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MTA Statement On Manhattan Institute Report

Posted by
on June 2nd, 2010 at 5:27 pm

In the entry below, I wrote about how the average salaries of MTA workers rose by 2.4% in 2009 according to a report by The Manhattan Institute. Shortly after the report’s release, the MTA issued this statement which I received earlier:

“The payroll data released today show that over the past year the MTA reduced its workforce and held down costs by foregoing management raises. The 2.4 percent increase in salaries noted in today’s report reflects built-in raises provided under multi-year labor contracts. The MTA’s $800 million budget shortfall for 2010 — caused by State budget cuts and deteriorating tax revenues — means there’s much more work to be done. We are in the process of overhauling every aspect of our business, including the elimination of approximately 3,000 positions this year. One key part of this effort is a focus on the work rules, pension padding and management oversight that leads to some of the unnecessary overtime highlighted in today’s report.”

xoxo Transit Blogger

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1

Average Salaries Rose At The MTA In 2009

Posted by
on June 2nd, 2010 at 5:22 pm

The cost of employee wages (especially overtime) has dominated much of the transit landscape lately. The Manhattan Institute is continuing the cycle by releasing a report highlighting how average salaries at the MTA rose 2.4% in 2009. Here is some more courtesy of the press release they issued:

A searchable database of the complete Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) payroll for 2009 – including names, titles, base pay rates and total pay received by 74,708 individuals – shows an increase of 2.4 percent in the average total pay of MTA employees last year. The updated payroll file is now available at www.SeeThroughNY.net, the government transparency website sponsored by the Empire Center for New York State Policy.

For the second consecutive year, more than 10 percent of the MTA’s workforce – 8,074 individuals – took home $100,000 or more in total pay, including overtime and other extra pay. The MTA’s six-figure club included:

* Six employees who earned more than $250,000;

* 44 employees who earned between $200,000 and $250,000;

* 511 employees who earned between $150,000 and $200,000; and

* 7,513 individuals who earned between $100,000 and $150,000.

Eleven of the 561 employees who earned more than $150,000 in 2009 were Long Island Railroad car repairmen who earned an average of $167,342 – which was $102,477 over their annual base pay rate of $64,865. Other popular titles in the $150,000-and-over category included:

* 65 Long Island Railroad and Metro-North Railroad conductors who averaged $86,837 over their base salaries which averaged $75,970;*

* 53 Bridge & Tunnel Sergeants and Lieutenants who averaged $94,962 over the average base pay of $82,594;

* 34 Long Island and Metro-North Railroad engineers who averaged $89,109 over their $77,953;*

* 28 MTA police officers; and

* 23 Long Island Railroad gang foremen averaging $81,718 over their base pay rate $82,249.

Most of the MTA’s unionized employees received a 4 percent base pay increase last year. Smaller average total pay increases in some units reflect, in part, the inclusion of non-unionized management employees, whose pay was frozen.

SeeThroughNY allows the public to examine government expenditures on the Internet. It includes the wages of most New York State government, public authorities, cities, counties, villages, towns and school districts. Also posted are teacher and administrator pensions, teacher and school superintendent employment contracts, state legislators’ office expenditures, pork barrel projects, and a benchmarking feature for comparing local government and school district spending. The site was launched July 31, 2008.

The Albany-based Empire Center is a project of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, one of the nation’s leading non-profit 501(c)3 think tanks.

(Click here for table showing both total and change in employees and payroll by MTA subagency between 2008 and 2009, and click here for table showing the 100 highest earning MTA employees in 2009.)

Note: *Metro-North Railroad pay data was supplied by that agency as an hourly rate only. For comparative purposes, average salaries for Metro-North employees assume a 40-hour base workweek.

Click here to view the entire report. Please note it is a .pdf so you need the necessary software installed to view it.

I found the chart in the report extremely interesting. As someone who personally knows a number of LIRR employees, I was not surprised to see a number of LIRR conductors being listed in the top 100 of salary earners. Of the top 100 earners, 5 went to LIRR conductors. The total 2009 salary of those 5 spots & their respective rank on the salary list are:


08th: $239,148

33rd: $209,414

56th: $198,269

64th: $194.611

80th: $187,008

What I found interesting is how not one of their Metro-North counterparts made the list. I find this very telling as the LIRR has been known to have some “overtime” experts who know how to make bank. This report will do nothing to calm the flames of those who feel too many workers abuse the overtime system. I have to admit it does seem to be quite a high salary for the position. It should be interesting to see what the media has to say about this report in the coming days.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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0

Depature Signs Come To Coney Island

Posted by
on June 2nd, 2010 at 4:53 pm

PA/CIS Sign At Coney Island
Newly installed real time information board installed at the Coney Island-Stillwell Ave station. Photo courtesy of the MTA.

