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Bronx Assemblyman Wants Help From The MTA

Posted by
on July 6th, 2010 at 7:16 am

The much maligned service cuts have received numerous attention from this blog & others like it across the web. The sentiment shared by riders has not only been on the web though as they have taken to the streets to protest in Brooklyn & Queens respectively.

If any one borough was hit hardest by bus cuts in particular, it was the Bronx. To one Bronx Assemblyman, they have gone too far & he is asking for help from the MTA for his constituents. Tanyanika Samuels of the New York Daily News has more:

The MTA service cuts that went into effect this week are hitting some bus riders where it hurts the most – in the wallet. Now one Bronx politician is hoping to help ease the pain.

Scaled-back services on the Bx20 in Riverdale and the Bx34 in Woodlawn amount to a 100% fare hike for riders who now have to take two buses before transferring to the subway during off-peak hours and on weekends, charged Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx).

He is proposing that the MTA offer electronic paper transfer cards so riders can transfer to the subway for free during the affected times.

“We just received the letter and we are reviewing it,” MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said yesterday.

Dinowitz said something has to be done.

“It was bad enough that the MTA board unanimously voted to curtail service on the Bronx 20 and 34 buses,” he said. “But it’s outrageous that they have added insult to injury by doubling the transportation costs of some commuters.”

Click here for the complete report.

I sympathize with riders across the region who have undergone a loss in service due to the MTA’s financial crisis. However, I can’t support Mr. Dinowitz’s idea as it is not fair. I feel the MTA did a good job of reducing service which affected the least amount of people. If you start asking the MTA to offer free transfers to constituents, it would be only fair for others to expect the same.

What about riders in other boroughs affected? If some Bronx riders can get free rides, why not people in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens? In the interest of fairness, the MTA should not agree to this form of help as it is only taking much needed revenue (albeit very little based on ridership statistics) away.

Instead, Mr. Dinowitz should sit down with his peers & help come up with sustainable funding solutions which would go a long way in truly benefiting his constituents.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Bronx, Buses
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Service Diversions 07-06-10

Posted by
on July 6th, 2010 at 7:02 am

I have just updated the “Service Diversions” page by removing all of the work scheduled to end on Monday or by 5AM today. The latest information for the upcoming week & beyond in some cases is at the forefront.

As always, I suggest you print out a copy of the diversions to have with you while riding. You may also access the mobile friendly version of Transit Blogger available on all phones. Have a safe week & keep cool as best you can!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions
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Service Diversions 07-03-10

Posted by
on July 3rd, 2010 at 2:14 am

I just updated the “Service Diversions” page by removing all the diversions scheduled to end by 11:59PM yesterday. All of the diversions are listed for the weekend & the upcoming week.

I suggest you print out a copy of the diversions to carry with you or use your mobile device to access the phone friendly version of Transit Blogger.

The next update will occur on Tuesda sometime after 5:01 AM as I remove the ongoing diversions scheduled to end by 5:00 AM Tue. Have a great & most importantly safe July 4th weekend!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions 07-01-10

Posted by
on July 1st, 2010 at 6:30 pm

I just updated the “Service Diversions” page with all of the planned service diversions for the upcoming July 4th weekend & all of next week (beyond in some cases).

Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) riders click here to view complete information on the service plans for the upcoming holiday weekend. Also Staten Island Railway riders, don’t forget to click here to view complete details on the planned “Get-A-Way” service for the holiday weekend.

I suggest you print out a copy of the diversions to carry with you or use your mobile device to access the phone friendly version of Transit Blogger. The next update will occur on Saturday sometime after 12:01 AM as I remove the ongoing diversions scheduled to end by 11:59 PM tomorrow night. Have a great holiday weekend!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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MTA To Save $10M Via Consolidating Functions

Posted by
on July 1st, 2010 at 2:04 pm

Just a short time ago, the MTA issued a statement to announce it will save $10M by consolidating redundant functions. Here is the complete statement which I received:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that it will be consolidating a number of redundant functions, projected to save the agency more than $10 million annually. These actions will address longstanding inefficiencies that exist because the numerous, formerly independent operations that comprise the MTA were never truly integrated into a single company.

“By operating the MTA as one company – instead of a loose collection of agencies – we can provide the most efficient and effective service to the 8.5 million New Yorkers who rely on our transportation system every day,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Jay H. Walder. “Consolidating these functions is a part of our effort to overhaul how the MTA does business to make sure that we are using every dollar as wisely as possible. These actions will pool resources, streamline operations and create savings.”

The initial phase of the consolidation effort will focus on three areas: call centers, media relations and production of communications materials:

Call Centers:

The MTA has more than 100 phone numbers that the public can call for information, and five separate call centers. This setup is enormously confusing for customers and an inefficient use of resources. A “virtual consolidation” will create an integrated voice recognition system, will greatly reduce the number of phone numbers for travel information and customer service, and save the MTA millions of dollars each year.

Media Relations:

Each MTA operating agency currently maintains a separate press office. These offices will be consolidated into a single, centralized press office. The result will be a leaner operation that will provide consistent information to the press and allow the MTA to reduce its number of press officers.

Communications Production:

Much like Media Relations, each agency is responsible for producing its own materials for communicating with employees and customers, including design and printing. By consolidating these production functions the MTA will achieve economies of scale and generate significant annual savings while providing consistent quality.

The MTA consolidation and restructuring effort will be overseen by Diana Jones Ritter, who will join the MTA on July 19th as its Managing Director. She will also manage day to day operations at MTA Headquarters with a focus on reducing costs. Her direct responsibilities will include: corporate affairs, government relations, procurement, real estate, human resources policy and pensions, capital programs, planning, sustainability and environmental compliance, and information technology.

Diana Jones Ritter is currently the Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD), where she is accountable for an $8 billion budget and a workforce of 23,000. She is credited with leading significant transformation and restructuring of OMRDD resulting in expanded services, improved partnerships, million of dollars of cost savings and increased efficiencies in operations all across New York State. She has served in numerous senior positions in State government for more than 26 years, and was previously the Executive Deputy Comptroller in the New York State Office of the State Comptroller.

“Diana Jones Ritter is exactly the type of seasoned government professional who can help the MTA attack our cost structure and operate more efficiently,” said Walder. “Diana has a stellar track record at all levels of government and will hit the ground running overseeing this vital effort. It is not possible to undertake these types of changes within the limitations of our current organizational structure, and as Managing Director, Diana will be critical to our ability to cut costs and provide value to taxpayers and riders.”

While $10M is a drop in the bucket in terms of their overall finances, repeated steps like this will chip away at its financial troubles & that is a necessity in the current climate. Hopefully we will see more this savings continue.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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