MTA to hack budget by $61M
NYC Transit is chopping its budget next year by $61 million, much of it through the reduction of bus and subway maintenance jobs.
The search for savings is part of an overall Metropolitan Transportation Authority goal of reducing costs by 6 percent over the next four years as the agency faces a financial crisis. For its part, NYC Transit has projected saving $251.3 million from 2009 through 2012. The bulk of the savings in 2009 -- $39.4 million -- will come from reductions to maintenance.
The cuts come at a time when subway service has been on a gradual but steady decline and when talk has started again about another possible fare hike next year.
Transit officials worked to reassure straphangers yesterday, saying in a statement that none of the proposed savings "will have an impact on safety, security or customer service levels."
The MTA board will meet Wednesday to go over a preliminary budget for 2009.
Some of the cuts to transit include:
- Fewer buses will get 12-year maintenance upgrades
- Reduction in the number of platform controllers
- Fewer resources to maintain scratch-free glass on 1 and L lines.
Copyright © 2008, AM New York
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