MTA Set To Surpass Overtime Reduction Goals
If you ask many different people, what area the MTA could really do with reducing costs in, you are bound to get various answers. I can guarantee that one of the most popular ones will be overtime which has seen the abuse of it become a major issue in recent time.
When the much maligned transit agency set out to reduce costs, overtime was one of the areas they heavily targeted as they set financial reduction goals. Earlier today, they announced that they are set to surpass their 2010 reduction cost goals. First, here is a brief statement:
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that it expects to reduce 2010 overtime expenses by $54 million compared with 2009 costs, an 11 percent reduction.
Reducing unnecessary overtime has been a priority of the MTA as it looks to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The agency’s 2010 budget addressed the issue with a $24 million reduction. That projection was revised in May to reflect a more aggressive approach, with an additional $22 million savings anticipated. Today officials announced that even that increased target will be exceeded, with a total of $54 million saved compared to 2009.
“Reducing overtime is a key part of our efforts to use every fare and taxpayer dollar wisely, and I am pleased that we have been able to achieve real results in just a few months,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Jay H. Walder. “We have a lot of work still to do, but we’ve shown that by focusing in key areas we can earn critically needed savings across our agencies.”
The savings result from a host of changes to policies and operating procedures. New York City Transit is projected to save $24 million by identifying the workplaces with highest levels of sick leave, limiting overtime only to critical activities like safety inspections and air conditioning maintenance, and filling critical vacancies that were creating a high need for overtime.
The Long Island Rail Road is projected to save $13 million and Metro-North Railroad is projected to save $3 million from a lower base. The railroads are more closely monitoring overtime assigned to the top 20 overtime earners at each railroad, beginning daily tracking of “hot spot” departments accruing large amounts of overtime, and modifying businesses practices to rebalance workloads with a renewed focus on reducing overtime expenses.
MTA Bridges and Tunnels is projected to save $5 million. Bridges and Tunnels is expanding the use of seasonal employees at the Gil Hodges Memorial Marine Parkway Bridge and Cross Bay Bridge, requiring managerial pre-approval of all overtime, and prohibiting operations personnel from working during vacations, among other actions.
Now here are more details from the press release:
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that it expects to reduce 2010 overtime expenses by $54 million compared with 2009 costs, an 11 percent reduction.
Reducing unnecessary overtime has been a priority of the MTA as it looks to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The agency’s 2010 budget addressed the issue with a $24 million reduction. That projection was revised in May to reflect a more aggressive approach, with an additional $22 million savings anticipated. Today officials announced that even that increased target will be exceeded, with a total of $54 million saved compared to 2009.
“Reducing overtime is a key part of our efforts to use every fare and taxpayer dollar wisely, and I am pleased that we have been able to achieve real results in just a few months,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Jay H. Walder. “We have a lot of work still to do, but we’ve shown that by focusing in key areas we can earn critically needed savings across our agencies.”
The savings result from a host of changes to policies and operating procedures. New York City Transit is projected to save $24 million by identifying the workplaces with highest levels of sick leave, limiting overtime only to critical activities like safety inspections and air conditioning maintenance, and filling critical vacancies that were creating a high need for overtime.
The Long Island Rail Road is projected to save $13 million and Metro-North Railroad is projected to save $3 million from a lower base. The railroads are more closely monitoring overtime assigned to the top 20 overtime earners at each railroad, beginning daily tracking of “hot spot” departments accruing large amounts of overtime, and modifying businesses practices to rebalance workloads with a renewed focus on reducing overtime expenses.
MTA Bridges and Tunnels is projected to save $5 million. Bridges and Tunnels is expanding the use of seasonal employees at the Gil Hodges Memorial Marine Parkway Bridge and Cross Bay Bridge, requiring managerial pre-approval of all overtime, and prohibiting operations personnel from working during vacations, among other actions.
In a time where most news about the agency is not good, it is refreshing to see that cost cutting measures put into place are exceeding expectations. Hopefully they can continue to exceed expectations with overtime & it passes on down to other areas. While average riders won’t see the big deal about this news as it does not provide immediate visual benefit, it is definitely a step in the right direction for the agency.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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Service Diversions 09-27-10
I have just updated the “Service Diversions” page by removing all of the work that just wrapped up at 5 AM this morning. The latest information for the upcoming week & beyond in some cases is at the forefront.
