Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free will retire Nov. 20, ending a 34-year career with the railroad, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Monday.
Free, a Port Jefferson native who began his career as a station cleaner at Jamaica Station, has served as LIRR president since 2023. The MTA said it will conduct a nationwide search for his successor.
During his tenure, the railroad achieved a 96 percent on-time performance rate, its highest level in more than a decade. Weekday ridership also climbed to 102 percent of pre-pandemic levels, while public safety across the system reached new heights, according to the MTA.
Free also oversaw the first three years of service to Grand Central Madison, the first major new station of its kind in the country in more than a half-century. The opening of Grand Central Madison, along with other major capital improvements, helped increase train service by 40 percent, according to his MTA biography.
He also advanced through a series of management positions overseeing train operations, maintenance, service planning and station operations.
As chief transportation officer, he was responsible for more than 2,000 employees and coordinated systemwide train operations, including track outages needed for projects such as the Ronkonkoma Branch Double Track and ongoing maintenance. He later became senior vice president, overseeing more than 7,000 employees across departments including rolling stock maintenance, train movement, maintenance of way, service planning, security and station operations.
Free also led railroad operations during the pandemic, maintaining service for essential workers, and helped advance major capital projects, including the Main Line Third Track and Grand Central Madison.
“Under Rob Free, the Long Island Rail Road has delivered better service, for more riders than ever,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said in a statement. “He has positioned this agency to continue delivering fast, frequent, and reliable service for years to come.”
Lieber also praised Free’s longtime service, calling his career a model for others who work for the railroad.
