M.T.A. To Get Busy On Fulton St. With Fed Stimulus

Congress and Barack Obama have tentatively found $819 billion dollars to spread around to start the economy moving again. I'd prefer a higher percentage of it to be going to infrastructure than the tax breaks that were meant to appease Republicans but alas, that is another story altogether. Anyway, New York got a nice chunk of that money and subsequently, so did the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Out of the $1.5 billion or so dedicated to them, Elliot Sander and friends have decided to spend a third of it to finish the Fulton St. transit hub.

From The NY Times:

The additional financing would allow the authority to move ahead with plans to erect an architecturally dramatic glass building atop the transit hub, said Elliot G. Sander, the authority’s executive director. However, it was not clear if the final design would include the project’s signature feature, a conelike skylight, known as an oculus, that would channel daylight into the lower areas of the station. Mr. Sander said the oculus could add about $40 million to the cost.

“The pavilion has to be many things to many people,” Mr. Sander said, referring to the glass structure. “It has to be a building of vibrant design with as much new retail activity as possible.” He called it “a highly visible portal to a modern transportation complex.”

Mr. Sander, who spoke at a State Assembly hearing in Lower Manhattan, said that he estimated the authority would receive $1.5 billion to $2 billion from the economic stimulus bill that is working its way through Congress. He said he planned to spend $497 million of that to complete the downtown transit hub. He did not say how the remainder would be spent.

Well it sounds nice that the M.T.A. can actually go ahead and finish the hub but doesn't Mr. Sander think that there are other projects that are just a little more pressing than a giant glass dome? I know, it'll look nice and fill in the giant hole down there created by the demolishment of several long-standing buildings. I get that argument.

I also get the argument that the Lexington line is ridiculously overcrowded (especially since I ride it) and that the never-ending saga that is the Second Avenue line is just a little more important. The money for that is about to run out and this is the perfect opportunity to ensure that at least Phase I can be completed. Aesthetics are important to the downtown folk and the millions that pass through the hub down there but they can manage without for now. It would be much better and make a lot more sense for the M.T.A. to finish the underground portion of it and opens Phase I of the T line to ease the overcrowding on the Lexington line.

Hey M.T.A. Cut The P.R. Before You Slash Service

It's well known that the M.T.A. has engaged in some wasteful behavior but the notoriety hasn't stopped them from continuing it. With all the talk of service cuts and fare hikes, the transit authority is serious about making the straphangers pay for economic bad times. The only problem is they aren't doing their part to make it easier on us, instead the M.T.A. wants to fool us into thinking it isn't that bad. For that mission, they are certainly spending quite a bit.

From The NY Post:

The MTA is weighed down with managers, marketing types and p.r. staffers - fat the agency should trim before it slashes service, hikes fares or creates new bridge tolls, state auditors told The Post.

The agency has a growing roster of 70,000 employees - including thousands of redundant and nonessential positions - and is still slated to hire hundreds more, the auditors found.

MTA records show 288 New York City Transit employees in "corporate communications," 70 Long Island Rail Road staffers in "market development and public affairs," and 52 at MTA headquarters in "corporate and community affairs."

Now most of those 70,000 employees are necessary to make the transit system move but plenty of excess jobs can be cut. The problem is those at the top want to keep the plum jobs even in bad times. In exchange, all we get are deceptive advertisements in the subway cars that try to convince us that the price hikes aren't as bad as we make them out to be. Also, claiming that the 2nd Avenue line is "overdue" is grossly misleading. Perhaps if it was supposed to be finished last year or the year before, o.k. Yet the damn thing had broken ground for the first time in 1929, yes, 1929!

Now quit it with those shameful ads and cut the fat before cutting the already crowded trains!!!

Three Dollars To Ride The Subway???

I knew the moment the M.T.A.-sponsored signs on the subway said that the $1 fare in 1986 was like $1.89 today that we were in trouble. Then in the last week more of those advertisements tooted the M.T.A.'s horn the warning signs were blaring. Now we find out just how bad the damaged to the straphangers of New York will be....and yeah, it's very, very bad.

From The NY Daily News:

Straphangers could be slammed with a fare hike that jacks the cost of a ride to as much as $3 next year - unless there's a state bailout, a Daily News analysis reveals.[...]

The $2 base fare is the MTA's most likely target because it hasn't climbed in five years, while unlimited-ride MetroCards have been boosted three times, most recently in March.