The MTA has continued to install real time information boards throughout the subway system. The latest location to receive them is the Coney Island-Stillwell Ave station in Brooklyn. Here is some info courtesy of their press release:

Beach goers and visitors to the new Luna Park will find getting home by subway at the Coney Island – Stillwell Ave Terminal a bit easier this weekend, courtesy of newly installed “Next Train Departure” screens on all four platforms of the busy terminal. The screens will take the guess work out of catching the right train on the right platform, especially for those riders who are unfamiliar or don’t use the busy terminal on a regular basis.

The screens, hung on platform columns, provide simple next train information to customers, informing them which train is leaving from which platform. For instance, a screen will display this information for the D Line: “West End Line, 6 Avenue Local,” with an arrow pointing toward the appropriate train and platform. The display uses the familiar train icons and colors in the display. This is Phase I of a larger pilot project that will ultimately provide train departure track and time information at the station, used by more than 15-thousand average weekday and around 39 thousand riders per weekend (Saturday and Sunday combined) during the summer months.

“Providing easy to understand travel information to our customers is one of our primary goals as we look to introduce cost effective new technology into the system,” said NYC Transit President Thomas F. Prendergast. “While not as sophisticated as what we have in place on the Canarsie L line, or going in on the IRT, this next train departure information system is something our customers will come to rely on as they head home from a fun day at Coney Island,” added Prendergast.

The project was designed by in-house engineers and installed by in-house forces. Each platform has been outfitted with four 32″ high-definition, sun-readable LCD screens. Two screens per track are hung back to back about nine feet off the ground for easy viewing. Dispatchers for each line at the Stillwell Avenue Terminal will activate the train’s departure track information for display on the screens. The high definition screens are also capable of displaying Public Service Information (PSA) messaging like “See Something, Say Something,” and in the future can also display advertising. Over the next few months, the numbers of customer information screens will more than double and additional customer information messages and additional capabilities will be added to the system.

It is a shame they took so long for these signs to reach stations. However at this point, I’d take this over having none at all. One day it would be nice to see every station in the system updated to the latest technology at the time along with its cleanliness up to par. The sad part is I have a better chance of hitting the Mega Millions or Powerball as compared to seeing such a reality in our transit system.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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0

LIRR To Provide Service To Belmont Park

Posted by
on June 2nd, 2010 at 4:27 pm

The much discussed cuts to Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) service included the suspension of it to Belmont Park. The only exceptions were for June 4th & June 5th due to the Belmont Stakes. Yesterday afternoon, the agency sent out a press release to talk about the upcoming service to the race track:

The MTA Long Island Rail Road will operate train service to Belmont Park, this Friday, June 4 and on Saturday, June 5 for the Belmont Stakes, when a special schedule will be in effect. Daily train service to Belmont was canceled as part of service reductions that went into effect May 17 required to address the MTA’s nearly $800-million budget shortfall for 2010.

The MTA Police will be enforcing a no alcohol policy on trains to Belmont Park. Bags and coolers are subject to search prior to boarding Belmont Park trains at Penn Station and at Jamaica Station. On Belmont Stakes Day, no alcoholic beverages of any kind will be permitted to be brought into Belmont Park. First race post time on Stakes Day is 11:35 AM.

Round trip LIRR Belmont package tickets should be purchased at ticket windows or from ticket machines prior to boarding the train. The round-trip fare from Penn Station is $12; from Jamaica, $9. The one-way fare from Penn Station and Woodside is $7; from Jamaica, $6. On Stakes Day, Belmont package tickets will not be sold on-board the train. Package tickets from Brooklyn and Woodside are also available with connections in Jamaica for trains to Belmont. Only Belmont Park tickets will be accepted for train service to and from Belmont Park. CityTicket, Monthly, Weekly and Ten-Trip Tickets are not valid on Belmont Park trains. Weekly and Monthly ticket holders can use their commuter tickets for travel to and from Jamaica, but must purchase a Belmont Park ticket prior to boarding at Jamaica to cover the fare between Jamaica and Belmont Park.

Round-trip fares from Long Island to Belmont, with a transfer at Jamaica are:

Zone 3 (Rosedale, St. Albans, Queens Village, Hollis) — $9

Zone 4 (Far Rockaway, Lynbrook, Hempstead, Mineola )– $11

Zone 7 (Long Beach, Massapequa, Hicksville, Oyster Bay) — $13

Zone 9 (Babylon, Deer Park, Huntington, Northport) — $16

Zone 10 (Bay Shore, Sayville, Ronkonkoma, Patchogue, Port Jefferson) — $20

Belmont Park tickets are available at LIRR Full Service Ticket Machines (grey, blue or green). Press the “Deals & Getaways” button on the first screen, select “Belmont Park,” pay with cash, ATM/debit or credit cards.

