StreetVerse

MTA – no victimless mistakes

Posted By: The Abstract Analyst
Filed Under: Opinion on February 10, 2010

Over the past few months, I have really gone after the NYC MTA via Twitter with a vengeance. It got to the point that due to my frequency of complaints & tweets about the organization, I got followed by MTA tweets — an account that follows people who speak about the MTA with great regularity.

During this time, Street Verse had slowed down as did my ability to post. Well I’m back, so is Street Verse & I think it is time to air out New York’s Metro Transit Authority.

The point is simple: the MTA is a victim of a few things: politics, money mismanagement and an inability to get anything done. Each one of these things builds on the other which causes the MTA to give poorer service at a greater cost.

Politics:  the MTA had a golden opportunity to really make a good deal of money about 4 years back. There were money issues for years and there was a piece of land on the west side of Manhanttan that is and was at the time unused. The New York Jets & Mayor Bloomberg saw a golden opportunity at the time to use prime real estate, benefit multiple parties (the MTA, the Jets & NYC) and strengthen NYC’s bid for the Olympics. But of course the idiot James Dolan was protective of his interest & rather than improving his offering, he spent his money to lobby the decision makers who, ironically, weren’t even involved in New York City unless it helped their pockets. Therefore, west side stadium was killed by corrupt Joe Bruno, Joel Silver and some other upstate piece of political crap who were easily purchased for a ‘contribution’. One other key point – in Dolan’s campaign against the stadium, he promised to buy the property from the MTA & turn it into park land for the community. Ironic all that dream died with the vote killing the stadium. Leaving the MTA holding the bag & losing the money.

The money loss was thanks to Dolan and the easily brought politicians. It hurt the MTA as it hit budget shortfalls. Many issues contributed to this state of affairs. In the end, due to politics, it resulted in a direct cost to passengers in the form of fare hikes, service down grades & longer construction times. Indirect costs include proposals for congestion taxes, and unused land space. Lastly, it is a system that is quickly falling behind other public transportation systems in the world, with regards to technology, value  and efficiency. Let’s not forget that with the increased prices in a time when joblessness is also increasing, they are making it harder for the middle class to make ends meet.

The above has resulted in the MTA’s inability to get anything done. The system is in constant construction causing delays, rerouting and service outages becoming the norm. If a person wants to travel outside of normal rush hours, there is a need to provision at least an additional 25 – 45 minutes. If a hostage wants to use the train on the weekends. Forget delays,  just assume you’re not going to be able to go more than 4 stops using a normal route unless it takes at least 1hour more than you expect – if you’re lucky!  Yes the system is fucked. I have ideas on how to fix it, but honestly due to my disgust for the politics & bullshit, I’d rather give my money to Detroit or Toyota. At least then I’ll know prior to getting that I’m being screwed, but at least they are on my own terms.

-Abstract Analyst…

About the Author

MBA graduate and observer of media, politics, sports and every thing absurd...