MTA Plans More Cuts, From Train Cars To Workers

Photograph by urzzz on Flickr

A judge may have temporarily blocked 475 station agents from being laid off but the MTA is continuing with ways to close its big budget shortfall. And that includes eliminating 1,000 more workers this year. The Post says this "marks a second wave of layoffs, though this time they'll be accomplished though attrition and unfilled job vacancies." Though there will be $110 million in savings, there will likely be "dirtier subway cars and more graffitied windows, shorter LIRR and Metro-North trains, fewer public-address alerts on platforms and fewer ushers at Grand Central Terminal."

As for the blocking of the station agent layoffs, they have their jobs until at least early next week when the hearing continues. NYC Transit President Tom Prendergast says it'll cost the agency $600,000/week to keep the 475 workers. But TWU Local 100 President John Samuelson said, "Folks in the MTA don't seem to realize that when they pull these station agents out of the system, riders of New York City trains are in danger," a sentiment that the Straphanger Campaign's Gene Russianoff echoed: "Station clerks or the eyes and ears of many subways. Riders are going to be scared at night at subway entrances when there are no human beings around."

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By Jen Chung in News on May 7, 2010 9:20 AM

Comments [rss]

wow 14th street

There have been rapes in the subway station at night

when there were no attendants ,a case of an F.I.T.

student raped on the 28th street station of 7th avenue

in NYC always stands in my mind and the lawsuit that

followed seeing fault with the MTA.

One can scream in the subway and no one can hear.

Station clerks once known as "token pushers"also open

the electric service gates to let handicapped people on the platform,no clerk,no entrance for those with "walkers"

of wheel chairs or parents with baby carriages.

ides_of_march

How about getting rid of some useless bureaucrats in the bloated MTA administration?

Stevennnn

How much shorter can the Metro-North cars get? The M7a's are usually either 6 or 8 cars and the Genesis are 6, but mostly 7.

Såkandulæredet

The subway rats are squeaking with joy!

1stephanie

I often see the sign that states they're somewhere out in the station, "look for the burgundy vest." I have yet to see a burgundy vest, though. Is that code for smoke break?

JDSX

Station agents are worthless.

aspiringrapper

I'd like to see a camera & a cop on every train, personally. If people mind their own business & keep their hands to themselves, we'd all be much better off. Clearly, some people need that extra push to behave that only constant observation & police presence can provide. Increasingly, these criminals seem to be targeting the metrocard machines, jamming the credit card slots & forcing people to buy from them. All most of us want to do is get from Point A to Point B without dealing with filth, crime, preachers, dancers, blasting headphones, clipped toenails, etc.. That is a dream I have, anyway.

whitecastlerock

These same agents didn't give a fuck about the safety of the riders when they went on strike a few years ago. They didn't give a shit about thousands of people walking to and from work in the freezing cold. They picketed and complained about their shitty salaries-costing the city millions in lost revenue. Many of these agents sit in the booth reading a newspaper. For any of them not to see the writing on the wall when automated vending machines were installed everywhere is unfortunate.

aspiringrapper

"Folks in the MTA don't seem to realize that when they pull these station agents out of the system, riders of New York City trains are in danger."

Enough with this argument, really. How many stories have there been with MTA employees doing nothing while people on the platforms are robbed & raped?

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

that's true but I am sure that the media doesn't report the many stories of these station agents stopping and/or preventing attacks. Regardless, many criminals won't commit a crime in front of an agent. The least the MTA should do is PUT Working Camera.