Subway Ratdemic: Ban Food, Blame The Straphanger

Photo by Joe Schumacher

Don't want to see rats in the subway system? Stop feeding them! Senator Bill Perkins reminds: "Rats don't grow the food that they eat on the subway, and they don't buy it, either. We as customers, unfortunately, are the ones that are feeding, and thereby breeding the rodent infestation problem we have." Perkins has been rallying for a ban on food in the subway system, and now NY1 visits his fears that MTA budget cuts, and no food ban, could lead to a real ratdemic.

The MTA has cut down on cleaning crews in the subway system, and now there are fewer than 1500, a 4% cut from last year... and with these cuts they expect things to get dirtier. So now it's up to us (and these people)—a new ad campaign is rolling out and it's aimed at the everyday straphanger, though NYC Transit president Thomas Prendergast notes that "customers don't like to hear that they're, quote-unquote, the cause of the problem."

Prendergast added that "There's a lot of difficult jobs in New York City Transit, and the cleaner's job is one of the most difficult ones." And as a Union rep pointed out to NY1: "I want the riders to understand, that sometimes you see a cleaner trying to catch his breath or taking a break, it's because he or she is truly overworked." Indeed... but do you think they snack down there during their breaks?

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By Jen Carlson in News on November 26, 2010 4:10 PM

Comments [rss]

Icequeen

I always thought the reason they'd ban food in the subways would be because soommmeee peopppleeee think that its OK to eat a big messy gyro on a crowded 6 train. Not because the city is AGAIN overwhelmed with a pest problem..

Neverhaditsogood

This ongoing need to distinguish between rats and dopes is beyond me.

Brainwash

Just start smacking the shit out of people who throw food on the tracks.

m015094

Rats like the subway because it's warm, dry (mostly) and there is food from assholes who cannot or will not use a trash can.

Wza

People are pigs in this city.

Ban food in the subways.

I hate walking into a car that smells like chicken or ketchup.

Mordicai

You don't have to ban food; how about just cracking down on litter bugs? Seriously-- see someone litter, fine them. If you've got the staff to go after putting their feet on seats or sitting down on stairs, turn it towards cracking down on litter bugs.

& if you see someone litter? Pick it up, hand it to them & say "Oops, I think you dropped this."