Gov.-elect Phil Murphy pulled no punches about what he thinks is the biggest job for the state's next transportation commissioner: Rebuild the "national disgrace" that is NJ Transit.

Murphy, with the cavernous Secaucus Junction as his backdrop, introduced former Turnpike Authority Executive Director Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti on Thursday as the person who will tear the beleaguered agency down and rebuild it.

"We need a strong leader to take hold of the national disgrace that is NJ Transit, turning it upside down and shaking it up so we can make it right again," Murphy said. "Our roads and bridges are ranked worst in the nation, we have to make sure we build strong connections and not just put down another band-aid."

Hailed as a no-nonsense administrator, Gutierrez-Scaccetti declined to talk about any immediate solutions she would implement to address commuter complaints about delays and overcrowding.

"I'm not going to commit to doing anything. I do things by studying it," she said. "It will take time, but we have time, we have talent and all we need to do is draw on it."

Aside from reforming NJ Transit, she also must work with the Turnpike Authority to figure out how to fund its next capital plan for road and bridge projects after the current $7 billion plan ends in 2018.

As commissioner, Gutierrez-Scaccetti would oversee the state Department of Transportation, and act as chairwoman of the boards of NJ Transit, the Turnpike Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

"It is not going to be easy, it is not going to be simple, but I promise you 100 percent of my time and dedication to the task," Gutierrez-Scaccetti said.

The announcement was light on specifics because neither have had the chance to get into NJ Transit's workings, Murphy and Gutierrez-Scaccetti said.

"We're looking at NJ Transit from outside looking in," Murphy said.

"It will take getting in there and sorting through what happened and not happened over the past seven-and-a-half-years," Gutierrez-Scaccetti said.

Gutierrez-Scaccetti must be approved by the Democratic-controlled state Senate.

Gutierrez-Scaccetti retired from the Turnpike Authority in 2010 after spending 21 years in various management roles, including two years as executive director after working her way up from assistant contract administrator in the law department. She was executive director and CEO at Florida's Turnpike Enterprise for the past six years.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.