At the time, critics howled that regular riders were being forced to dig deeper, while out-of-towners - who tend to pay per ride - were let off the hook.

Melissa Garcia, 22, a college student from Washington Heights, shuddered at the thought of paying more to ride the subways.

"The economy is in shambles," she said. "There are no jobs. The price of food is going up. Now, they want to hit us up with this? Please. It's horrendous."

Yes Melissa, it is horrendous and a shame that the burden is being placed on those that ride the subway. We'll be getting less and paying more for it. Unfortunately, with a Governor that is looking to cut $1.4 billion from health care and education budgets in the state, I do not see much hope for a state bailout for the M.T.A. The problem was created long ago when it was decided that real estate taxes should fund our mass-transit system and now we are dealing with that error in judgment. The only thing that seems to be able to save us would be a slice of that Federal bailout to come our way, but that is still very much a dream and not even close to reality.

MTA Finally Gets Strict With All E-Z Passes

Apparently the Boardmembers of the Metropolitan Transit Authority were pissed when nearly everyone demanded they stop giving free E-Z passes to themselves and their families (who aren't supposed to be paid in any way for their positions). It has been a couple months since Cuomo threatened them with a lawsuit before they relented, but now the MTA is getting its revenge on the city by revoking their free E-Z Passes for Police, Fire, Emergency units and other city vehicles.

From NY1:

The full Metropolitan Transportation Authority board voted Wednesday to revoke free E-ZPass tags for city employees – a perk which has been offered for decades.

The board barely passed the measure, 7-6.

The MTA's finance committee narrowly approved a plan earlier this week, which requires police, fire, and other agencies to get their own pre-paid E-ZPass accounts, just like other drivers.

For the last 50 years, the MTA has allowed other government agencies to pass through the tolls free of charge.

The MTA is facing a $900 million deficit, and officials say this will generate about $10 million a year. The deficit could also lead to cuts in subway, bus, and commuter rail service.

Not too surprisingly, the city is making a big stink about it and is outraged that the MTA would impede on officials that protect the public. Of course the mayor's staff forgets to mention the $100 million less the city is giving to the MTA for capital projects, but that doesn't mean Bloomberg won't make someone have a fit over it for him.

The sad thing is that while the two bicker over $10 million a year the real problem is that our country does not help finance mass transit in the manner it should. Imagine taking just a tenth of what we spend on the war disaster in Iraq and devoting it to rail and clean-energy buses. Then this $10 million would be meaningless and these officials could quit blustering and get back to business.

MTA Claims Nassau Owes Them $100 Mil

The MTA to say the least is becoming more and more of a shoddy operation. Just yesterday me and a few hundred other people had to contend with "electrical problems" on the 4 train (5 and 6 as well between Brooklyn Bridge and 23rd Street. A normal 5-10 minute ride became thirty. That of course is a relatively small problem when you look at the size of the MTA. Losing more than one hundred million dollars to Nassau County is a whole other matter.

From The NY Daily News:

The Nassau funding flap came up briefly at an Assembly hearing Wednesday. Assemblyman Richard Brodsky (D-Westchester) told MTA CEO Elliot Sander: "Go to court! When people don't pay the MTA, what do you do?"

MTA spokesman Jeremy Soffin said the MTA would consider court action but would prefer to have negotiations with Nassau.

When the MTA began running buses for Nassau in 1973, the county was supposed to fill gaps between MTA-collected revenues and expenses, Soffin said. Nassau stopped covering those shortfalls in 2000. Not wanting to cut service, the MTA has paid for Long Island Bus deficits totaling $88 million since 2000, Soffin said.

In the late 1990s, the MTA bailed out Nassau by loaning it more than $48 million. Nassau was supposed to pay the MTA $97.5 million for commuter-railroad construction projects but still owes $20 million, the MTA said.

How ridiculous is this? Nassau stopped paying its obligations beginning eight years ago and the MTA still wants to negotiate? Get your ass to court and sue them for that money. If they make an agreement and refuse to honor it, then take them to court. It isn't like Nassau is a poor county.

When the MTA is considering another round of fare hikes immediately after raising the fare a couple of months ago, perhaps they should consider getting their finances in order before coming at their commuters. Just when I think that the MTA can't be any more of a joke (especially after visiting London) they continue to amaze me.

We Already Know The State Of The MTA

Oh goodie, Elliot Sander is going to give a speech on how great the MTA is and all the ambitious projects it is working on. If you'd like to boo him during this press event, he'll be at Cooper Union on March 3rd at 10:30am. I'm thinking of sending in my RSVP just to get a good laugh in the morning.

