MTA: Fare Hikes, Service Cuts Could Be On The Horizon

[Cait Sith 9,753]

From NY1

 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has prepared a tough cost-cutting proposal for consideration at Thursday's meeting which includes entire subway lines and bus routes disappearing and more than a thousand workers laid off.

 

Sources close to the budget process also say that the agency will propose a fare hike even greater than the eight-percent increase previously discussed.

NY1 has learned that officials are proposing dropping the and lines completely, as well as cutting more than 1,500 station agent and administrative jobs.

 

The plan also calls for the and lines to be essentially cut in half and express service on the train would be eliminated.

 

The and lines average 175,000 daily commuters between them.

 

Overnight trains would be scheduled to run every 30 minutes instead of every 20. Midday service would also be cut back.

 

Dozens of bus routes with low ridership would be eliminated during late nights and weekends.

 

City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. released a statement denoucing the MTA's proposal to eliminate the line.

 

"Astoria is one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the city, and its trains are already overflowing with passengers," said Vallone. "To cut the only service to this neighborhood in half would be like choking the breath out of this community."

 

Although other lines also pass through Astoria, cutting the would mean longer waits and more crowded trains for the 100,000 people who take the train each day.

 

"Hopefully they'd up the service," said an Astoria resident upon hearing about the proposed cuts.

 

Straphangers say they are already dealing with slow service and the increased cuts will hurt both their commutes and their wallets.

 

"It's absurd, the service as it is is horrible; it's deplorable," said one straphanger. "You thinking of raising the fares, it's disgusting. I'm going to walk. I'm going to walk the bridge everyday instead."

 

"It's going to affect me budget-wise because I'm going to be spending more money to come to school and go to work," said another.

 

"The trains, I'd say, have been improving on their time," said a third. "I'm not sure what their plans are, but honestly, the economy is down and they have to do what they have to do."

 

Agency officials say the drastic measures may be necessary if the state does not step in with a bailout plan to help close a projected 2009 budget shortfall of $1.2 billion.

 

The city has already refused a funding infusion of $187 million, and state tax revenues normally funneled to the MTA fall short for next year.

 

In a statement today, an MTA spokesman refused to confirm details of the projected cuts before Thursday's board meeting, but said, the MTA began belt tightening long before the current financial crisis, and budget cuts start with even more significant administrative and managerial cuts.

 

http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/89104/mta--fare-hikes--service-cuts-could-be-on-the-horizon/Default.aspx With video inside

[Brighton Local 703]

They're going to eliminate my ? Since the made its debut on Sunday July 22, 2001, its been part of the Subway Family.... Don't get rid of it!

[MattTrain 3,120]

and are going to R.I.P.?

and sliced in half.

( appears less often?

is not express anymore, well skips only a few stops during express.

And this is supposed to be worth $3?

 

BOO!

 

Without , the and will be overloaded by a lot.

Without going further into Queens, will be overloaded!

Without , all the trains will be packed!

Without going into Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, the will be full!

 

Not worth my three dollars!

[metsfan 2]

Just carry 15 car trains.

 

I'm about to go to office & slap someone.

 

- A

[via White Plains Road 189]

Just carry 15 car trains.

 

I'm about to go to office & slap someone.

 

- A

 

You should punch their lights out

[Brighton Local 703]

Will this occur if the above statement is true?

 

Via 4 Av/Broadway Local, Via Bridge, all times.

*Late nights via tunnel.

 

(Q)/® remain unchanged.

 

Eliminate the instead of the !

[via White Plains Road 189]

Will this occur if the above statement is true?

 

Via 4 Av/Broadway Local, Via Bridge, all times.

*Late nights via tunnel.

 

(Q)/® remain unchanged.

 

Eliminate the instead of the !

 

Nope I don't see any reason why the should run local via Broadway b/c selfish wants to cut the ....leave express service alone

[SubwayGuy 2,322]

Will this occur if the above statement is true?

