Public blames MTA for service cuts and fare hikes, says poll

[NX Express]

 

The New York City Transit Authority was born out of the need to divorce subway fare rates from politics. For too long, Big Apple politicians had run on campaign promises of maintaining the five- and later the ten-cent fare, and because of the political armageddon that would fall on anyone who raised the fares, the subways had fallen into an economic crisis.

 

In terms of fare policy, then, the TA has served its goal, but instead of isolating the subways from the political process, the MTA has become a pawn in the political game. Since New Yorkers will never be happy with the combination of low fares, a system still struggling to escape the specter of the nickel fare and current levels of subway service, politicians can exploit that distrust and dislike of the MTA for political gain. Even as Albany takes dedicated funds away from the subway system, politicians blame the TA for its own economic woes.

 

Apparently, the public is listening, too, but to the wrong people. A Marist poll released today says that 61 percent of New Yorkers say the MTA is most to blame for the fare hikes and service cuts. The remaining 39 percent are split among Mayor Michael Bloomberg (17 percent), the state legislature which charters and funds the MTA (12 percent) and Gov. David Paterson (10).

Transit advocates have long tried to educate voters on issues relating to subway funding, but most, says Andrew Grossman of The Wall Street Journal, just aren’t listening.

 

Read more here at Second Avenue Sagas.

[checkmatechamp13]

I attended the hearing at Cooper Union last night, and the "chant of the night" (since everybody always has a different chant every hearing-last time it was "No service cuts!") was "Fire the MTA", showing what an ignrant bunch of babies attended the hearing. They chanted it so much, it easily ate up 20-20 minutes of the hearing, and I didn't get a chance to speak and actually say something useful to the Board Members.

 

By the way, one question: One of the speakers said "Everybody from New York, raise your hands", to show that the board members aren't even from New York, and none of them raised their hands. I'm assuming that they were instructed not to respond to any of the speakers. Correct?

[Joe C]

No suprise there,most politicians will expoilt anything to get to the top.i remember when bloomturd ran ads saying he would fix the ,when he was elected for a 3rd term he didn't do a thing.

[Joe C]

I attended the hearing at Cooper Union last night, and the "chant of the night" (since everybody always has a different chant every hearing-last time it was "No service cuts!") was "Fire the MTA", showing what an ignrant bunch of babies attended the hearing. They chanted it so much, it easily ate up 20-20 minutes of the hearing, and I didn't get a chance to speak and actually say something useful to the Board Members.

 

By the way, one question: One of the speakers said "Everybody from New York, raise your hands", to show that the board members aren't even from New York, and none of them raised their hands. I'm assuming that they were instructed not to respond to any of the speakers. Correct?

 

 

 

The people that go to these hearings go there to vent their anger and give reasons why the shouldn't raise the fare.It's a waste of their time since they'll have to rasie the fare to cover the deficit they have.

 

As for the board members,all they are there to do is sit there and listen to the speakers.

[Kriston Lewis]

There's a simple explanation for all of this: The public is stupid.

[Trainmaster5]

There's a simple explanation for all of this: The public is stupid.

 

Finally someone has spoken the truth. I've been saying all along that the public is being screwed by the politicians in Albany yet they're blaming the . While I have no love for the itself, IMO those hacks couldn't run a Lionel train around a circular track without screwing up, the agency itself is a buffer between the public and those who really control mass transit in the area. I've seen posters complain about S/As, C/Rs on the railroads and subways, B/Os, cleaners, and the board itself. Maybe the posters have a real gripe about some of those employees and I don't blame them. One thing I've never seen pointed out is the most obvious, he who controls the purse strings is who controls your mass transit system. The may be the entity collecting the fares and tolls. The employees of NYCT, SIR,TBTA, LIRR and MNRR, LIB and MTA Bus are just front-line faces but they don't control anything either. Mass transit in New York state is controlled by the legislature and the bondholders. Period. Since you can't control the bondholders, or vent at them, I suggest you take a good look at those who "represent" your interests in Albany. They've been screwing the public, with no K-Y, for years. I bet you're starting to feel the pain now, aren't you? VOTE your interests in November and from now on. Sorry for the rant but I feel it had to be said.

