How stable is the MTA?

[Nova RTS 9147]

Okay, I studied the for several years, yet I still feel there's more to the story than we, the public are being told. We all know about their budget situation, the service cut, the layoffs, ect.

 

The MTA is currently billions in debt (to the tune of at least $20 billion, probably more). To my immediate knowledge, no company has come back from being that much in debt, which brings me to my question: How solvent is the MTA? Are they on the brink of bankruptcy? Should the State step in and break up the company?

 

Also, was it a wise idea to have all operations (NYCTA, LIRR, MNRR, LIBus) under one umbrella operation? In hindsight (at least to me) the MTA got in over their heads.

 

What do you think?

[mark1447]

I think the t/a needs to become a Private Corp, instead of relaying on this damn city!

[North-Eastern T/O]

I think the t/a needs to become a Private Corp, instead of relaying on this damn city!

 

Then everyone ho works for the Dame TA is ******.

[cdi919]

let go private then see how much the fare will be when that is the sole funding for the system. people cry over 2.25. imagine the screams when its $5. it was private before it became the (MTA)and went broke.

[WannaBeMTA12]

20 billion!?!?!?! :eek: :tdown:

[asidrane]

let go private then see how much the fare will be when that is the sole funding for the system. people cry over 2.25. imagine the screams when its $5. it was private before it became the (MTA)and went broke.

 

Well, it went broke before because the pricing was fixed by the government. Granted, i agree that if it went private the fares would become very high.

[Nova RTS 9147]

let go private then see how much the fare will be when that is the sole funding for the system. people cry over 2.25. imagine the screams when its $5. it was private before it became the (MTA)and went broke.

 

I fear that a private would equate to a less transparent , given that as a government agency they already have the transparency of a reinforced brick wall.

 

This is all assuming they actually have the strength to last a day on their own two feet.

[mark1447]

let go private then see how much the fare will be when that is the sole funding for the system. people cry over 2.25. imagine the screams when its $5. it was private before it became the (MTA)and went broke.

 

Well i guess u r right, but this city and state isnt giving the t/a much, intead spending on bs.

[Forest Glen]

Okay, I studied the for several years, yet I still feel there's more to the story than we, the public are being told. We all know about their budget situation, the service cut, the layoffs, ect.

 

The MTA is currently billions in debt (to the tune of at least $20 billion, probably more). To my immediate knowledge, no company has come back from being that much in debt, which brings me to my question: How solvent is the MTA? Are they on the brink of bankruptcy? Should the State step in and break up the company?

 

Also, was it a wise idea to have all operations (NYCTA, LIRR, MNRR, LIBus) under one umbrella operation? In hindsight (at least to me) the MTA got in over their heads.

 

What do you think?

 

Never before have I seen an agency as dysfunctional as the MTA. I wish the MTA never acquired the former Cooper bus lines. The MTA can't even run their own service. The MTA should break up into individual agencies. Perhaps Academy or Atlantic Express can acquire the MTA and NYC express bus routes. Maybe Jerry Cooper can run some routes in Brooklyn. I think that the LIRR, LI Bus, and Suffolk Transit should become one agency called Long Island Transit Agency. Metro-North and Bee-Line can also form their own agency. The subways and local buses would still be operated by the MTA/NYC Transit.

[Brighton Local]

Never before have I seen an agency as dysfunctional as the MTA.

 

Don't forget CORRUPT:eek:

[error46146]

there should be no MTA imo. the subway and buses should be controlled by the City not the State since it is a city property and serves the city not the state. LIR and metro north can be their own state agencies but not NYCTA.

[NX Express]

there should be no MTA imo. the subway and buses should be controlled by the City not the State since it is a city property and serves the city not the state. LIR and metro north can be their own state agencies but not NYCTA.

 

Here's how it should be:

 

• NYC Transit Company

• Sub-companies: MTA Subways (includes SIR) and MTA Buses (includes MTA Bus and MTA NYCT bus)

• Suburb Company

• Sub-co's: LIRR, Metro-North, LI Bus.

 

[St Louis Car 09]

I think someone is cooking the books.Remember a few years ago they were crying broke,then all of a sudden they had a $400 million surplus.They need to be audited!!!

[dman1455]

There not stable enough the train shortage and the (M)/(V) combo also SO man Bus routes go bye bye so the is in the crapper and I don't think they have enough toilet paper to get out of it

[Rutgers Tube]

No one has yet to mention - Bridges and Tunnels, which, from my understanding, brings in so much capital that it is redistributed to the other agencies within the Authority. Does anyone know how accurate of a statement this is?

[St Louis Car 09]

Call me crazy,but I always said that metrocards are also a contributor to their deficits.For every dollar straphangers save with metrocards,the loses.I wouldnt be surprised if they take desperate measures by bringing back the tokens.