 

Via 4 Av/Broadway Local, Via Bridge, all times.

*Late nights via tunnel.

 

(Q)/® remain unchanged.

 

Eliminate the instead of the !

 

My guess if that happened would be local in Manhattan express in Brooklyn

[MattTrain 3,120]

Will this occur if the above statement is true?

 

Via 4 Av/Broadway Local, Via Bridge, all times.

*Late nights via tunnel.

 

(Q)/® remain unchanged.

 

Eliminate the instead of the !

 

If the is eliminated the will be overpacked, but then again, the can go back to Forest Hills Queens! Riders at local Queens Boulevard Stations won't have direct access to 6 Avenue.

[SubwayGuy 2,322]

If the is eliminated the will be overpacked, but then again, the can go back to Forest Hills Queens! Riders at local Queens Boulevard Stations won't have direct access to 6 Avenue.

 

If it comes to that, the will most definitely be cut back to Court Sq. full time Officially

[metsfan 2]

To be honest, i think they should put more ads on the trains & busses. I know to some of you this is sacrilege, but i'd rather see viagra ads on a R40 than my fare go up and service be cut. If service is cut, it will not be the NTT's that will be parked, it will be all of the older stuff. Also have (within reason) companies support station upkeep who rely on that station to bring in their employees. You could even have more than one company pitch in.

 

Also (NYCT) should sell everything it can to raise $. I see old rails sitting near where they used to be in use. Why not sell these? Allow more businesses in stations, like news stands snack kiosks etc, primarily times sqare and other busy stations.

 

There are many options they seem to be reluctant to even try.

 

- A

[Radioguy 2]

Like you said in another thread, they should drop the bonus PPR rides, and they should do wrapping on ALL subway cars and buses....even paratransit if they can give a cut to the operators. They should also run ads on the R160 LCDs.

 

Everybody needs to remember that the MTA provides a service, not a feeling of nostalgia or ambiance. They aren't a scenic railway, and that needs to be accepted by us and them. Speed, safety and comfort is all they should be focusing on. They need to put function over form.

[FamousNYLover 580]

riders would not be happy about lack of Queens Blvd service because is like

 

If is elimated, could be overcrowded during rush hour.

Every time when I see from , I see almost every R160 subway cars are SQUEEZED as SARDINE line Long Island Bus N6 or Lex Av Subway.

Also, there could be more holding doors, more train delays, and hard to get seat.

 

 

Same reason for discountinue making local would not make everyone happy.

 

Plus, brown lines are always LONGER WAIT when you're waiting for these trains.

 

I could also sense less cleaners, and maybe less elevators operator in Washington Height-Ft. George area.

 

This could be more confusion.

[Brighton Local 703]

Halt work on the 2nd Av Subway, and cut the big shots who are grossing hundreds of thousands annually!:eek:

[FamousNYLover 580]

I agree and halt the 2nd Av Subway project and after introduction of M15 Select Bus Service.

If M15+Select Bus Service works well, 2nd Av Subway could wait until future.

[Radioguy 2]

I agree and halt the 2nd Av Subway project and after introduction of M15 Select Bus Service.

If M15+Select Bus Service works well, 2nd Av Subway could wait until future.

 

I'm not familiar with that service. Is there a thread about it? (It's hard to imagine any express not being slowed down or stopped dead in the low 60s like the rest of the 15s)

[KGTeleport 0]

Will this occur if the above statement is true?

 

Via 4 Av/Broadway Local, Via Bridge, all times.

*Late nights via tunnel.

 

(Q)/® remain unchanged.

 

Eliminate the instead of the !

 

Or if it's not quite that bad, the might go to Astoria to replace the . Or if it's even worse, via Bridge even at nights, and use nearby stations downtown (SI-ers = screwed).

[Forest Glen 4]

Like you said in another thread, they should drop the bonus PPR rides, and they should do wrapping on ALL subway cars and buses....even paratransit if they can give a cut to the operators. They should also run ads on the R160 LCDs.

