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I propose that if the MTA can make 1 week of my morning/night commute uneventful, they should get the 9%. So far, that's like asking them to move mountains. I don't go 1 Godforsaken week without either one of the following:
a long wait for the subway
a subway that needs to stop at a station or stop in between stations for more than 5 minutes becuase of their lovely "train traffic ahead" catch all excuse
a LIRR train in the morning that is late. Late is late...don't care how the LIRR spins it as it being more than 5 minutes. They create new defintions for late all the time.
an afternoon LIRR debacle that includes a canceled train or tunnel issue
I cannot think of 1 week where they can't go without any of those things happening. Its ridiculous and laughable that they can't provide incidence free service and ask us foot their rising costs every couple of years. As the costs and fares go up, they come up with more excuses and "definitions" for late and on-time performance.
If I tried to tell my employer that 5-10 minutes late doesn't mean late, he/she would laugh in my face and tell me to put an egg in my shoe and beat it.
Yes there's delays every week, and I dont even ride the LIRR everyday. With the fare hikes I think I'll just be using the NICE Bus to the subway from now on. Considering how often there are delays on the LIRR, it doesn't take much longer. I'm sure the N22 and N24 are gonna get alot more ppl now who use to take the train from NHP and Merillon. For them its about a 20-25 min bus ride to the subway and 40 min on the F train, about one hour, the LIRR takes at least 40 min. Yet the LIRR costs at least 5 times as much.
does the MTA own the trains and operating stations themselves? Why can't we get replacement operators like they do in sports? When is the contract up for reneg? Unions are ridiculous - they're useful if there are owners forcing their hand but I don't see that here.
does the MTA own the trains and operating stations themselves? Why can't we get replacement operators like they do in sports? When is the contract up for reneg? Unions are ridiculous - they're useful if there are owners forcing their hand but I don't see that here.
Complete mismanagement because of lack of any concern with budget- as they are an "Authority".
This increase does not have to be voted on, it can just be instilled.
If the voters were left with a choice of no increase (or 3% as school taxes are now capped at), and it were voted on- they would be forced to make cuts internally or improve efficiency.
The union protects the jobs of the workers from management, but management has NO incentive to cut spending as if they decided tomorrow to double fares, they have the authority to do so.
The MTA only answers to the Governor, who is a critic of how they operate but I am sure realizes no true solution can come without a SERIOUS overhaul that will create turmoil for some time.
At the very same time, while I try never to be too critical of Union employees, the MTA staff are more often than not incredibly rude and shrug off their work. Still though, Management could grind them on this, and strive for quality CS, but alas... they do not.
More competition is needed, but since MTA operates a monopoly it's quite a challenge.
MTA/LIRR jobs are part of the gravy train feeding off the tax paying public. They are those "lottery ticket" blue collar jobs that require little or no education yet still award high salaries and platinum card benefits that never seem to adjust down to the economy. Making 90K punching tickets with a guaranteed pension is absurd. We could deal with the pension or the salary, but both?
The system will continue to inflate until the state eventually goes bankrupt.
MTA/LIRR jobs are part of the gravy train feeding off the tax paying public. They are those "lottery ticket" blue collar jobs that require little or no education yet still award high salaries and platinum card benefits that never seem to adjust down to the economy. Making 90K punching tickets with a guaranteed pension is absurd. We could deal with the pension or the salary, but both?
The system will continue to inflate until the state eventually goes bankrupt.
I think the middle-class residents--who are not fortunate enough to have a public pension--of LI will go bankrupt before the state does. Not to blunt the point, but looking at this despicable fare and toll increase is part and parcel of life on LI. Between the property tax increases, energy costs, rising insurance premiums, and other well-discussed rip-offs on LI, there's not a lot left over for rainy-day funds or retirement. On top of that, anyone outside of the fork-tongued politicians knows many of the well-paying jobs that were once here (80's) have fled the Island.
I think Albany, Suffolk & Nassau Counties and most of the townships and school districts will continue to tighten the noose around the taxpayers neck until, finally, there's not a breath left.
>Making 90K punching tickets with a guaranteed pension is absurd. We could deal with the pension or the salary, but both? <
Er both. Mostly the benefits end.
1) Phase out the guaranteed pension over 15 years. I wish we could continue pensions but they can not be afforded any more.
2) IMMEDIATELY END hours packing in all public pensions. That is your pension based on 2080 hours x $rate. Hours packing = making the new hires call out so you can do big overtime to make your pension 3000x $rate. This goes for COPS and administrators etc too.
3) Several years of no COLAS or 2x the number of years with half COLAS. LI is a horribly expensive place but sorry 90K is a bit much. No direct take aways tho.
While we are at it we need to hit the administration AND MANAGERS equally.
They ran out of ways to tax people who dont use lirr. so the riders have to pay for it
LOL, we wish they've run out of ways to tax non-riders of the LIRR! There are MTA surcharges in all sorts of unlikely places, such as in your cellphone bill.
In fact, the commuters bear more of the MTA costs in NY Metro than commuters on any other mass transit line. We simply pay more.
MTA/LIRR jobs are part of the gravy train feeding off the tax paying public. They are those "lottery ticket" blue collar jobs that require little or no education yet still award high salaries and platinum card benefits that never seem to adjust down to the economy. Making 90K punching tickets with a guaranteed pension is absurd. We could deal with the pension or the salary, but both?
The system will continue to inflate until the state eventually goes bankrupt.
Jealousy is an ugly trait. These people are hard working Americans getting thousands of people to and from work each day. They are the unsung heroes of the middle class. A $90k salary after overtime is barely surviving on LI.
LOL, we wish they've run out of ways to tax non-riders of the LIRR! There are MTA surcharges in all sorts of unlikely places, such as in your cellphone bill.
In fact, the commuters bear more of the MTA costs in NY Metro than commuters on any other mass transit line. We simply pay more.
Exactly. I dont take the LIRR anymore since I work here but if I did, I would not bother. I remember taking the LIRR briefly when I first moved here, and once I realized what a racket it was, I started driving. It took me the same amount of time to drive from south Nassau to midtown Manhattan as it did for me to deal with the 'LIRR - transfer at Jamaica to LIC - transfer to the 7 to Grand Central' routine. Once I found a parking garage deal, my LIRR/MTA riding days were over.
The MTA needs to trim down the fat AT THE TOP. That means Management. Instead of socking it to the lower level employees and ticket punchers who do nothing but just show up to work and act as told by their superiors. Make all employees pay into the benefits. Teachers are already doing this.
LIRR has been subsidizing NYC subway riders for too long as well according to this chart:
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