New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has long called on the MTA to pursue internal belt-tightening to save money. Today, with extreme fare hikes and myriad service cuts on the table, the comptroller talked with the New York Post about how the agency could save $1 billion by cutting internal bloat. According to DiNapoli, thousands of the MTA’s 70,000 employees are either redundant or nonessential, but the agency has acted slowly in trimming the bureaucratic fat. “We’d like them to show more urgency. They should have a more aggressive timetable to implement what they have to do,” he said. Perhaps, as we urge lawmakers to send more money transit’s way, we should urge the MTA to do some serious internal trimming as well.
Cutting people, instead of service, to save $1 billion
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Finally……..Please force the MTA to trim some redundent management and nonessential employees. Not front line employees who make less.
Why aren’t service cuts or layoffs being mentioned for the much higher paid commuter lines.
Commuter line service cuts don’t serve much of a purpose. Those trains run at a schedule that lines up with demand.
As for layoffs, right now, the Post is taking about the MTA overall and not using the MTA as shorthand for New York City Transit. Layoffs should encompass all of the MTA’s separate divisions.
So, every commuter train is full, even the overnight ones? I highly doubt that.
Regardless, managerial bloat must be cut before service, and before fare increases.
Nah, but those trains run so infrequently that cutting them won’t really save a significant amount of money. Besides, those overnight commuter trains are more crowded than you think.
I wouldn’t know about that, but I’m often surprised when the subway is more crowded at 11PM than it was at 6PM. On a weekday. The service frequency on some lines really takes a nosedive after rush hour.
The only titles I have been reading about getting cut is station clerks and station cleaners for NYCT!!!!
The LIRR and Metro North have the highest paid cleaners in the country and probably the world.
Not to mention, when you cut back on transit service hours, you have reduced the effectiveness and reliability of transit as a means of travel, and increase the likelihood that people will (a) drive and (b) feel the need to own a car.
you know, i love this blog – this is my first post. this makes me extremely angry. first off, “According to DiNapoli, thousands of the MTA’s 70,000 employees are either redundant or nonessential, but the agency has acted slowly in trimming the bureaucratic fat. ” Okay…well, how about the hundreds of thousands of dollars executives who don’t have any urban planning under their belt and represent real estate? you know, a fare hike isn’t such a horrible idea, because that would get more people to buy metrocards. but it should be in increments. 2.25, 2.50, and at 2.50, the MTA can evaluate the extra income, and if the deficit continues go on to 2.75 and 3.00.
look the NYC subway is the greatest of all time. the economy sucks, and some of us must be patient. but at the same time, i think, as a transit rider, that most people who travel using public transit would rather have a clean and new tech-like station and on-time performance.
and what the hell are redundant or nonessential employees??