From Newsday:

"This is the 40th anniversary of the MTA, so it seemed like an appropriate time to look back and look forward," agency spokesman Jeremy Soffin said. "The speech will assess the current state of the MTA, but it will also provide a vision for the next 40 years."

The speech is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in Cooper Union's Great Hall, 7 E. 7th St. [...]

Soffin said the speech will address "our accomplishments and challenges, the importance of the capital program and the challenge of funding our capital needs."

I wonder if he'll recognize how many more 'challenges' there are than 'accomplishments.' Things like the rain, fare increases, nasty smells and poor service are just the beginning of what the MTA needs to address. Of course a speech will not solve any of these problems and probably will not be mentioned either. What Sander needs to do is fundamentally transform the system so that it serves New Yorkers....but it'll be a cold day in hell before that happens.

If only we could transplant D.C.'s subway system to here.....sigh.

P.S. Maybe we can start by making minorities feel more comfortable when riding the subway...*cough* *cough* NYPD.

The Waste At The MTA

With two days to go until the MTA board officially raises our fares to commute in New York, the Daily News publishes a bombshell investigation showing the glut that can be found across the MTA. The redundant costs, multiple executives and a ridiculous amount of lawyers employed and contracted out shows how despite the board wanting more of New Yorkers' money, they fail to save in some of the easiest ways possible.

From The Daily News:

The records show that in the coming year the agency plans to expand the number of jobs from 69,973 to 70,469. In subsequent years the number of jobs will be reduced by a tiny amount - 138 - leaving the number of workers still above the current level.

Consider this:

• Instead of one president, there are eight - the MTA chief and seven agencies.
• Instead of one chief financial officer, there are six CFOs.
• Instead of a central staff, each agency has its own lawyers, auditors and payroll clerks.
  

That is just the overview, those eight Presidents make between $178 and $340K. They're given housing deferments as part of their salaries even though they live close by to their jobs. Many more employees do the same jobs only in a different office. The duplicative nature of the MTA is a well recognized problem, so what did they do about it? They employed a director for $120K to find a solution last year and there won't even be a report issued until next year.

Maybe it takes so long because of all the lawyers telling him or her what is legal and what is not. One hundred and twelve lawyers are spread out across the transit authorities doing god knows what. Their $12 million dollar cost was supplemented by millions more from outside law firms.

The glut is just overwhelming. Now we're expected to pay for this? Absolutely ridiculous!

We're Still Going To Have To Pay More To The MTA, While They Save Less

You know all those trains under and above the streets of New York? Those sub-and-above-ways run on an operating budget of $10.8 billion dollars a year. Craziness I know, but what is nuts is that while Spitzer-approved fare increases will net the MTA $163 million, while the transit authority is only trying to save $50 million. That's the MTA, hard at work as usual.

From The Daily News:

The savings in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's 2008 "Program to Eliminate the Gap" are equal to less than one-half of 1% of the authority's proposed $10.8 billion operating budget.

"Most riders think they could do better at saving money," said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign.

Even with those savings, which include leaving some vacancies unfilled and eliminating other positions, MTA spending will increase by about $500 million, or about 5%, next year, according to the budget going before the board next month.

MTA CEO Elliot Sander has said that the agency can't make deeper cuts than those outlined in the proposed budget and four-year financial plan without curtailing service and maintenance.

Curtailing service and maintenance? That sounds like a scare tactic to me. Their resistance to seeing what the state legislature can do for them in the spring is also disheartening. Sander says he doesn't want to burden them until he asks for larger amounts of money for the second phase of the 2nd Avenue subway and other projects. Well Mr. Sander, those things will come later, relief from a fare increase is needed now.

Spare Some Change For The MTA?

The long awaited plans of the MTA are finally on the public drawing board. The transit board wants to increase fares across the spectrum, from tolls for cars to bus and subway fares. The MTA wants you to pay an extra quarter per ride with other increases when it comes to weekly and monthly passes. Tolls are also to be raised a quarter for E-ZPass owners and fifty cents for those without. It isn't set in stone yet, as the board is set to vote on one of two proposals in December.

From AM New York:

The base fare would increase from $2.00 to $2.25 under both scenarios proposed at the MTA's finance committee meeting Monday.