[JFK 7212]

There's a simple explanation for all of this: The public is stupid.

 

I agree 1000% on that.:tup:

[JFK 7212]

 

The New York City Transit Authority was born out of the need to divorce subway fare rates from politics. For too long, Big Apple politicians had run on campaign promises of maintaining the five- and later the ten-cent fare, and because of the political armageddon that would fall on anyone who raised the fares, the subways had fallen into an economic crisis.

 

In terms of fare policy, then, the TA has served its goal, but instead of isolating the subways from the political process, the MTA has become a pawn in the political game. Since New Yorkers will never be happy with the combination of low fares, a system still struggling to escape the specter of the nickel fare and current levels of subway service, politicians can exploit that distrust and dislike of the MTA for political gain. Even as Albany takes dedicated funds away from the subway system, politicians blame the TA for its own economic woes.

 

Apparently, the public is listening, too, but to the wrong people. A Marist poll released today says that 61 percent of New Yorkers say the MTA is most to blame for the fare hikes and service cuts. The remaining 39 percent are split among Mayor Michael Bloomberg (17 percent), the state legislature which charters and funds the MTA (12 percent) and Gov. David Paterson (10).

Transit advocates have long tried to educate voters on issues relating to subway funding, but most, says Andrew Grossman of The Wall Street Journal, just aren’t listening.

 

Read more here at Second Avenue Sagas.

 

The poll fails to also list the public themselves as being at fault for the cuts and what not.Afterall if they don't ride the bus then there's no need for it to exsist thus Ride The Sky it goes regardless of what general human purpose it may serve.The public wants to blame the MTA for everything?The public wants to say "MTA sucks" well here's a simple solution:back your bags and GET OUT!

No other city in this entire country can provide the level of service that we do here.Yet people are always ungrateful little pests.We had to cut service.So what?Big deal.Other cities had done the same thing and much worse than us as far back as two or three years ago.So we technically were last in line to do it.But it was gonna happen eventually.There was no doubt about that.And now that its happened,what can be done?Who knows.There may never be a real answer to that.We just gotta take whats given to us and go with it.If things improve,great.If they don't,oh well.Move on.

[Joe C]

There's a simple explanation for all of this: The public is stupid.

 

 

 

I agree also.

[Joe C]

The poll fails to also list the public themselves as being at fault for the cuts and what not.Afterall if they don't ride the bus then there's no need for it to exsist thus Ride The Sky it goes regardless of what general human purpose it may serve.The public wants to blame the MTA for everything?The public wants to say "MTA sucks" well here's a simple solution:back your bags and GET OUT!

No other city in this entire country can provide the level of service that we do here.Yet people are always ungrateful little pests.We had to cut service.So what?Big deal.Other cities had done the same thing and much worse than us as far back as two or three years ago.So we technically were last in line to do it.But it was gonna happen eventually.There was no doubt about that.And now that its happened,what can be done?Who knows.There may never be a real answer to that.We just gotta take whats given to us and go with it.If things improve,great.If they don't,oh well.Move on.

 

 

I don't think the public will ever blame themselves.they want the system to be clean,yet they throw newspapers,plastic cups,ect on to the tracks and floor.same thing with metrocards.

[RTOMan]

I don't think the public will ever blame themselves.they want the system to be clean,yet they throw newspapers,plastic cups,ect on to the tracks and floor.same thing with metrocards.

 

Yeah then they say when a train is late"oh i gotta pay 2.50 for this??"

 

Idiots...

[T to Dyre Avenue]

Yeah, the public really seems to have a problem placing blame where it belongs when it comes to Albany screwing things up. The clowns in the State Legislature screwed us by cutting $143 million from the MTA budget last December. And few people are blaming them for it. This is beyond outrageous! The worst part of it all is, many of these morons are running for reelection and acting like they did nothing wrong. Some are being challenged in primaries and winning! Winning? Can you believe that? Well, if they're gonna keep reelecting the same jackasses back to Albany every two years, then they deserve what they get. Too bad the rest of us have to suffer. At least Pedro Espada lost his bid for reelection and Hiram Monster Rat lost his bid for State Assemblyman. At least some people get it.

