MTA may cut beneficial services to save money

So the MTA seems to be taking this whole financial crisis thing pretty seriously. They’re even going to start cutting small problems that they consider to be non-essential.

In The Daily News today is a report stating the MTA may cut its in-station EMTs. The Authority currently posts emergency response teams at seven of the system’s busiest stations, and those in charge feel the savings are worth it.

The Daily News has more:

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.

Now, to me this seems ludicrous. The MTA is projecting an operating deficit of nearly $1 billion if they don’t see a tax revenue situation similar to the one they enjoyed this year. But the Sick Customer Response Program is a minimum-cost program that can benefit riders throughout the system. If the MTA wants to cut down on delayed trains and disgruntled passengers, rapid emergency response teams are a necessity.

Meanwhile, the good folks commenting on this story at Subchat are picking on the MTA for offering the holiday discounts in 2005. And can you blame them? The MTA stupidly handed out $50 million in discounted fares that didn’t do anything to increase ridership at the time. That would be enough to fund the Sick Customer Response Program for 200 years.