Rappaport, in partnership with Gene Russianoff, forged the Straphangers Campaign into a model public advocacy effort, putting a strong stamp on the progress of NYC's transit system. In the media, before the MTA board and within legislative and other political arenas, he acted as the voice of city subway and bus riders through years of capital plan renewals, proposed fare increases and battles over the quality and quantity of transit service.

Additionally, Rappaport led organizing efforts that preserved a number of important transit facilities and institutions that MTA leadership had targeted for elimination, including the South Bronx' Intervale Avenue subway station, the Transit Museum and Brooklyn's Franklin Avenue Shuttle (now undergoing an $80 million rehabilitation). In recent years, he has produced a number of the reports in the Straphangers' excellent series on NYC transit service conditions.

Joe's leadership role on transit issues will be a tough one to fill. The Tri-State Transportation Campaign wishes him well, and looks forward to working with him in his new position.