[mark1447]

I don't think the public will ever blame themselves.they want the system to be clean,yet they throw newspapers,plastic cups,ect on to the tracks and floor.same thing with metrocards.

 

Same public who farebeat the system making others suffer to pay more.

[Joe C]

Same public who farebeat the system making others suffer to pay more.

 

 

 

 

Yea,the riding public will have to pay more.wouldn't be suprised if the decides to raise fares again next year.

[Joe C]

Yeah, the public really seems to have a problem placing blame where it belongs when it comes to Albany screwing things up. The clowns in the State Legislature screwed us by cutting $143 million from the MTA budget last December. And few people are blaming them for it. This is beyond outrageous! The worst part of it all is, many of these morons are running for reelection and acting like they did nothing wrong. Some are being challenged in primaries and winning! Winning? Can you believe that? Well, if they're gonna keep reelecting the same jackasses back to Albany every two years, then they deserve what they get. Too bad the rest of us have to suffer. At least Pedro Espada lost his bid for reelection and Hiram Monster Rat lost his bid for State Assemblyman. At least some people get it.

 

 

 

 

I don't think the people of NYC get it,they keep reelecting the same people and the state of NY won't get better.few people even realize that Albany cut funding for the ,hence the reason why the public has to pay more.the has a big hole that needs to be covered,Albany won't be covering that hole.

 

 

 

 

Another thing thats hurting the is the big wigs at the top, they don't ride the subways and buses everyday to work,they have a car or are driven to work.so they don't know what the public is going through.it's a big mess the has,and the riding public has to suffer and pay for it.

[MTARegional Bus]

There's a simple explanation for all of this: The public is stupid.

 

That could explain why charles rangel won the primary.

[Shortline Bus]

Yeah, the public really seems to have a problem placing blame where it belongs when it comes to Albany screwing things up. The clowns in the State Legislature screwed us by cutting $143 million from the MTA budget last December. And few people are blaming them for it. This is beyond outrageous! The worst part of it all is, many of these morons are running for reelection and acting like they did nothing wrong. Some are being challenged in primaries and winning! Winning? Can you believe that? Well, if they're gonna keep reelecting the same jackasses back to Albany every two years, then they deserve what they get. Too bad the rest of us have to suffer. At least Pedro Espada lost his bid for reelection and Hiram Monster Rat lost his bid for State Assemblyman. At least some people get it.

 

Could not say it any better myself. The 'morons' in Albany deserve much of the blame from both major parties. However also to blame is the public for keep re-electing these clowns, the greedy execes, the mismangement of "Access a Ride" and to small degree the upper management for unions. Does Jay Walder really need a $1 Million 'stipend' to buy a house?:mad::tdown:

 

The Access a Ride is an issue that so overlooked by the media. The monies that wasted on these services including giving out the contracts to transport ADA customers to politically connected companies could have instead went to having at least 75% of the subway system being ADA accessible.

 

I know some of the TWU members on this board may blast me for saying but speaking my mind. The unions are demanding pay i.e full coverage of health care when most other government employees are getting less pay including having to pay very high health care coverage out of their pocket i.e NYPD, Health Care, Teacher, etc.

 

So all of these factors has lead us to this road of service cuts/fare increases. There enough blame to go around for every one IMO.:mad:

It would be nice if 'senior' Bus Drivers, Conductors, Track workers and other rank and file

[R32 3348]

It was stupid for Albany to cut $143 million dollars in funding for the , but let's not forget that Albany is broke too. This problem with funding goes back to the federal level. For example, even though Obama passed his $50 billion transportation improvement bill (which is already paid for), you have these idiots in Congress arguing over it for the pettiest and most selfish reasons while the rest of us get f**ked over. So blame people for jumping on the bandwagon and voting for the most popular candidate for office, instead of the one most fit for the job who actually represents the people's interests and not their own. This is why our country is so behind when it comes to mass transit.

