Results tagged “bridgesandtunnels”

Whether you're selling candy bars for new basketball uniforms or could use some extra space for your xylophone and stand up bass, you'll be happy to know that there's been more room on the subways so far this year with ridership dramatically down. This past March saw approximately 2.5 million less riders take public transportation compared with March 2008. Of course good news for cramped straphangers isn't exactly music to the MTA's ears. The drop in ridership has given the agency a new budget shortfall to worry about with $7.1 million less in fares coming in than was expected in March alone. Toll collections are offering no relief—bridges and tunnels saw a million less drivers come across them than the year prior as well. How long until the MTA threatens more service cuts or starts charging those pesky two-wheeled "anti-car extremists" for using their crossings? The Post blames the lazy unemployed for no longer paying their fare to go to work and suggests heavier snowfall this winter didn't help either.

After much speculation and the local papers preparing commuters for what was to come, the MTA made their official budget proposal today and as expected, the cutbacks were dramatic. In addition to the slashing of the W and the Z lines among other cuts listed Tuesday, today's 2009 budget also included the following:

Interesting: The Daily News reports that driver demand to use MTA bridges and tunnels has fallen 4.8% when comparing last month's figures (25 million) to October 2007 (when there were 26.3 million drivers). Another stat: Traffic on the Manhattan crossings was down 4% between September and October. One hypothesis is that recent layoffs mean there's less reason to head into Manhattan. However, average weekday subway ridership increased 4.3% "in the 12 months ending Sept. 30," according to the Post. Yeah, cutting subway service is just what we need.

The MTA has put out a request for proposals to transform its current toll plaza to an all-E-Z Pass and cashless payment system. Non-E-Z Pass users would be charged with license plate cameras (the same idea floated in congestion pricing), and NY1 says the MTA wants to "get rid of all toll booths in the next four years." The MTA's Bridges & Tunnels division has been in the news lately, from a jury awarding a former employee $735,000 in a discrimination case to the firing of a toll worker over his dispute with a customer.