In one proposal, commuters who purchase weekly or monthly passes would also see about a 4 percent increase in prices. This proposal would also raise express bus fares 25 cents, from the current $5.00 price.

Under the second proposal, monthly and weekly passes would increase by 6.5 to 8 percent. This option would allow for a discount fare of $2.00 during peak hours if you buy a card with more than $6 on it. Off-peak, non-rush hour fares would be $1.50.

So here we go again with another spike in transit costs with very little to show for it. Our system is still seriously outdated and in constant disrepair. One positive note is that cell service will be coming soon for a whopping six stations. If all goes well with those, the MTA wants to expand the coverage to nearly 300 stations across the city. So when the tunnels flood again, at least you can call and tell your loved ones you'll be late for dinner.

Hooray for mass transit in NYC!

Get Ready To Shell Out More $$$ To Ride MTA

Nobody wants to deal with a fare increase when it comes to the troubled MTA in the city. After using the Tube in London, our system feels like something out of the third world. A regular ride here costs $2 ($1.60 when you count the buy 5, get one free system) and in London it is 1.60 in Pounds (or one quid and 60 pence). The difference in service is not even close. They have friggin couches in the cars for crying out loud, not to mention up-to-date service announcements on their website, clean stations and boards on every platform telling you when the next two trains are coming.

So after seeing how Londoners do it, it pisses me off to see the MTA getting ready to charge us even more for a woeful ride on the subway. The board is meeting in December to decide how much and based on comments coming out of the Mayor's office, he won't put up much of a fight. He'd rather possible congestion-pricing revenue go to system expansion projects instead (though it isn't even guaranteed).

The MTA needs more pressure put upon it to wait for a fare increase until next year. I am against any fare increase in three months and instead wait until more develops on the congestion pricing front. In addition to little ol' me, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign and many civic organizations feel the same way. I'm guessing a few million New Yorkers might be on our side as well.

MTA Goes Dirty To Raise Fares

The battle over fare increases for New York City's MTA was turned up a few notches with veiled threats coming from the Transit Administration. "Fearful" of budget gaps despite having a billion dollar surplus this year, they are threatening to cut a program that brings first aid to commuters in need.

From The Daily News:

For nearly a decade, medical professionals - first nurses and then emergency medical technicians - have been posted at some of the busiest stations to help ill travelers, remove them from trains as quickly as possible and clear traffic jams on the rails. EMTs now work at seven stations.

But the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which projects huge budget gaps, says it can save nearly $250,000 a year by killing off the "Sick Customer Response Program" in 2009.

Sick customers are responsible for approximately 430 train delays a month, the third-highest monthly average.

NYC Transit spokesman Paul Fleuranges said it's "premature" to discuss the proposal, part of the MTA's 2008-2011 budget plan.

It may be premature for them to discuss it, but bringing it up is a slap in the face to anyone and everyone that rides the MTA. Saving a quarter million a year when we are talking in the billions of dollars is nothing but malicious on the part of Elliot Sander and the MTA. If the MTA thinks this is going to win them converts for a fare increase, they have another thing coming.

MTA Chief Brushed Off Over Fare Increase

Elliot Sander's PR people must be scrambling this morning after the MTA chief failed to convince anyone at Grand Central that the fares must be raised to combat rising costs. First of all, a man in a suit standing at Grand Central during rush hour is hardly going to get much notice. He should be careful not to get knocked over by commuters scurrying about to get to their next train. But when someone notices who he is and what he is doing there like Jean Callaham did, thats when Mr. Sander really should run for cover.

From The NYT City Room:

.....Mr. Sander told her that the authority was facing rising costs, and he invited her to send him her opinions in an e-mail message through the M.T.A.’s Web site.

The woman, Jean Callaham, said she lives in Staten Island and that it takes her two hours to get to work. She told Mr. Sander that the $20 she pays each week in subway fares and the $9 toll on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge that her relatives have to pay when they visit her were both high enough as it is.

Speaking to a reporter after her brief exchange with Mr. Sander, Ms. Callaham, who works at a financial services company near Grand Central, said she did not plan on taking Mr. Sander up on his offer. “He just wanted to get out of there, that’s all,” she said.

The fares are too high, especially for people that have long commutes such as Ms. Callaham. Plenty more riders have trouble with trains that are delayed and especially with certain lines that are notorious for their inconsistencies. Trying to make people shoulder this additional financial burden when they are making their way around this expensive city is wrong. Expecting to convince them with a PR stunt is just pathetic.