Special admission prices are in effect at Belmont Park for Stakes Day only. General Admission is $10 and Clubhouse admission is $20.

Belmont Stakes Service from Penn Station, June 5:

• 9:59 AM, stopping at Jamaica 10:18, arriving Belmont 10:32 AM.

• 10:07 AM, stopping at Jamaica 10:29 arriving Belmont 10:44 AM.

• 10:29 AM, stopping at Jamaica 10:50, arriving Belmont 11:06 AM.

• 10:58 AM, stopping at Jamaica 11:15, arriving Belmont 11:35 AM.

• 11:04 AM, stopping at Jamaica 11:21, arriving Belmont 11:40 AM.

• 11:30 AM, stopping at Jamaica 11:50, arriving Belmont 12:04 PM.

• 11:37 AM, stopping at Jamaica 12:00 PM, arriving Belmont 12:16 PM.

• 11:57 AM, stopping at Jamaica 12:17 PM, arriving Belmont 12:31 PM.

• 12:30 PM, stopping at Jamaica 12:50 PM, arriving Belmont 1:04 PM.

• 12:37 PM, stopping at Jamaica 12:58 PM, arriving Belmont 1:12 PM.

• 12:55 PM, stopping at Jamaica 1:15 PM, arriving Belmont 1:28 PM.

• 1:05 PM, stopping at Jamaica 1:27 PM, arriving Belmont 1:40 PM.

• 1:33 PM, stopping at Jamaica 1:54 PM, arriving Belmont 2:10 PM.

• 2:37 PM, stopping at Jamaica 2:59 PM, arriving Belmont 3:15 PM.

• 2:55 PM, stopping at Jamaica 3:17 PM, arriving Belmont 3:33 PM.

• 3:28 PM, stopping at Jamaica 3:47 PM, arriving Belmont 4:01 PM.

• 3:45 PM, change at Jamaica 4:06 PM, arriving Belmont 4:30 PM.

• 4:25 PM, change at Jamaica 4:45 PM, arriving Belmont 5:06 PM.

Customers traveling from Woodside, Atlantic Terminal, Nostrand Avenue and East New York, as well as from stations in Nassau and Suffolk can connect with Belmont trains at Jamaica. Customers may consult the special LIRR Belmont Stakes timetable available at stations, or the LIRR’s website at www.mta.info for full Belmont Stakes train schedules.

For the return trip, trains will depart Belmont beginning at 4:16 PM, then 4:54 PM, 5:16 PM, 5:53 PM and then approximately every 15 minutes from 6:30 PM to 9 PM to Jamaica, Brooklyn and Penn Station.

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June 4 Train Service:

The LIRR will operate regular Belmont Race Track train service on Friday, June 4. Two eastbound trains to Belmont Park will depart from Jamaica Station at 12:18 PM and 1:40 PM. Two westbound trains will depart from Belmont Park at 3:56 PM and 6:01 PM (or 30 minutes after the last race).

Accessibility:

Belmont is a special event station and therefore services are limited. The station is not wheelchair accessible, there are no elevators, and only limited escalator service. It is necessary to use stairs to and from most train platforms.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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2

MTA Announces Smart Card Fare Payment Pilot

Posted by
on June 2nd, 2010 at 12:30 am

Yesterday afternoon, the MTA announced it was teaming up with select partners on a Smart Card fare payment pilot. The pilot will include the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PATH), NJ Transit (NJT) and MasterCard Worldwide. Here are the details courtesy of a press release I received:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PATH), NJ TRANSIT (NJT) and MasterCard Worldwide today announced the launch of a six month pilot program in which MasterCard PayPass will be accepted for fare payments on select train and bus routes throughout New York City and New Jersey. Today’s announcement enables riders of the three transit systems to purchase fares and transfer between transit systems simply by tapping a single type of contactless credit or debit card or device.

The trial, which will take place June 1 – November 30, 2010, is the first payment system to link the transit agencies, replacing the need for riders to carry specific fare cards for three separate transit systems. For example, commuters transferring from a PATH train to the New York City subway will need only one type of payment device for each ride – their MasterCard PayPass card or device – to “Tap & Go™”, improving the overall customer experience through increased speed and convenience.

Multiple bus and train routes across New York City and New Jersey will be participating in the trial, including subway locations on the Lexington Avenue train line (4,5,6) from 138th Street in the Bronx through Borough Hall in Brooklyn, eight MTA bus routes (M14, M23, M79, M86, M101, M102, M103 and BxM7), 11 PATH stations (excluding only the Christopher and 9th Street stations), and three NJ TRANSIT bus routes (6, 80, 87).

Specially-equipped payment readers featuring the MasterCard PayPass brand mark and universal contactless symbol have been installed on select turnstiles and fare boxes along these routes to alert commuters that contactless payments are accepted.

