The MBTA says it’s bringing former general manager Daniel A. Grabauskas, who was forced out of the agency in 2009, back to focus on commuter rail service.

In a letter to T employees, deputy general manager Jeff Gonneville said the move was intended to “strengthen our team.”

Grabauskas is being brought in as an independent contractor to serve as executive director of commuter rail, which is run for the T by Keolis Commuter Services.

Grabauskas will be paid $30,000 a month, according to his one-year contract, which calls for him to be “responsible overall for the management and supervision of the MBTA’s commuter rail system.”

Gonneville said Grabauskas, under Gonneville’s supervision, would “identify significant contractual gaps between the terms of the Keolis contract and adherence to those obligations,” develop strategies to improve system performance, and take the lead on communication with customers, lawmakers, and others.

Gonneville told employees in the letter, “We all want commuter rail service to improve and I appreciate your collaboration in helping us to build a more solid foundation so that we can all be proud of the commuter rail service we deliver to our customers.”

Grabauskas said, “I am very excited about this opportunity to serve the people of Massachusetts again, and I look forward to supporting the dynamic new leadership team that’s been assembled.”

“Working closely with Keolis and T staff, we will seek to achieve important service goals, including, better system reliability, enhanced safety and comfort, and improved customer service,” Grabauskas said in a statement.

He resigned in August 2016 as head of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. His relationships with state legislature and the city council had frayed, local media reported.

In 2009, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick forced out Grabauskas over the objections of the House speaker, the Senate president, and the mayor of Boston . Patrick had questioned the management of the public transit agency after two Green Line crashes and financial troubles.