Comments on: The MTA’s worst Monday ever http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/ A New York City Subway Blog Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:18:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Second Ave. Sagas | Blogging the NYC Subways » Blog Archive » Work continues while service upgrades don’t http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31461 Second Ave. Sagas | Blogging the NYC Subways » Blog Archive » Work continues while service upgrades don’t Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:21:44 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31461 [...] shelved. Coupled with a few other announcements — such as fewer on-time trains — it ended being a pretty bad Monday for the [...] [...] shelved. Coupled with a few other announcements — such as fewer on-time trains — it ended being a pretty bad Monday for the [...]

]]> By: Second Ave. Sagas | Blogging the NYC Subways » Blog Archive » Three weeks alter, Sander’s words ring hollow http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31307 Second Ave. Sagas | Blogging the NYC Subways » Blog Archive » Three weeks alter, Sander’s words ring hollow Thu, 27 Mar 2008 05:00:00 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31307 [...] we sit here, crushed by the MTA’s decisions to postpone the promised service upgrades and downgrade their target goal for on-time train performance. While the finger-pointing can go on, [...] [...] we sit here, crushed by the MTA’s decisions to postpone the promised service upgrades and downgrade their target goal for on-time train performance. While the finger-pointing can go on, [...]

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31229 Alon Levy Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:31:06 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31229 <i>According to ny.com 4.3 million people ride the subway everyday. One has to assume that the average rider is riding twice a day.</i> No, that's the total number of daily rides. According to ny.com 4.3 million people ride the subway everyday. One has to assume that the average rider is riding twice a day.

No, that’s the total number of daily rides.

]]> By: The Secret Conductor http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31198 The Secret Conductor Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:30:43 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31198 @ Boris The MTA (as well as other city and state agencies) can only predict how much revenue they will get from property taxes. This is where they say they are having short comings at and the economy does effect how much any city or state agency gets. I do not think this was a bait and switch. I think they just messed up by counting on something that may not come in. What I do think they should do is put in the changes anyway and figure out how to pay for it later. As for the congestion pricing, I'm all for it as long as most of the money (65% at least) goes to the MTA construction, maintenance of way, cleaning and buying/upkeep of rolling stock PERIOD. I can only guess what politicians would use the rest for. Personally it should all go to NYC transportation system, but realistically I will be happy with 65% going to the MTA and about 10% going to roads and airports. @ Boris

The MTA (as well as other city and state agencies) can only predict how much revenue they will get from property taxes. This is where they say they are having short comings at and the economy does effect how much any city or state agency gets.

I do not think this was a bait and switch. I think they just messed up by counting on something that may not come in. What I do think they should do is put in the changes anyway and figure out how to pay for it later.

As for the congestion pricing, I’m all for it as long as most of the money (65% at least) goes to the MTA construction, maintenance of way, cleaning and buying/upkeep of rolling stock PERIOD. I can only guess what politicians would use the rest for. Personally it should all go to NYC transportation system, but realistically I will be happy with 65% going to the MTA and about 10% going to roads and airports.

]]> By: Todd http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31169 Todd Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:43:20 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31169 <i>The agency lowered the goal for on-time trains to 92 percent in 2008, down from the 97-percent level that’s been in place for the past two years.</i> I don't see this as a problem at all. I mean, lowering standards has worked well for public schools, right? In all seriousness though, it's a goal for a reason. You should work towards a goal by improving things and working harder! Lowering the goal on paper is just an excuse to perform worse without fear of repercussions. Damn I hate The MTA... The agency lowered the goal for on-time trains to 92 percent in 2008, down from the 97-percent level that’s been in place for the past two years.

I don’t see this as a problem at all. I mean, lowering standards has worked well for public schools, right? In all seriousness though, it’s a goal for a reason. You should work towards a goal by improving things and working harder! Lowering the goal on paper is just an excuse to perform worse without fear of repercussions.

Damn I hate The MTA…

]]> By: timothy donner http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31148 timothy donner Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:32:04 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31148 Debt service. Debt service.

]]> By: Matt http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31146 Matt Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:58:34 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31146 jf- I recall reading somewhere that the amount of electricity used to power the subway system for one day is about equivalent to the amount used by the city of Buffalo, NY in a year. That costs a lot. There's also literally thousands and thousands of MTA employees, from train operators to conductors to station agents to cleaners to traffic controllers to bureaucrats and desk workers at the administrative offices. Those salaries really add up. When you add in planned and emergency maintenance costs (parts, upkeep of trains, stations and yards, labor)... I can definitely see how it adds up to that much a day. jf-

I recall reading somewhere that the amount of electricity used to power the subway system for one day is about equivalent to the amount used by the city of Buffalo, NY in a year. That costs a lot. There’s also literally thousands and thousands of MTA employees, from train operators to conductors to station agents to cleaners to traffic controllers to bureaucrats and desk workers at the administrative offices. Those salaries really add up. When you add in planned and emergency maintenance costs (parts, upkeep of trains, stations and yards, labor)… I can definitely see how it adds up to that much a day.

]]> By: Second Ave. Sagas | Blogging the NYC Subways » Blog Archive » Mind the credibility gap http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31139 Second Ave. Sagas | Blogging the NYC Subways » Blog Archive » Mind the credibility gap Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:19:43 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31139 [...] 2nd Ave. Subway History « The MTA’s worst Monday ever [...] [...] 2nd Ave. Subway History « The MTA’s worst Monday ever [...]

]]> By: jf http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31135 jf Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:41:11 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31135 According to ny.com 4.3 million people ride the subway everyday. One has to assume that the average rider is riding twice a day. That's 8.6 million rides a day. At an average of $1.31 per ride thats $11.3 million dollars coming in a day. How could the subways POSSIBLY cost more than $11 million dollars a day to run? What are the costs? Electricity? Overtime for maintenance workers working at night? Where is all of this money going? According to ny.com 4.3 million people ride the subway everyday. One has to assume that the average rider is riding twice a day.
That’s 8.6 million rides a day. At an average of $1.31 per ride thats $11.3 million dollars coming in a day.

How could the subways POSSIBLY cost more than $11 million dollars a day to run?
What are the costs? Electricity? Overtime for maintenance workers working at night?
Where is all of this money going?

]]> By: Gary http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31131 Gary Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:26:46 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/03/25/the-mtas-worst-monday-ever/#comment-31131 The answer may be to install one of these in Sanders' office: http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/8c52/ OK, that won't solve anything, but perhaps a little schadenfreude would ease the pain. I agree the timing of this is pretty terrible. They've done a poor job of mixing messages recently. Ramming the fare hike through while the congestion pricing debate was ongoing was the worst of it . . . a good PR stunt would be to announce a rollback of the hike if CP were to pass. The answer may be to install one of these in Sanders’ office:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/8c52/

OK, that won’t solve anything, but perhaps a little schadenfreude would ease the pain.

I agree the timing of this is pretty terrible. They’ve done a poor job of mixing messages recently. Ramming the fare hike through while the congestion pricing debate was ongoing was the worst of it . . . a good PR stunt would be to announce a rollback of the hike if CP were to pass.

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