The trial program is an extension of a successful pilot of contactless payments conducted by the MTA with MasterCard and Citigroup beginning in July 2006 when contactless readers were placed in 80 fare gates at 30 stations on the Lexington Avenue train line. During this new trial all MasterCard PayPass cards and devices will be accepted from any issuing financial institution.

“The technology that we’re testing will make life easier for our customers and help reduce our cost of doing business at the same time,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Jay H. Walder. “By using an open network we’ll break down regional barriers and let people travel across the region with a card that’s already sitting in their wallets. We’re thrilled to be working with the Port Authority, NJ TRANSIT and MasterCard to test these innovations for our customers.”

Using their MasterCard PayPass or other contactless payment-enabled card or device, riders will be able to choose from a “Pre-Fund” or “Pay-As-You-Go” fare option, and on MTA and NJT services can take advantage of existing time-based fares, such as One Day, Weekly, Bi-Weekly or Monthly passes, as well as discounted fares for senior citizens, disabled and student riders. All fares purchased using a PayPass-enabled card or device will be automatically applied to customers’ MasterCard credit or debit accounts, eliminating the need to fumble for cash or wait in line at ticket machines and counters. Transit riders can go to www.ridenynj.com for more information on how to participate.

“PATH is a natural fit for testing innovations such as MasterCard PayPass that can help customers travel seamlessly between mass-transit systems in New York and New Jersey,’’ said Port Authority Chairman Anthony Coscia. “This program aligns with our interest in improving reliability and simplifying fare payment, increasing capacity, and ultimately attracting more customers to the region’s mass-transit systems.”

“For our bus customers, particularly those who commute in New Jersey and New York every day, this program simplifies the cumbersome task of carrying multiple fare cards and makes the overall riding experience faster and more convenient,” said Jim Weinstein, NJ TRANSIT Executive Director. “We’re pleased to work with the MTA, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and MasterCard to offer state-of-the-art technology like this to our riders who frequently travel between our systems.”

“Through innovative technology, this initiative enables MasterCard to support the regional transit agencies’ goals of moving more customers faster and more easily, while adding efficiency to their back-end operations,” said Joshua Peirez, Chief Innovation Officer, MasterCard Worldwide. “By using MasterCard PayPass, millions of the area’s mass transit customers will simply be able to Tap & Go™ when entering or boarding the subway or bus, eliminating the need to wait in line or fumble for exact change to purchase fare cards while on the go.”

Contactless payment will be available exclusively to MasterCard PayPass customers during the first two months of the trial and to additional select contactless payments brand customers for the remainder of the test period.

For B-roll, photos and video about this trial, visit: http://mastercard.presslift.com/ridenynj

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About The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA):

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is the largest public transportation agency in the Western Hemisphere and among the largest in the world. Each day, approximately 8.5 million people rely on the agency’s 5,000-square mile network of subways, buses, railroads, paratransit vehicles, bridges and tunnels spanning 14 counties in two states. MTA New York City Transit carries 7.5 million people per day on its network of subways and buses.

About MasterCard PayPass:

MasterCard PayPass is ideal for traditional cash¬heavy environments where speed is essential, and has led the way in bringing contactless technology to consumer categories, such as quick-serve restaurants, drugstores, gas stations, vending machines, convenience stores, sports arenas, movie theaters, transit systems, taxis, parking garages and more. As of Q1 2010, there are nearly 75 million MasterCard PayPass cards and devices that have been issued for use at approximately 230,000 merchant locations worldwide, including participating BP, Best Buy, Home Depot, CVS, McDonald’s, Petco and many others. PayPass also is accepted at numerous professional football and baseball stadiums. For more information about MasterCard PayPass and a full list of participating merchants, visit www.mastercard.com/paypass.

About the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the PATH rail system:

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey operates many of the busiest and most important transportation links in the region. They include John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia, Stewart International and Teterboro airports; AirTrain JFK and AirTrain Newark; the George Washington Bridge and Bus Station; the Lincoln and Holland tunnels; the three bridges between Staten Island and New Jersey; the PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) rapid-transit system; Port Newark; the Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal; the Howland Hook Marine Terminal on Staten Island; the Port Authority Auto Marine Terminal; the Brooklyn Piers/Red Hook Container Terminal; and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown Manhattan. The agency also owns the 16-acre World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan and is a partner in the Access to the Region’s Core tunnel project.

About NJ Transit (NJT):
NJ Transit is the nation’s largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 895,000 weekday trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines and 12 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 165 rail stations, 60 light rail stations and more than 18,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

About MasterCard Worldwide:

MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes over 22 billion transactions each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial-institution customers and merchants. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network and through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®, MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information, go to www.mastercard.com. Follow us on Twitter: @mastercardnews.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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