Tom Prendergast, the CEO of TransLink, has departed the plagued transport authority to become the head of NYC Transit.

While he undoubtedly chose to return home thanks to be offered his dream job, there is a much larger story going on here – one of successful leadership under a government bureaucracy.

It’s rare to see anybody in government accomplish transformational change, let alone those who work below the elected officials in Crown corporations. It’s always a question of who is actually running the show; the board, the chairperson, the CEO, the government? There’s always someone higher up to report to.

As Prendergast leaves the TransLink melodrama for New York, I think there is a lesson to be learnt from North America’s largest metropolis.

Less than two weeks ago, Janette Sadik-Khan, the Commissioner for the New York City Department of Transportation, visited Vancouver and shared her successes in transforming the state of mobility in NYC.

What she has accomplished in her position is nothing less than remarkable. New York is no longer the city it was even five years ago.

Sadik-Khan has implemented some of the safest and most innovative cycling infrastructure in the world, reimagined Times Square as a pedestrian oasis, created a series of people-only plazas around town, and opened the first line of a future city-wide bus rapid transit network.

What’s interesting about her success is that we attribute it all to her.

All initiatives have a champion. But unless that champion is given the resources to make them a reality, success will never arrive.

Mike Bloomberg created a broad framework for sustainable streets and brought on Sadik-Khan to make it a reality. He has given her the resources, and the autonomy, to transform the city’s streets using her, and her staff’s, knowledge, skills, and creativity.

When the public cries foul, Sadik-Khan responds. When the closure of Times Square hits the national media, Sadik-Khan is responsible, whether that press was positive or negative.

Bloomberg, if present at all, was always seen as a secondary player in this transformation.

The roles were clear. Responsibility was defined. Sadik-Khan was free to succeed or fail on her own.

And succeed she did.

Now imagine for a moment.

Imagine TransLink had achieved the $450 million injection it needed to satisfy its long term plans. Imagine if the province, the mayors – the entire region – were all behind the funding increase and were supportive of dramatic transit expansion. Imagine if the TransLink CEO had the authority and autonomy to spend this capital in whatever way he/she saw fit.

Maybe, just maybe, that job offer in New York wouldn’t have been as tempting.

Maybe, Prendergast would believe that Vancouver was destined to be the future transit capital of North America.

Maybe, working for TransLink would become the dream job.

But alas, Vancouver is not New York City.

We don’t have the leadership framework required to make transit expansion a reality.

I don’t blame Prendergast for ditching this Green Capital to work alongside superstar Sadik-Khan and have not just the chance, but the true ability and partners required to achieve a real transport revolution.