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MTA to hack budget by $61M

By Matthew Sweeney | msweeney@am-ny.com

7:09 PM EDT, July 15, 2008

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.