[NYtransit]

There not stable enough the train shortage and the (M)/(V) combo also SO man Bus routes go bye bye so the is in the crapper and I don't think they have enough toilet paper to get out of it

 

it wouldnt be that hard to combine lines they can swap cars from any line that uses 60 footers.and put the (V)s R46 on that line.still we dont even know if its happening yet

[dman1455]

it wouldnt be that hard to combine lines they can swap cars from any line that uses 60 footers.and put the (V)s R46 on that line.still we dont even know if its happening yet

HAHA I can tell you know it is HAPPENING 100%

[Nova RTS 9147]

Call me crazy,but I always said that metrocards are also a contributor to their deficits.For every dollar straphangers save with metrocards,the loses.I wouldnt be surprised if they take desperate measures by bringing back the tokens.

 

That begs the question; why go with the discounts if its that huge of a dent into the budget?

 

Never before have I seen an agency as dysfunctional as the MTA.

 

I think someone is cooking the books.Remember a few years ago they were crying broke,then all of a sudden they had a $400 million surplus.They need to be audited!!!

 

For the longest, the has had a serious credibility issue. Like I said before, they have a serious issue with being open, and transparent (unless it suits their needs) and this is one of the many reasons they're in such trouble now.

[Nova RTS 9147]

No one has yet to mention - Bridges and Tunnels, which, from my understanding, brings in so much capital that it is redistributed to the other agencies within the Authority. Does anyone know how accurate of a statement this is?

 

I don't know how accurate that is, but thats how the operates. Hopefully someone with knowledge about this can shed some light on the profitability of the different divisions of the agency.

[checkmatechamp13]

Call me crazy,but I always said that metrocards are also a contributor to their deficits.For every dollar straphangers save with metrocards,the loses.I wouldnt be surprised if they take desperate measures by bringing back the tokens.

 

I don'tr think that would work. The tokens were more expensive to mint than a card. That is a part of the reason why there is a bonus on the MetroCard over $8. The cards themselves cost about 7 cents (correct me if I'm wrong) but multiply that by the thousands of cars in use by straphangers in NYC today. Now picture the costs doubling or tripling because the MTA now has to mint a metal coin instead of a plastic card. Add in the fact that people currently buy MetroCards in larger sums of money, guarenteeing that a rider who buys a $20 MetroCard has given them $20 all at once, that is a cost savings in the sense that all of those coins don't have to be minted.

If it cost, lets say 15 cents per coin minted times the average rider buying a 10 trip card ($20 plus the bonus), and that is $1.50 per rider as opposed to 7 cents. The MTA passes the savings of MetroCard vs. token to the riding public in the form of bonuses and discounts to frequent riders.

In short, it would be cheaper to the MTA and the general public to eliminate discounts than to go back to the days of tokens.

[error46146]

Here's how it should be:

 

• NYC Transit Company

• Sub-companies: MTA Subways (includes SIR) and MTA Buses (includes MTA Bus and MTA NYCT bus)

• Suburb Company

• Sub-co's: LIRR, Metro-North, LI Bus.

 

well for me, each agency should be independent of one another. for example subway, NYC bus would be operated by NYCT or could be transferred over to the DOT perhaps; LIR and LI Bus can be operated by a Long Island Transit agency which is state owned and Metro North could have its own agency as well or perhaps could be operated by the LIR agency as well.

 

What happens in NYC, LIR, or Metro north, stays there.

 

Also the MTA is not bringing back tokens any time soon tokens cost $$$ to make you know..

[Trainmaster5]

If the were to be abolished in toto and it's railroads, subways,bus lines were to be sold off to private industry most posters would be SOL IMO. The fares would increase dramatically day one. OR entire lines would be shut down. SIR, LIRR West Hempstead branch this means you. LIB would be broken up and some neighborhoods would lose all bus service if fares could not be raised to the new operator's satisfaction. SE Queens would be at the mercy of the dollar vans, as would large swatches of Brooklyn. The Staten Island Mall would become a ghost town, as would Kings Plaza. Traffic would be horrendous in certain locations, (think transit strike or blackout). I think the main problem with the is it's overall setup. Because it was created as an umbrella organization to protect individual localities and their politicians from being responsible for fares, delays, construction, etc., it's not really answerable to anyone. If you had a strong governor like Nelson Rockefeller around there would be more transparency and accountability. Right now you have a mayor practically giving away the (MTA)s most valuable assets for stadiums and arenas. You'd think the governor or state legislative leaders would tell him to go f..k himself but they don't. The state has underfunded the for a generation but no one has called them on it. The City of New York hasn't done any better. The only reason it hasn't totally fallen apart is because the bondholders need the to make good on it's debt before the ceases to exist.I would hazard a guess that the only part of this amalgamation that shows a profit is the TBTA. Every other part of this organization is subsidized to some extent IMO. I think that if we went back to the "good old days" of NYCTA, LIRR, Metro North most of us would be priced out of the market so to speak. I truly believe that there must be some form of dedicated funding, as well as transparency and a general housecleaning, for this agency to succeed. It's either that or a PA style takeover, like PATH was, for this agency to right the ship. Unfortunately they have a WTC problem at the moment. Right now, as an employee and resident, things look pretty grim for transit in this region.

[Grand Concourse]

Excellent post and points Trainmaster5.