Doomsday Extreme: MTA May Plan 2nd Fare Hike

Fuck the MTA.

What a pathetic organization.

So go ahead, MTA, make it $10 and be done with it. And go bankrupt, default on all of the bonds and become a ward of the federal government because the State of NY is right behind you. We all know where this astounding and profound negligence and mismanagement leads, so spare us all the suspense and just kill yourselves already.

Guys, I think you can stop wishing for a miracle at this point. Since Albany's pretty much done for the week and won't reconvene until Monday, we can definitively determine that Doomsday play is a go, regardless of any plan passing through by then. So yeah, better start saving up for the inevitable.

Also, if MTA wants to essentially nix overnight service, they should do what Tokyo already does regarding this situation: keep bars open 'till 5AM, or else you'll have the hours of 1AM - 5AM as a dangerous time for drunks roaming the streets terrorizing the public and over-stressing the police. God I feel with every passing day that we should secede from the state so badly since Albany's not doing jack shit to help us one bit.

This is the first interesting discussion here in a while. All I will add is this:

"STATE SENATE, GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER OR START WORKING ON YOUR RESUMES."

It can't be simply rebuilt - the subways and infrastructure are over 100 years old and crumbing. And the city is burdened with paying out pensions and healthcare costs to thousand and thousands of retired public workers, who will be collecting for decades. The tax roll will continue to decline as people and business leave the city. New York had a nice makeover in the 90's, but that party is over.

Look South or West to our country's younger cities - they are better equipped to face the challenges of this century.

and even more to the point how did London and Paris - redo the subway system there? arent they MAJOR Cities as well? its a joke to think NYC couldnt get it done!

Yes, you can rebuild - but it does mean changing for the short term... remember a generation ago there was trolley cars on 6th ave on to have GM come in a pay many people off to buy into the bus idea... I wonder if we went the wrong way?

as we add all these new bike lines (isnt that a form of rebirth?) so thats the left lanes - why cant we add trolley cars on the right lanes and only give taxis/cars two lanes of traffic?

from your point of view isnt it past time to go look for work and move? my point of view is that a city is a living, breathing place... sometimes you need to look long term and say we're going to shut down a station so we can do a major improvement (PATH station @ World Trade).

Its just past time to look at how and were we can start! and there is plenty that we could do - I hear the land lease for the park on 92 and 3rd is up - guess what I wouldnt allow that park to be turned into a high raise... I'd keep it a park forever! I'd start to look at using corporations like verizon and at&t who would give their left hand to wire up the subway system to do so and take that money to offset the difference... hell you could even tie their hands by saying you need to use MTA staff/unions to do the work along side their people!

remember a few years ago at christmas time when the MTA had a surplus somehow and instead of saving that money or investing it or whatever, they 'rewarded' new yorkers with free rides on a weekend or something like that?

or am i imagining that?

i remember thinking then that it was a really stupid waste of money that did absolutely nothing for the long term. little did i realize just how retarded the folks running that ship are.

before long, we'll all be loving our new, shiny $200/month unlimited metrocards.

TOLL THE FUCKING BRIDGES.

New York City has jumped the shark.

between the decay of the education system and the public transportation network - it really could have...

but the amazing thing about a city like this - is that it can simply always be rebuilt and renewed!

Inspiring...

Until the MTA is audited by a private, non-government (esp Albany based) firm to see where all the money is going, fares should not be raised one dime. All construction contracts, all shady deals, all salaries and perks, everything should be open to inspection and put in the public record. Otherwise, they will ALWAYS claim they have no money and will always ask for more, while stealing every dime they can get their hands on.

Ditto w/ the New York/New Jersey/Tony Soprano Port Authority.

Theres nothing illegal with a $100000 salary from the MTA. If you tell union works to work faster instead of chit chatting about the weather, they will walk off the job for OSHA violations.

Charge fat people more!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Damn Right.

"i mean, fuck driving and all but the round robin of peter getting jacked for paul ignores the financial blackhole that is public transportation, especially with these mta jackholes at the wheel."

Highways and roads and bridges are also a financial black hole.

Yes toll the fucking bridges and institute congestion pricing NOW NOW NOW NOW. I've supported both from day one and as for residential parking permits, that's a good Idea too.