[Trainmaster5]

Could not say it any better myself. The 'morons' in Albany deserve much of the blame from both major parties. However also to blame is the public for keep re-electing these clowns, the greedy execes, the mismangement of "Access a Ride" and to small degree the upper management for unions. Does Jay Walder really need a $1 Million 'stipend' to buy a house?:mad::tdown:

 

The Access a Ride is an issue that so overlooked by the media. The monies that wasted on these services including giving out the contracts to transport ADA customers to politically connected companies could have instead went to having at least 75% of the subway system being ADA accessible.

 

I know some of the TWU members on this board may blast me for saying but speaking my mind. The unions are demanding pay i.e full coverage of health care when most other government employees are getting less pay including having to pay very high health care coverage out of their pocket i.e NYPD, Health Care, Teacher, etc.

 

So all of these factors has lead us to this road of service cuts/fare increases. There enough blame to go around for every one IMO.:mad:

It would be nice if 'senior' Bus Drivers, Conductors, Track workers and other rank and file

 

It would be nice if senior workers do what ? Something is missing here.

[Sam]

Could not say it any better myself. The 'morons' in Albany deserve much of the blame from both major parties. However also to blame is the public for keep re-electing these clowns, the greedy execes, the mismangement of "Access a Ride" and to small degree the upper management for unions. Does Jay Walder really need a $1 Million 'stipend' to buy a house?:mad::tdown:

 

The Access a Ride is an issue that so overlooked by the media. The monies that wasted on these services including giving out the contracts to transport ADA customers to politically connected companies could have instead went to having at least 75% of the subway system being ADA accessible.

 

I know some of the TWU members on this board may blast me for saying but speaking my mind. The unions are demanding pay i.e full coverage of health care when most other government employees are getting less pay including having to pay very high health care coverage out of their pocket i.e NYPD, Health Care, Teacher, etc.

 

So all of these factors has lead us to this road of service cuts/fare increases. There enough blame to go around for every one IMO.:mad:

It would be nice if 'senior' Bus Drivers, Conductors, Track workers and other rank and file

 

I'm not a TWU member, but I am a union man nonetheless. Transit workers deserve every penny of their health care coverage. While we only commute or railfan, these workers are exposed daily to toxins (e.g. brake dust, emissions, etc.) that compromise their health in numerous ways later on in life.

 

I have long ago ceased to believe the budgets of any government agency or authority. The Department of Education is supposed to be on the brink of fiscal meltdown with the talk of layoffs always pending and yet there is so much money going down the toilet with no-bid contracts and a bloated administrative bureacracy. Some of our new small schools with 500 kids have four to six administrators when the large comprehensive schools with 3 or 4 thousand kids make do with 8. Even as we speak, laptops are being given out to staff like cotton candy, yet classes are oversized, buildings in disrepair, and Tweed growing by leaps and bounds. It's time for the American worker to stop tolerating the loss of pay and decent benefits to keep the corporate elite flush with cash. I'll bet that the could find savings in other places than stiffing the hardworking men and women who get us from point A to B.

 

Just my two cents.:mad:

[T to Dyre Avenue]

It was stupid for Albany to cut $143 million dollars in funding for the , but let's not forget that Albany is broke too. This problem with funding goes back to the federal level. For example, even though Obama passed his $50 billion transportation improvement bill (which is already paid for), you have these idiots in Congress arguing over it for the pettiest and most selfish reasons while the rest of us get f**ked over. So blame people for jumping on the bandwagon and voting for the most popular candidate for office, instead of the one most fit for the job who actually represents the people's interests and not their own. This is why our country is so behind when it comes to mass transit.

You're right in that Washington is to blame for the funding mess too. For the past 60 years, Republican and Democratic presidents and Congress have lavished money on highways and virtually ignored mass transit and intercity passenger rail. Even Obama's original transportation bill from last year focused heavily on highway spending. This double standard has got to stop. Our politicians have to stop pretending there's nothing wrong with our transportation policy.

[CenSin]

Some of our elected officials were actually at a conference I was in today. I missed the chance to ask them about their transit-related positions. Someone needs to hook them up with secondavenuesagas.com.

[RTOMan]

It would be nice if senior workers do what ? Something is missing here.

 

Pay No Mind to Shortline he has NO idea what hes talking about as usual.