Without Bailout, MTA Service Cuts are Drastic

Photograph of Santacon Santas on the subway by sgoralnick on Flickr

There's nothing like "nightmare scenarios" to make the MTA's financial crisis seem even more grave. The Daily News explains,"Riders at some 150 subway stations will see service cuts," like fewer staffers, if the MTA does not get a bailout. The Straphangers Campaign worries, "In many cases, the cuts would force riders to enter through scary, unstaffed stations entrances." Plus some stations, like those along the N line, will be shut down over night.

The MTA is expected to adopt the so-called "doomsday budget on Wednesday; cuts and fare hikes (which would be preceded by hearings) won't go into effect until next year. The only way to lessen the severity of cuts and fare hikes would be if the state approves bailout suggestions (as in the ones the Ravitch Commission offered).

With fares rising one way or another, it's interesting to know how one thrifty Brooklyn resident saves $10/week on her subway commute: Georgette DiFini takes discarded Metrocards and sees if there's money left! She explained to the Post, "People just see 'insufficient fare' and drop it. But two out of five cards always has something on it."

And some more food for thought: Between 2003 and 2007, NYC jobs and population grew while bus and subway ridership went up... and vehicular traffic went down. The Department of Transportation told the NY Times, "What you see is that for the first time since at least World War II, all of the growth in travel in the city has been absorbed by non-auto modes, primarily by mass transit."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on December 15, 2008 6:13 PM

Comments [rss]

KiljoyWasHere

Stations are still staffed?

Roger McDowell

holy crap, I think this doomsday went into effect today. The R/N lines were unbelievable today.

whitecastlerock

FUCK THE MTA...

inoyourider

MTA is the worst run organization I have ever seen

So much money, yet so broke and such shitty service.

And now it's only going to get shittier. Great.

woodendesigner

When the MTA decides to build a 2nd avenue line and then goes "oops.... now we are broke" then I think that someone needs to step in and manage it better. The 2nd avenue line is just one of many mistakes that the MTA needs to stop getting itself into. If it did that then maybe they would be able to balance the books better.

chunk

The possibility of station staffing cuts is frightening. I hope the state can find some way to avoid a scenario in which there are no longer MTA employees around to stare blankly at us while we are are being dragged down the stairs onto the platform and raped.

ANGRYGOD11

The MTA isn't different from other mass transit systems around the world: They do not cover their costs with just rider fares, because it's not enough. They usually need government subsidies. If they successfully provide great service at low prices, then the MTA needs even more money.

That's reality. Deal with it.

Alex

Ridership at record highs leading to service cuts.

Simply stated, this is a failure of all levels of government.

Judge Smails

An N Train nightmare? From that kind of statement, I expected they'd cut off all of Brooklyn or Queens after sundown!

Unless you are wandering around the financial district between midnight and 6am (and there are other trains to accommodate that), it just sounds like a faster express N train back to Brooklyn...

I hate scare quotes! The MTA has to become more efficient and this may just be the painful event that brings it kicking and screaming to terms with reality.

palestine

Santa!!!

Tower18

I see with the M8 cuts, the MTA is taking a page out of the CTA playbook here in Chicago...threaten "doomsday" scenarios that disproportionately affect wealthy and/or powerful communities, in hopes that the uproar these connected and moneyed times will create will spur governmental action.

Cheer up Qraymond, it always works in Chicago.