"People are numbnuts for driving into the city for 'convenience' or no hassle w/ public transportation. They should pay for that "convenience" just like people paying super high rent $$ for living in the city..."

you could flip that around and say people riding the subway and busses rely heavily on state funding and should pay more for the privilege of having public transportation.it's just a matter of picking which "privilege" or "convenience" you want to punish.

i mean, fuck driving and all but the round robin of peter getting jacked for paul ignores the financial blackhole that is public transportation, especially with these mta jackholes at the wheel. (as it were)

Oh yay, the halfwitted dhex is back! What slimy rock are you crawling out from under?

thats it, i'm buying a f'inkg vespa. It will pay for itself in a year.

Meep meep!

Be prepared to shell out a few grand for your fines.

1. Unlicensed Operator $75 + $60

2. Unregistered Vehicle $75 + &60

3. Uninspected Vehicle $50 + $60

4. Uninsured Vehicle - minimum fine of $100 + $60 & revocation of license or privilege for 1 year.

5. No Turn Signals $30 + $40

6. No Horn $30 +$40

7. No Tail Lights $30 +$40

8. No Brake Lights $30+ $40

9. Defective Tires $30 +$40

10. Inadequte Brakes $30 + $40 (this has 4 points on your license)

11. No Mirrors $30 + $40

12. No Safety Glass $30 + $40

13. No Headlights $30 +$40

14. No Emergency Flashers $30 +$40

15. Inadequate Steering Mechanism $30 + $40

And if no license, thats a felony, have fun with Bubba in state prison.

It's way too late for Albany to do anything. The MTA has to program the subway, LIRR, Metro North ticket machines for the new fares.

Since it seems as though a fare increase is inevitable it's time to toll the darn bridges, put in place congestion pricing for single drivers and private vehicles, and consider residential parking permits. Subway and bus riders should not be shouldering this cost alone and so significantly. Grow a set, Patterson.

He's won't be seriously considered for reelection anyway. Patterson may as well do everything that a politician who needs to watch out for poll numbers can't do.

Are those people sitting on the subway floor?

Incomprehensibly gross.

The stations get washed once a month to every 2 weeks late at night with pressure washers. Would you rather sit on the floor or next to a bum on the bench that hasn't bathed in a decade?

Especially if you think about them going home or to their friends or a restaurant and rubbing their now diseased asses all over chairs and beds and tabletops.

Uuuuugh.

FMC

would you rather pay an extra $20-30 per month for an unlimited card, or would you like to pay $20-30 per taxi ride home on a drunk friday night?

ps. I'm in favor of residential parking permits - as long as there is street space to park with them!!!! The parking lots in manhattan charge too much and what a better way to make money!!!!

I'm also in favor of having a special CITY License. just because you learned to drive in the backwoods of any other state (or upstate/long island) doesnt mean you should/or could drive in this city!!!!

Also I think we should test Taxi drivers yearly!!!! along with setting up squads of undercover cops that test the drivers out - speeding, cutting people off, racing to beat a light... take away medallions and resell them! use those fees and fines to offset public transportation along with costs to have those people do their jobs!

how about charge people who drive (w/ no other passengers) into Manhattan?

People are numbnuts for driving into the city for 'convenience' or no hassle w/ public transportation. They should pay for that "convenience" just like people paying super high rent $$ for living in the city...

I think your point is well made... I 100% believe in HOV lines and think that those people that ride as a single into and out of the city should be charged at the door during PEAK times. Very much like the peak train tickets that are close to 50% more...

I would also raise city meter rates on commercial parking rates to also help offset the cost.

Then I start to explore a Zoned Taxi program (remember those days when the subway was flooded - it really worked - as much as we hated sitting next to someone we never meet before - we all got to work!)

just jump the price to 3 dollars, run subways based on every 10 minutes... (no worries about delays then either)...

make simple avenue and cross town bus routes (not more cross overs and weird routes (just north, south, east and west) [ie. make people transfer!]

increase fines for littering, smoking, and arrest the pan handlers (if we're paying premiums then we shouldnt be troubled for a dollar or a quarter).

put in place a music card system - ie. charge the people that want to play on the subways or on the platforms a small fee!

add beer carts on all express stops lower then 57th street M-F 4-7pm (it works great for Penn station)

Charge more for the subway ads (I'm sick of low budget ads - for lawyers or doctors), change the large paper ads for TVs (if cabbies can do it so can you!)

allow moms with strollers on buses without taking the kids out (that will also help increase ridership on the UES/UWS)

no more Dr. Zizmor? I love his Wonka breed of cheapo adverts including the busted feet and nasty toe nails pics. and by love I mean hate.

