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MTA Eliminates 120 More Workers

Posted by
on July 6th, 2010 at 7:31 am

The cost cutting via blue-collar workforce positions within the MTA continued this past Friday as the agency laid off 120 more workers. At the same time, they filled a new white-collar management position by hiring Diana Ritter Jones & giving her a $217,000 annual salary. Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News has more:

ANOTHER BATCH of transit workers was laid off yesterday, bringing the number of pink-slipped employees to about 1,000.

The latest wave of layoffs – 120 subway car mechanics and inspectors – will turn in their gear at a NYC Transit facility in Brooklyn today.

MTA officials, meanwhile, announced the hiring of a state commissioner of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to fill a newly created managing director post with a $217,000 salary.

Diana Jones Ritter will manage headquarters staff and oversee the consolidation of divisional press offices, corporate communications departments and five call centers. The consolidation will save an estimated $10 million, the MTA said.

Click here for the complete report.

If the New York Daily News’ goal was to anger people with this story, they succeeded. I am all for the agency finding ways to crawl out from the financial hole it finds itself in. However it pains me to continue seeing it happen on the backs of its blue-collar workforce while nowhere near as much is being done within the white-collar section.

Saving $10M annually while doing much needed consolidation is good, does it need to be done via yet another new position with a 6 figure salary? Couldn’t this job have been filled by someone from within as part of their current tasks? Spending six figures on yet another position sure does not seem like the wisest financial decision yet it occurred.

They seriously need to get their house in order while tackling their biggest foe, the lack of sustainable funding options from the city & state government.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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MTA Finances
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Bronx Assemblyman Wants Help From The MTA

Posted by
on July 6th, 2010 at 7:16 am

The much maligned service cuts have received numerous attention from this blog & others like it across the web. The sentiment shared by riders has not only been on the web though as they have taken to the streets to protest in Brooklyn & Queens respectively.

If any one borough was hit hardest by bus cuts in particular, it was the Bronx. To one Bronx Assemblyman, they have gone too far & he is asking for help from the MTA for his constituents. Tanyanika Samuels of the New York Daily News has more:

The MTA service cuts that went into effect this week are hitting some bus riders where it hurts the most – in the wallet. Now one Bronx politician is hoping to help ease the pain.

Scaled-back services on the Bx20 in Riverdale and the Bx34 in Woodlawn amount to a 100% fare hike for riders who now have to take two buses before transferring to the subway during off-peak hours and on weekends, charged Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx).

He is proposing that the MTA offer electronic paper transfer cards so riders can transfer to the subway for free during the affected times.

“We just received the letter and we are reviewing it,” MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said yesterday.

Dinowitz said something has to be done.

“It was bad enough that the MTA board unanimously voted to curtail service on the Bronx 20 and 34 buses,” he said. “But it’s outrageous that they have added insult to injury by doubling the transportation costs of some commuters.”

Click here for the complete report.

I sympathize with riders across the region who have undergone a loss in service due to the MTA’s financial crisis. However, I can’t support Mr. Dinowitz’s idea as it is not fair. I feel the MTA did a good job of reducing service which affected the least amount of people. If you start asking the MTA to offer free transfers to constituents, it would be only fair for others to expect the same.

What about riders in other boroughs affected? If some Bronx riders can get free rides, why not people in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens? In the interest of fairness, the MTA should not agree to this form of help as it is only taking much needed revenue (albeit very little based on ridership statistics) away.

Instead, Mr. Dinowitz should sit down with his peers & help come up with sustainable funding solutions which would go a long way in truly benefiting his constituents.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions 07-06-10

Posted by
on July 6th, 2010 at 7:02 am

I have just updated the “Service Diversions” page by removing all of the work scheduled to end on Monday or by 5AM today. The latest information for the upcoming week & beyond in some cases is at the forefront.

As always, I suggest you print out a copy of the diversions to have with you while riding. You may also access the mobile friendly version of Transit Blogger available on all phones. Have a safe week & keep cool as best you can!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions
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Service Diversions 07-03-10

Posted by
on July 3rd, 2010 at 2:14 am

I just updated the “Service Diversions” page by removing all the diversions scheduled to end by 11:59PM yesterday. All of the diversions are listed for the weekend & the upcoming week.

I suggest you print out a copy of the diversions to carry with you or use your mobile device to access the phone friendly version of Transit Blogger.

The next update will occur on Tuesda sometime after 5:01 AM as I remove the ongoing diversions scheduled to end by 5:00 AM Tue. Have a great & most importantly safe July 4th weekend!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions
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Service Diversions 07-01-10

Posted by
on July 1st, 2010 at 6:30 pm

I just updated the “Service Diversions” page with all of the planned service diversions for the upcoming July 4th weekend & all of next week (beyond in some cases).

Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) riders click here to view complete information on the service plans for the upcoming holiday weekend. Also Staten Island Railway riders, don’t forget to click here to view complete details on the planned “Get-A-Way” service for the holiday weekend.

I suggest you print out a copy of the diversions to carry with you or use your mobile device to access the phone friendly version of Transit Blogger. The next update will occur on Saturday sometime after 12:01 AM as I remove the ongoing diversions scheduled to end by 11:59 PM tomorrow night. Have a great holiday weekend!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions