Cut in subway station booth agents has some worried about safety

[Harry]

If you see something, good luck trying to say something.

 

Starting Sunday, 17 subway stations across Brooklyn will lose agents because of budget cuts - which didn't make riders happy.

 

"I'm concerned for my safety," said Flatbush commuter Lunie Menard, 43, when she learned there would no longer be an agent in the booth at her usual entrance to the Newkirk Ave. station in Flatbush.

 

"If I'm down there by myself and someone's working, at least I know there's two of us," Menard said. "There's safety in numbers. We need more people down there, not less."

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2009/09/18/2009-09-18_cut_in_subway_station_booth_agents_has_some_worried_about_safety.html#ixzz0RSlE11RK

[Messino]

Im not sure safety can be used as a legitimate reason to keep these station agents. Most of the time at night they are asleep anyway and when they are awake they are useless. They yell at you when you ask them for directions or when tourists dont know which turnstile to use when they refer you to the special entry turnstyle.

 

Also with each station getting more and more security cameras at turnstiles and platforms, it is becoming alot like the unmanned NJ PATH stations. No agents and cameras everywhere. NYC is way more populated and it is nice to have a person sitting in the booth when the METROCARD vending machines are not working properly, but all in all to save millions per year I can see why the MTA wants to cut back and eventually eliminate them.

 

If it means fewer fare increses and improvement on the infrastructure and service then Im all for it.

[cdi919]

no one is losing a job. they are just not filling the spots that open when people retire or get promoted. also most of those "cameras" that you see dont work. the contractor that was supposed to install them never finished the project. thats millions down the drain. the

mta waste's more money on projects that fail then it would take to keep station agents. thats why the fare gets raised its not our pay or benefits like the media says, its money wasted on bad projects and bad capital project management. contractors can send their kids through college on money they make from a 6 month project that they drag out to 6 years.

[INDman]

no one is losing a job. they are just not filling the spots that open when people retire or get promoted. also most of those "cameras" that you see dont work. the contractor that was supposed to install them never finished the project. thats millions down the drain. the

mta waste's more money on projects that fail then it would take to keep station agents. thats why the fare gets raised its not our pay or benefits like the media says, its money wasted on bad projects and bad capital project management. contractors can send their kids through college on money they make from a 6 month project that they drag out to 6 years.

 

The MTA wastes a sh*t load of money on contractors who do work that could be done by workers.

[metsfan]

Having no station agents:

 

Stupid.

 

- A

[S/A Vee]

I can't wait till passengers have to deal with stations that the uptown and downtown aren't connected. The Mta put up nice signs informing passengers who need to use the gate or special entry because of senior/handicapped tkts to go to the full time booth. What they didn't tell you is that you have to enter the sysyem from that side. So you will ride the train in the opposite direction until you can cross over to your train. That is what i been told by supervision. I can't wait to tell customers this.

[Trainmaster5]

I must point out that most thugs and vandals will think twice before commiting a crime with other people present yet won't hesitate when there's only a camera present. Basic human nature. How many bank ATM photos have been posted in the media? Can you really identify the person in the picture ? Your chances of being assaulted or worse go up when there is nobody else present. Quite simply the more PEOPLE present the safer you are. Sorry about the caps moderator.

[Will-Bx-718]

I must point out that most thugs and vandals will think twice before commiting a crime with other people present yet won't hesitate when there's only a camera present. Basic human nature. How many bank ATM photos have been posted in the media? Can you really identify the person in the picture ? Your chances of being assaulted or worse go up when there is nobody else present. Quite simply the more PEOPLE present the safer you are. Sorry about the caps moderator.

 

I 2nd the notion from every poster after mr Messino. Why is you seem so negative about our position? YES TA would love to get rid of us all, but they just can't do it at this moment or in the foreseeable future. And as far as cameras go, we dont even know if they all work. And the metrocard machines break down all the time. So these are very big issues that TA has to solve before they can axe all of us, and even then they would still need a human presence at each station somewhere.

[Tinamarie]

I read the article. It's unsettling that their getting rid of the station agents in Brooklyn College, which is a pretty busy area.

[Grand Concourse]

Well it is a terminal, so there are still train crews there.

The booth on the 5 train side is rarely used. So that really doesn't matter. One time I bought a card from the clerk in the booth and he seemed like he didn't give a damn. I'd much rather deal with a MVM.

[Tinamarie]

Well it is a terminal, so there are still train crews there.

The booth on the 5 train side is rarely used. So that really doesn't matter. One time I bought a card from the clerk in the booth and he seemed like he didn't give a damn. I'd much rather deal with a MVM.

 

Ah ok good to know. I always see them there anyways.

[Will-Bx-718]

I read the article. It's unsettling that their getting rid of the station agents in Brooklyn College, which is a pretty busy area.