Throughout the week, I will make minor updates on the page itself (no entries about it) by removing work already completed. The next complete update will be by late Thursday night or Friday morning (unless the diversions are not sent out until after).
As always, I suggest you print out a copy of the diversions to have with you while riding. You may also use any phone or electronic device to access the mobile friendly version of Transit Blogger. Have a safe week!
xoxo Transit Blogger
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Service Diversions 09-25-10
I just updated the “Service Diversions” page with the latest diversions for this weekend, next week, & beyond in some cases. The next update will be sometime after 5:01 AM Monday when all of the weekend diversions are removed & the ones for the week move up the list.
Also for riders in Northern Manhattan & the Bronx who depend on the 
Train, please read this entry with information on the continuation of a $47M major renovation project that will last until 2012.
I suggest you print out a copy of the page to carry with you or use any mobile device to access the phone-friendly version of Transit Blogger. Everyone have a wonderful weekend & as always stay safe!
xoxo Transit Blogger
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2 Metro-North Workers Accused Of Time Fraud
This past April (1, 2, 3) , a few bad apples in the MTA blue collar bunch spoiled it for the rest when they were found to have committed sick/work time fraud. Unfortunately the bad habits have found its way to the Metro-North as 2 workers have been accused of work time fraud.
One of the workers was arrested yesterday while the other was suspended. Richard Liebson of LoHud.com has more:
A Metro-North Railroad track foreman from Peekskill has been arrested and a railroad vehicle operator from Buchanan suspended after MTA and state police investigators said both were claiming pay for hours that they never worked.
Lawrence Ohlmann, 31, of 1622 Boulevard, Peekskill was arrested on felony grand larceny charges and suspended without pay Wednesday after an investigation by the MTA Inspector General’s office and New York state police found that he’d punched in for as many as 250 hours that he did not work.
Authorities said Ohlmann would punch in at 8 a.m. and leave at 10 a.m., return at 2:30 p.m. and punch out at 4 p.m.
Kyle Cook, 28, of 219 Craft Lane, Buchanan, was also suspended after investigators said he claimed at least two days of pay for hours he did not work as a railroad vehicle operator. Baxter was not arrested, but faces disciplinary action.
Click here for the complete report.
I find the alleged actions of these 2 workers to be completely unacceptable. Any worker participating in this kind of fraud should either be terminated or have to return the money they were fraudulently paid if not both. Workers like these are the ones who make the honest hard working ones be categorized as lazy, uneducated, & overpaid which is completely untrue.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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MTA Caught 178 Bus Drivers Texting
Without question, technology has completely changed the amount of time & ways we communicate with one another. Text messages happens to be one of the most popular forms of communication for people of all ages. While it has its benefits, it also has major drawbacks. The major drawbacks mainly stem from safety concerns.
While it is common sense that people should not be sending text messages while driving, it has not stopped millions of people from doing so at one point or another. This past Sunday, a 53 year old deliveryman, was struck & eventually pronounced brain dead, after being hit by a teen who was sending text messages while driving.
On the heels of this story, the MTA reports that over the last year, they have caught 178 bus drivers sending text messages while driving & 14 for eating while driving. Jaya Saxena of Gothamist has more:
Now that everyone feels nice and safe about the roads after the crash caused by texting in Brooklyn, the MTA reports that they’ve caught 178 bus drivers texting, and 14 for eating or reading while driving just this year. And depending on their records, some of the drivers were merely “reprimanded” rather than suspended or dismissed.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, “Rules banning commercial bus and truck drivers from texting on the job and restricting train operators from using cellphones and other electronic devices while in the driver’s seat have been posted today.” Even though it has been banned since last October.
MTA spokesman Charles Seaton said that the offenders come out of 10,000 drivers, and that the MTA is serious about policing drivers and following up on complaints. But not everyone is punished they way they should be.
Click here for the complete report.
When you look at the numbers, 178 bus drivers out of the thousands overall is small. However 178 drivers engaging in such a dangerous activity is 178 too many. I also have to question why all of these drivers did not receive the same punishment? Quite honestly if these drivers were fired, it would be hard to defend them as their actions were dangerous & completely irresponsible.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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