Would cost NYC Transit $100M to shine subways

[Trainspotter]

Would cost NYC Transit $100M to shine subways

BY PETE DONOHUE

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

September 29th 2008

 

M. Roberts for News

Additional 1,575 cleaners are needed to reach and maintain acceptable level of cleanliness in subways.

 

It will take a lot of green to keep your subway station clean.

 

NYC Transit would have to hire an additional 1,575 cleaners, and spend nearly $230,000 per hub, to reach and maintain an acceptable level of cleanliness across the entire system, according to an agency analysis.

 

"That's a lot of money," William Henderson, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said. "In today's climate, that's an awful lot of money."

 

The total cost would be about $100 million, which NYC Transit can ill afford as it faces down a large 2009 deficit and tries to stave off service cuts.

 

Still, NYC Transit President Howard Roberts said he hopes to find internal savings to fund improvements incrementally in the 468-station network.

 

[float=right][/float]Transit managers last year began a pilot program to quantify what would be needed to significantly improve subway station conditions.

 

The number of cleaners assigned to 64 hubs was increased to provide 24-hour coverage. They included every stop on the No. 7 and L lines.

 

No. 7 and L line stops now have on average five cleaners per station, about three times the other lines.

 

Roberts said the No. 7 and L lines will keep the increased staffing moving forward.

 

"The idea is to not give up the improvements that we have made, and expand those improvements station by station when internal funding can be identified," Roberts said.

 

With the additional cleaners, No.7 and L line stations were found to have moderate to heavy litter just 10% of the time, down from 33% prior to the pilot program, according to NYC Transit data.

 

Even if NYC Transit doesn't have the money to pump into station staffing, the pilot program provides a good measuring stick, Henderson said.

 

"It was worth finding out what kind of resources that would be needed to expend to do what most people would say is an acceptable job of cleaning," Henderson said.

 

"It's hard to make a determination as to what the standards should be if you don't know how much it's going to cost."

[metsfan]

Another good idea, is to renovate stations as they need it starting with the worst cases.

 

- A

[Pablo M 201]

Damn. Well at least it puts needed jobs out there.

[RokuSix]

I have a better idea to keep the subways cleaner, free of charge!

The passengers need to stop being so disgusting. The other day, I saw a woman eating Doritos for her breakfast, and then took the bag and placed it under the seat. Now, the MTA wouldn't have to spend so much money cleaning if people took better care of the system.

[7LineFan]

I have a better idea to keep the subways cleaner, free of charge!

The passengers need to stop being so disgusting. The other day, I saw a woman eating Doritos for her breakfast, and then took the bag and placed it under the seat. Now, the MTA wouldn't have to spend so much money cleaning if people took better care of the system.

 

How true. The subways and buses are not glorified trash cans, so we should not treat them like one.

[metsfan]

Sadly some folks don't have the life skills of keeping their personal space clean.

 

- A

[JJr142]

Yep, another reason why rats are running around on platforms at night. Thats why there are trash cans in stations, for people to throw away stuff, but some people dont take care of the subway.