"Metro-North has 180,000 riders and the MTA system has 6 million," said Thomas Egan, chairman of the MTA committee that oversees Metro-North operations. "It's a totally new environment for him." [Peter Stangl] must be confirmed by the state Senate in hearings expected to be held later this month.

Metro-North commuters still have complaints familiar to other MTA riders, such as the condition of restrooms and a lack of timely announcements at stations. But with the help of the MTA's $16-billion capital program, the railroad renovated or replaced cars, tracks and stations and reached an on-time peak of 94.4 percent last year, far outstripping the Long Island Rail Road's performance, which has hovered just below 90 percent.

"The person has to be creative and daring and audacious. That's the most important thing," said MTA board member Laura Blackburne. A Look at the MTA Peter Stangl was tabbed yesterday to head up the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Here is a look at the organization.