The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority ended its membership in the American Public Transportation Association, citing a long list of concerns in a blistering letter to APTA CEO Michael Melaniphy.

In the April 8 letter, MTA CEO Thomas Prendergast said his leadership team could no longer justify spending more than $400,000 in annual membership fees. Among the complaints: No "legacy system" or commuter rail system members serve on APTA's executive committee, a lack of financial accountability, and the compensation for Melaniphy. The letter pointed out that other organizations have emerged to provide the services MTA needs in a "more effective and efficient manner."

TransitCenter, an urban mobility foundation, posted the letter online April 14. The organization noted that MTA accounted for 35 percent of all U.S. transit ridership in the U.S. in 2015, and that a transit association without MTA would be "akin to an OPEC without Saudi Arabia." http://bit.ly/20HU4K6

APTA is the largest transit association in the country, with revenue of $20 million and both transit system and private sector members. Melaniphy's pay was almost $900,000 in 2013, the latest information available. He became CEO in late 2011.

"Based upon ATPA's lack of responsiveness over the past five years in addressing the serious issues outlined above, we have grave concerns that you will address any of them in a meaningful way if your contract is renewed for another five years," Prendergast wrote. "We are particularly struck by the deep divisions among the APTA Board of Directors that were revealed at the March Board meeting in Washington, D.C."

In a statement emailed to CEO Update, Mantill Williams, APTA's director of advocacy communications, said: "We are obviously disappointed and we are continuing the conversation with the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority about their membership. We believe that continued partnership and collaboration among the MTA, APTA, and the overall public transportation industry is important as APTA serves the public interest and represents all modes of public transportation."

In more bad news for the association, some transit organizations are boycotting APTA's bus and paratransit conference next month in Charlotte, N.C., because of the state's new law regulating the use of restroom facilities by gay and transgender people.

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