Over the last few weeks, we’ve heard a lot about the MTA’s planned station agent cuts. Despite an Albany rescue plan, the authority has stayed true to its original decision to cut what transit officials view as the unnecessary station agent plan. Yesterday, the Board made it official as they voted to axe 270 station agents by the end of 2010. These cuts were part of a larger plan to cut around 1200 jobs as the MTA struggles to make ends meet.
Despite these cuts, every single one of the system’s 468 stations will be staffed with at least one MTA worker at all times. However, this is but a technicality. Along 4th Ave. in Brooklyn, for example, the downtown and uptown platforms are not connected, and a passenger in need of assistance would have to mount two staircases and a six-lane avenue if the station agent were on the other side. Previously, I examined the psychology behind the station agents. As some claim to field up to four incidents a day, these maroon-vested workers will probably be missed.
8 comments
I won’t miss the station agent where I go to work. When I arrive, he’s usually asleep in the booth with the lights out, and a sign posted that basically says, “Don’t bother me right now.”
Counting down to the outburst of faux indignation from the establishment that lectures the MTA about cutting costs, but objects when MTA makes said decision to cut costs…
They want REAL cost savings, not getting rid of the lowest paid employees in the entire MTA family. Get rid of 100 or so managers that make 150k and don’t manage anyone.
I have to agree. Surely there’s a bunch of expensive middle management sitting around, like any company (including mine).
There are other ways to save money but they will cause very loud complaints from a small group of MTA riders.
Like Don’t spend any more money rebuilding Neck Road on the Q line, it is a block from Ave U.
and
Shut down Beverly Rd, it is on the other end of the same block as Cortelyou Rd. (Yes you don’t have to cross a street to get from one station to the other.) The MTA wont just save money on Station Agents 99.9% of riders will get to their destinations a little faster.
That very small group of riders that live in that area are part of a certain religion that runs the government.
I’m sorry I agreed with you once. I’ll go back to disagreeing with everything you say from now on, including this hateful little screed.
Hateful??? No it’s just stating an obvious fact. Look at the history of that area. They have always had new equipment.