 

Everybody needs to remember that the MTA provides a service, not a feeling of nostalgia or ambiance. They aren't a scenic railway, and that needs to be accepted by us and them. Speed, safety and comfort is all they should be focusing on. They need to put function over form.

 

The wraps aren't there for aesthetic purposes. They generate revenue from advertisers.

[Radioguy 2]

The wraps aren't there for aesthetic purposes. They generate revenue from advertisers.

 

So we agree? :confused:

[FamousNYLover 580]

To me, current door problem.

at Times Sq to 116th St

Rush Hour uptown from Times Sq to 96th St.

: Rush Hour, even on weekend between Bowling Green and Grand Central.

Local gets madness of mob at Times Sq, 5th Av, Grand Central, Queensboro Plaza, 74th St-Broadway, Junction Blvd, Main St.

Flushing at rush hour/evening gets mad crowd sometimes at Times Sq-Grand Central, Queensboro Plaza, Junction Blvd.

42nd St

 

Rush Hour from 59th St-Columbus Circle to Lower Manhattan.

Rush Hour

Rush Hour on Queens Blvd

Franklin Av

Staten Island Railway

[SubwayGuy 2,322]

I agree and halt the 2nd Av Subway project and after introduction of M15 Select Bus Service.

If M15+Select Bus Service works well, 2nd Av Subway could wait until future.

 

WHAT????

 

:eek::eek::eek::eek:

 

Absolutely NOT...that line is needed, Lexington Avenue is WAY overcrowded as it is.

 

SBS on The M15 will not make up for SAS at all, unless you can find a way to run TEN BUSES for every SAS train that would run during that same time period and get from 125 St to 57 (borderline midtown) in 15 minutes. Not gonna happen. Cut the least used express bus services, fire alot of the support positions and management in MTA HQ, raise current bridge and tunnel tolls by $1. Make SIR cost $2 to ride at all stations. Putting more ads is nice but remember companies have to be willing and able to spend on advertising which many are not with the economy being what it is. Make SIR cost $2 to ride. Also extend overnight intervals on buses. Make people take the subway, or cab it. The cost of running a bus on a 30 minute run that picks up 5 passengers during overnights way exceeds the $10 in fare revenue (probably slightly less because of free transfers but you get my point)

 

If that leaves you still having to cut service, shorten the amount of time the goes to Bay Parkway, shorten the amount of time the ( runs, shorten the amount of time the runs BUT KEEP ALL THE SERVICE. And if that's still not enough, cut the on weekends so that its just Dyre Shuttle, local on weekends no , weekends express 148 St to Times Sq, weekend scrapes the wall - the REAL beast, picks up the slack along EP and goes to New Lots.

 

There's yer Doomsday scenario but SAS needs to get done.

[Forest Glen 4]

So we agree? :confused:

 

My mistake. I was at work and reading your post too fast. I misunderstood it.

[R32 3348 11]

BOO!

 

Without , the and will be overloaded by a lot.

Without going further into Queens, will be overloaded!

Without , all the trains will be packed!

Without going into Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, the will be full!

 

Not worth my three dollars!

1. The will run local to replace the .

2. Since when does the run into Queens ANYWAY? It doesn't run on wekeends OR late nights (late nights not until recently)

3. There's only six trains. trains won't be PACKED. If they will, welcome to the and trains.

4. Apparently no one uses the south of Broad St.

[RokuSix 3]

I'm thinking a way to save a couple of dollars is to run the local in the Bronx at all times and keep the ( shortened to 145th street. The ride from 145th to Norwood is not that painfully long.

[Eric B 1,073]

Still, half of the (B)'s would still have to come down from Bedford to get from the yard in the AM and return in the PM, so that wouldn;t make sense.

Yeah; I was thinking of that as well, remembering the drastic cut plans from the 90's, where they wanted to send the ( to Queensbridge all times.

But things have changed since then, and the service layout is totally different, so it's not worth it now.