mark1447 Posted November 2, 2012 Share #1 Posted November 2, 2012 Don't know if this was posted, but if not here you go... Had a feeling MTA would follow NJT! The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is reviewing its policy that lets nonunion employees commute for free and gives free rides to children and spouses of railroad employees, an MTA official told The Journal News. “The MTA is looking into any opportunity they can to balance the budget, and one of the ways could be that,” said Carl Wortendyke, Rockland’s representative on the MTA board. On the same day this week NJ Transit became the latest transit agency to eliminate such a benefit, the cash-strapped MTA announced its proposals to raise fares and tolls next year. Asked whether the MTA was considering changes to its travel pass policy for nonunion employees, MTA spokesman Adam Lisberg declined to comment. The nation’s largest transit agency has about 65,900 employees, including 6,300 who work for Metro-North Railroad. MTA employees can receive a pass for the mode of transportation they use to commute. In addition, spouses and children of railroad employees can ride the railroad free, officials said. The Journal News/LoHud.com asked the MTA for details on employee and retiree travel pass policies for each MTA division. It also requested figures on the number of passes that are distributed and their total dollar value. The MTA could not immediately release those details, and The Journal News filed a formal request for them under the state’s Freedom of Information law. Read More: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20121018/NEWS12/121018001/MTA-s-nonunion-staff-may-lose-free-rides?odyssey=nav|head Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan05979 Posted November 2, 2012 Share #2 Posted November 2, 2012 This sounds more like MTA Commuter trains/Metro North than NYCTA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INDman Posted November 2, 2012 Share #3 Posted November 2, 2012 The TA has alot of nonunion people, I don't see why they wouldn't lose their passes if people at MTA Bus, LIRR, and MNRR do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan05979 Posted November 2, 2012 Share #4 Posted November 2, 2012 who are the non union people? people in the offices doing admin work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INDman Posted November 2, 2012 Share #5 Posted November 2, 2012 who are the non union people? people in the offices doing admin work? Office people, managers, analysts, ops planning... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BroadwayBuffer Posted November 2, 2012 Share #6 Posted November 2, 2012 Some of the non-union office and analyst jobs require them to regularly or occasionally travel through the system even if they're not directly involved in operations. This could also include RTO and Station Superintendents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INDman Posted November 2, 2012 Share #7 Posted November 2, 2012 At PATH, non-union workers lost their free rides but only when not on the clock. while working they still ride for free as they always should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted November 2, 2012 Share #8 Posted November 2, 2012 IMO i think perks such as allowing spouse of all employees union members or not should end before doing this proposed cut. That alone would save alot of money. I also think NYPD/FDNY/NY State Police and other first responders when *off duty* should also pay as well. I know some may disagree but that a way that most fair in the costs of who should ride free or not. IMO i think perks such as allowing spouse of all employees union members or not should end before doing this proposed cut. That alone would save alot of money. I also think NYPD/FDNY/NY State Police and other first responders when *off duty* should also pay as well. I know some may disagree but that a way that most fair in the costs of who should ride free or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckie Posted November 4, 2012 Share #9 Posted November 4, 2012 I also think NYPD/FDNY/NY State Police and other first responders when *off duty* should also pay as well. I know some may disagree but that a way that most fair in the costs of who should ride free or not. On Metro North, firefighters generally don't ride for free. PD do for the reason that if the conductor had an issue on the train that required police assistance, the officer could intervene before uniformed police arrived. As far as employees, there are numerous employees, both unionized and managerial, that require to go to various places over the course of there duties. As an example, managers that primarily work in North White Plains may have to take a train to Manhattan for a meeting. Another is a train crew may have to bring a train to High Bridge Yard and dead head back to GCT. Every job has it's perks, whether it's someone working retail getting a discount to employees riding for free on Metro North. The problem is with the railroad it would be difficult to differentiate between who's riding for company business and who's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIRR 154 Posted November 29, 2012 Share #10 Posted November 29, 2012 I was reading an article in the notorious Newsday where one guy at the hearings in LI said MTA staff ,NYPD, FDNY should all pay when boarding. Now MTA staff is one thing but why do cops and firemen get a free ride. If not in uniform they should pay. Now do that guy really want us to pay. That would give unions a huge advantage in negotiating for big raises. The riders don't want that then they would be paying more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowblock Posted November 29, 2012 Share #11 Posted November 29, 2012 Yeah, great idea. Want police assistance? Better have a swipe ready for them! Fire in the station? Better hope the TVM isn't broken....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckie Posted November 29, 2012 Share #12 Posted November 29, 2012 I recently had a NYC firefighter think he was entitled to a ride. After some discussion I politely asked him if the next time I need a ride with in NYC if I can call him for a ride in the fire truck. Needless to say he pulled a ticket out of his wallet. Cops are a different story. In uniform or not (most cops to not travel to and from work in uniform), the purpose is that they will render assistance if needed. I will inconspicuously seat check them in a way so that I will be able to identify them. I'm not talking about the assistance for a fare dispute. I'm talking about passengers that get violent. A co worker of mine was recently assaulted on the train because of a fare dispute where the passenger got physical. To make a long story short the individual got arrested (in NY assaulting a member of the train crew is a felony punishable up to 7 years in prison), and the individual had several warrants out for his arrest. Fortunately the conductor was alright in this situation. However this type of thing happens more than anyone can imagine and sometimes the conductor gets injured bad. Now what was the reason not to let cops ride? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIRR 154 Posted November 30, 2012 Share #13 Posted November 30, 2012 That was the first thing I saw on the cover on yesterdays Newsday saying in big letters " No more Freebies". His words was since he pays our salaries . MTA staff, Cops and Firemen should all pay full fare like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QM1to6Ave Posted November 30, 2012 Share #14 Posted November 30, 2012 How many cops really ride Metro North anyway? Every cop I know, male and female, is a huge car buff and drives everywhere. They don't want to deal with the public on their time off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckie Posted November 30, 2012 Share #15 Posted November 30, 2012 How many cops really ride Metro North anyway? When it comes commuting to work in NYC, a lot. Some of the morning trains I've had as many a a half dozen in the cars I was collecting in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QM1to6Ave Posted November 30, 2012 Share #16 Posted November 30, 2012 Ahh, no wonder they want free rides. If you live up in Westchester on a cop's salary, the free rides are a huge perk. Good to know, thanks Truckie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckie Posted November 30, 2012 Share #17 Posted November 30, 2012 The bottom line is anyone with a piece of tin in their wallet thinks they are entitled to a free ride. PD are the only ones that are allowed by the company to ride with the proper pass. Again, it's on the premise that they will help us if needed. From experiences I've seen first had, they do help. It's a good program since the alternative is wait for the police at a station delaying the train. When there is a cop on board, even off duty, situations get defused with minimal delay, if any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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