Photo: Bryan Goebel

Streetsblog San Francisco reports that speculation continues over the future of city transit head Nat Ford. Rumors have been swirling from some time that Ford might return to New York — where he started his career as a train conductor some 30 years ago — to succeed Lee Sander as MTA CEO. And talk of Ford’s possible departure from San Francisco won’t let up, writes Bryan Goebel:

First he was rumored to have been considered for a job in the Obama administration. Then, it was the executive director opening at the LA MTA, a position insiders say he was interviewed for but didn’t get. And even now, despite a pledge he made in an interview with Streetsblog
that his "career goal" is "to focus on the San Francisco MTA," rumors
persist within the MTA and at City Hall that MTA Chief Nat Ford
continues to look elsewhere.

As late as this week, a spokesperson told Streetsblog SF that Ford "is not looking," and remains "committed to the SFMTA." We’ll let you know if our west coast colleagues hear otherwise.