 

Well if TA has their way you will only has one serviced booth at times square, 34th penn station and grand central amongst other of the busiest station on the subway. I tell you people won't appreciate the job we do until there is no one there to do it. I know how people feel about us not being able to physically help but us that the agents fault TA mandates us to do that cuz they don't wan't a law suit?. Or is it our fault the NYPD is not at every station like they should be when they should be? I mean the comment about the girl being dragged and raped, the agent did what he was pose to do which was alert command and have them call the police. Why is no one asking what took the police sooooooooo long to get to her assistance??? I mean does anyone here know that the transit police have up to 30 mins to respond to our calls are you kidding me??. I once had a strange package in front of my booth, I called it in and for the next 2 hours not one single police officer showed up for my call. I had customer concerned about what it was. If were a bomb I would have been dead along with anyone on the station. These are the real questions people need to be asking themselves . Our job to many may seem useless now because we are here, but once were not it wont seem that way. Lots of people may have become accustomed to the machines but what happens when the machine breaks down or eats your money or your metrocard gets damaged. Who do you turn to ? the person in the booth who you can't stand.

[Will-Bx-718]

Well it is a terminal, so there are still train crews there.

The booth on the 5 train side is rarely used. So that really doesn't matter. One time I bought a card from the clerk in the booth and he seemed like he didn't give a damn. I'd much rather deal with a MVM.

 

GC why do you and people feel the need to be babied when you buy a card at the booth? I mean you came there to purchase something and you got it. What else did you want after that?. I treat every single person that comes to me with the level of service regardless if they are rude. I mean c'mon people this is NYC since when did people here get so soft and expect so much for so little?. The person gave you the level of service your suppose to get. You got your correct change I assume and you got the amount of money you asked for on your card. Why you say he did'nt care cause he did'nt give you a big kool aide smile or ask to shake your hand. Even when I'am nice to people most customers have a slight attitude mainly because they have to pay to ride the subway or what ever reasons. I've had people ask me for change of a twenty I give it to them and they just walk away with out saying thank you. Did I get upset cause they acted as if they did'nt give a damn? I guess that's part of the new yorker attitude never satisfied and complain about everything :cry:

[Grand Concourse]

I'm just saying the clerk had that 'expression on his face' like he 'didn't give a damn' or like I was interupting something more important. And I had exact change since I only needed $2 back then.

I'm not expecting a smile with the card, but at least 'don't show how much you detest your job'. That's what I'm getting at. Of course such work and dealing with people on a constant basis is stressful, but that is not an excuse to act that way.

I mean am I that far off in my opinion?

[cdi919]

i can tell you as fact that when i was working midnights on the 4 and 6 that the police dont respond because they have hiding spots where they go and sleep. they like to hide in our crew room at newlots and sleep with the door locked. or they like to use the crew room at parkchester which is supposed to be locked at night but they managed to get a key. as for the booth they are in the same position as conductors. they have to deal with the best and worst of the public. like us they start off nice but the public hardens them up.

[Bill from Maspeth]

You guys have to realize that NYCT has to cut jobs of the hourly workforce to pay for their newest layer of beauracacy: the new line managers.

 

It's just another example of more chiefs and fewer indians in the NYCT workplace.

 

The riding public and news media has no idea of the amount of people who have absolutely nothing to do with the operation of the NYCT subway and bus divisions. Look at those big buildings at 2 Broadway, 130 & 180 Livingston, just to name 3. I can assure you that these jokers don't want to know what the front line employees put up with. All they do is push papers around all day and exchange EMails. Do you really think all them SCA's are really necessary?

 

All I want to do at this point is to survive the next 5 1/2 years and get the hell out with my Social Security and pension, and never again have to deal with the everyday nonsense and contract settlements that if NYCT doesn't like, they don't abide by the arbitrators' decisions.

[RTOMan]

You guys have to realize that NYCT has to cut jobs of the hourly workforce to pay for their newest layer of beauracacy: the new line managers.

 

It's just another example of more chiefs and fewer indians in the NYCT workplace.

 

The riding public and news media has no idea of the amount of people who have absolutely nothing to do with the operation of the NYCT subway and bus divisions. Look at those big buildings at 2 Broadway, 130 & 180 Livingston, just to name 3. I can assure you that these jokers don't want to know what the front line employees put up with. All they do is push papers around all day and exchange EMails. Do you really think all them SCA's are really necessary?

 

All I want to do at this point is to survive the next 5 1/2 years and get the hell out with my Social Security and pension, and never again have to deal with the everyday nonsense and contract settlements that if NYCT doesn't like, they don't abide by the arbitrators' decisions.

 

Bill you know and i know when you speak facts most of the times the haters ignore them...

[RTOMan]

i can tell you as fact that when i was working midnights on the 4 and 6 that the police dont respond because they have hiding spots where they go and sleep. they like to hide in our crew room at newlots and sleep with the door locked. or they like to use the crew room at parkchester which is supposed to be locked at night but they managed to get a key. as for the booth they are in the same position as conductors. they have to deal with the best and worst of the public. like us they start off nice but the public hardens them up.

 

I used to love it when i was extra extra when i was in the A Div and nine times out of ten for my "Monday" job they gave me 201 on the . It never failed to walk upstairs to that crew room and see NY Finest in action...

[cdi919]

I used to love it when i was extra extra when i was in the A Div and nine times out of ten for my "Monday" job they gave me 201 on the . It never failed to walk upstairs to that crew room and see NY Finest in action...

 

its what they do best;)