10 minutes between trains will get very nasty on the platforms during rush hour, but other than that i think you should probably be voted to the MTA Board.

ok point taken - 10 minutes could be dealt down to 6 minutes still leaving 10 trains per hour... if Disneyland can run rides all day long for 365 days a year - why cant the MTA run subway service the same way!

I'm on your side but comparing Disneyland's monorails to a giant mass transit operation like the NYC subways and buses and rails just isn't fair.

ok ok... I know but in a very small way to laugh.

Apprende ingles!

Don't let impotence ruin your life!

Thanks Dr. Zizmor!

I vote yes on your proposal.

Seconded.

$3 a ride here we come

Though shutting down the system at night might not be all bad. Might mean less weekend construction if they can do everything overnight without being disturbed by constant train traffic.

Sorry Brooklynites who drive, but everybody should have to make sacrafices. It's time to have tolls on the East River bridges.

How much money would actually be saved by cutting late night service? It's such a bad idea. This isn't D.C.

"The city that, until recently, never slept."

Doesn't quite have the right ring to it, does it?

Bridge and tunnel tolls, congestion pricing for single riders in private vehicles, AND residential parking permits. (Dedicated bike lanes on major North / South avenues separated from traffic lanes with barriers would help enormously too.)

you forgot "alligators in the moat"

Myopic as always. The ones who will suffer the most when the MTA is crippled beyond repair will be those living in the outer boroughs. Putting tolls on the East River crossings will bring a net benefit to everyone.

many residents in outer boroughs already spend half their day riding on or waiting for public transportation. when service cutbacks cripple morning commutes said resident will choose to take alternate forms of transportation. then those who choose to say, ride a motorcycle, will get charged even more for the pleasure of working in manhattan and then pay extra to park as well?

rather than open the MTAs books and find out where the $$$ is spilling. true oversight should happen before implementing more and more taxes. or is that too myopic?

Exemptions for motorcycles DUH. Also, a public bicycle system and dedicated parking for 2 wheel vehicles, like they have in Paris.

This city is so far behind it's depressing. The whole country for that matter. That's why we're going to be hurting fort a long time. We need an infrastructure overhaul and a major cultural change.

who uses words like "duh" outside of the sandbox? i guess i'll go throw my motorcycle EZ Pass away since magic-man SP is runnin' shit around here. and now to make a sweet sandcastle...

Why would you throw away your mc EZ pass??? Besides been an utter idiot I mean.

It's too uninformed. The MTA has done a lot to cut costs under Sander. What they are really lacking is adequate funding. You can't save money if you don't have enough to begin with.

uninformed? not really. yes they have tried to feign enforcement over the pension scandal, etc. but going over budget is their modus operandi.

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As an independent authority the MTA is allowed to set its own budget and control its own spending with very little public review. No one denies that the MTA needs the increased funding, but cost overruns and never-completed projects have cost the MTA enough money to fund its current deficits and better management could help stabilize it in the future.

From the renovation of their offices and the Times Square station to the automated train notification system and the Fulton Street Transit Center, MTA projects routinely end up tens or hundreds of millions of dollars over budget or just never get completed. As the MTA is independent there never seems to be adequate answers for these miscalculations or changes made. They just submit a new capital plan that takes into account the cost overruns and delays other needed projects.

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http://www.empirepage.com/2009/4/21/help-the-mta-but-watch-over-the-funds

the time for talking is past, paterson; this is the time for screaming, yelling, pushing, cajoling, getting something done - you know, leadership.

"I will be talking to the leaders about yet another new idea that I have...Hopefully, that will end this process ... it all depends on the ability of legislators to come together" in one big room...

I call it "group hypnosis therapy." Madame Irina will entrance our senators and assemblythingies, convince them that their mission in life is to protect the MTA, and when they awake they will rush to the chamber floor, vote a massive bailout, and then don cap and goggles and get out their and drive some trains and buses y'all! Except for Shelly. I asked Madame Irina to make him think he's a chicken.

FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Having all-night transit is one of the main reasons to live in New York? Do they want me to bike home from distant bars and parties? I'm sure as hell not paying for cabs.

We need bridge tolls and congestion pricing. Or an additional gasoline tax?

Just fucking grow some balls and tax the god damn bridges and institute congestion pricing.

Grow some balls and fight the union.

Funny how you rush to point the finger at the union, when Pataki is to blame for fucking the MTA in a much worse way.

SP, you know me; I'm not exactly big state government's #1 fan.

Oh, you know me---I'm not exactly big state government's #1 fan, SP.

Kalikow did try to fight the union.

We wound up with a strike.