MTA took the C train out of service after a large number of crew members on the line became sick. Two MTA employees also died from the illness: train conductor Peter Petrassi and MTA bus employee Oliver Cyrus.