I’ve heard NYers are perpetually late but unlike most regions there’s an understanding for this lack of punctuality because of situational influences: freak rain, taxi accidents, or train delays. I admit, I’ve used the train delay reason for being tardy a few times, but there have been several justifiable instances where I’m on time and there’s just no way a taxi, walking or a train will get me to my destination or meeting early enough.
Today was one of those days, I had a meeting uptown near 54th and Lex, so I took the dirty E uptown about 45 min before my appointment. I arrived on time up to Penn station and then the train relaxed. You can always tell you’re going to be stuck when the door don’t slam shut on someone and the train releases a burst of air pressure from the breaks as if signing, needing the rest. Apparently someone had gotten sick on the train in the station ahead of us, and it’s holding up the whole line.
Getting sick and halting the transportation system for one of the largest cities in the world seems absurd but apparently it happens more often that I thought. Today I just happen to be reading the NY Post, and in it is an article on one of the MTA‘s latest marketing campaigns as of late: Ads through out the subway lines that encourage New Yorkers to take the day off if they are laid up or sick and to stay off the trains.
Apparently last year, sick customers caused 6,136 delays on the the NY subway lines, which is the 3rd largest cause of delays (for the 2nd straight year – 4,481 delays in 2006). Apparently when passengers are sick, MTA employees and even train conductors must stay with the passengers until EMT or other help arrives to ensure their safety. Without someone to man the trains, everyone must wait….. So next time you’re feeling sick on the train, make sure you get off before you puke! I was 25 minutes late for my meeting because some jackass threw up from his pneumonia.
MTA Transit Union workers threaten to walk off the job on Friday, should the MTA not agree to the Transit Worker’s Unions demands for a renewed contract of more money and better benefits. With out public transportation, the city would not exist and so the TWU believes a threat of strike, has the city by the balls. Of course a full strike of public transportation in NYC is illegal and could result in fines and/or jail time for those that participate.
My opinion is FIRE every single one of them. Kill the TWU and start up a new workforce under non-union labor conditions where the MTA is run more like a private sector company than a subsidized public utility. The average MTA worker is under educated (or not at all), lazy, rude, and has a nonchalant attitude toward customer service.
Here’s what the build up is all about: The city of New York is over 9 million strong in population, and on average 7,711,945 people on a weekday are moved around the city by fleet of almost 5,000 buses and more than 8,250 subway and rail cars (
The original asking raise for the transit employees was 10% raise, year-over-year, for the next 3 years… a 30% raise! They came down to that figure to a “comfortable” 8% raise request, year-over-year for 3-years. This is still a 24% raise increase in three years. Oh and this is what we get with that extra money???