The MTA runs the outbound J train (towards Jamaica Center) like it is a amusement park's recreational train for pre-schoolers. It runs so slowly with several multi-minute pauses either while on the Williamsburg Bridge or at a station before departing. This subway line has the opportunity to take travelers to the airport too. I don't understand how they think it runs well and serves the community effectively.
I drive in 3 borroughs to get to work, and it seems to me that every time the MTA slows down, more people abandon the subway and take to their cars. I did.
I would gladly pay higher tolls if the money could be spent on the subways, and hence reduce the number of motor vehicles on the road.
2
The subways are 100% NYC owned property. And they are the most profitable part of the MTA save for the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority.
I propose that the city do the following:
1) Retake control of the subways from the MTA.
2) Sue the MTA for failing to maintain the city property entrusted to their care (subways) in a state of good repair. The city should demand that the MTA pay the costs of restoring the subway system.
3) The city should place a lien on other MTA assets, including the TBTA facilities, LIRR, and Metro North.
3
Does the city really think that installing seat-free cars and quicker removal of sick passengers is going to fix the issue? Update that dinosaur of a signal system! The trains wouldn't be delayed as much, would run on time and you could keep the same old subway cars.
As far as the price - I'm sure it will go up - that's all it does in the city of ever rising cost of living but barely rising salaries (unless you're a part of the 1%).
3
I'm afraid the costs-burden is much higher in our hearts and minds. We begrudgingly ride the subway right now, and it makes many of us want to opt out. Out of transit. Out of being in Manhattan. Out of living in this expensive city where every movement has an annoying friction.
2
"Chairman Lhota... should not pull from the wallets of straphangers who already pay their fair share"
Any coverage of this dispute should really link to a summary of the current division of funding and the history behind it. As unpopular as it might be with the people of New York City, I think it's actually somewhat dubious that a funding structure arrived at during the bad days of the 1970s is fair in the booming 21st century. Di Blasio is telling people what they want to hear but perhaps it is not realistic.
If these estimates are true, think of the cost each workday caused by huge bottlenecks at the tunnels and bridges. Must be billions. Let's have a Marshall Plan for the entire NYC-area transportation system.
4
It's a mess. I considered myself lucky to be off the NW train in Astoria when I moved there. But over the past 2 years, it has gone from bad to worse.
Now, I have a car and an Uber pass as other options in case I can't get to work via the subway. Where is all this money going? Who is on the payroll every time I pay my $2.75/ride? Seems like the money is being siphoned out somewhere other than improvements.
4
Where?
Health and pension costs.
While I am a full fan of productivity, i am skeptical that NYC's revenue would increase by $389M per year if the subway were fixed immediately. This analysis represents the lost time of riders, which means many of them lose free time, instead of companies actually losing productive value.
Nevertheless, let's give New Yorkers $389M worth of free time - we all deserve it!
The "cost" has nothing to do with revenue.
Sounds like Stringer is saying if X people are delayed for Y hours, and a person on average earns Z dollars per hour, then the cost is X*Y*Z.
For example, if you earn $20/hour and you are delayed by 15 minutes, then the "cost" is $5.
It's more like lost productivity, I guess.
2
I agree. These figures don't make a lot of sense. What's really being lost is patience.
The MTA needs to do better. It would be great if they immediately, miraculously had more funding but, that's not gonna happen. So, like most businesses these days, they need to do MORE with LESS. Try harder!
Don't even get me started on what bus delays (or, in some cases, bus nonexistence) are costing ME.
Am considering moving to Salt Lake City where, among other things, the public transit (which incudes a system of trams barely 20 yrs old) outranks New York's -- largely because it reaches a larger percentage of the city's population and has a better record of getting them to their jobs or appointments on time.
3
I know, waiting 40 mins for a bus that's scheduled at that time to come every 10-12 mins?
The subway platforms are filthy, full of garbage, dank smells, not to mention the rats even. The MTA should try cleaning them up, come up with some better way to maintain them.
So many subway route/scheduling exceptions at any given time. It really is feeling like a DISGUSTING experience for the many that keep the city running for others.