Comments on: Sander Picked for MTA Director http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:49:33 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Steve http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/comment-page-1/#comment-24651 Steve Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:45:36 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/#comment-24651 Wayne, there are pros and cons to expanding free ride privilege across branches of the MTA. First of all, from the perspective of the MTA workforce as a whole, some may value the free riding privilege while others may want the cash equivalent in their pocket. so that issue would have to work its way theirgh the internal union decision-making process. From the perspective of the general ridership, granting braoder free rider privileges might appear at first blush be a good thing, because it increases ridership, but I suspect that the MTA would not count the employee free riders the same way they count paying customers. As a result, 10,000 added monthly trips by MTA employee free riders on NYC Transit would not necessarily result in the same increment of service increases or improvements as 10,000 added monthly trips by new paying patrons. So expanding employee free ridership in the way you suggest could result in more crowding without any correspnding benefits. Which is not to say I would not necessarily support the unions representing MTA employees if they chose to bargain for the expanded access, but I don't see this as an issue for the general ridership to take up. Wayne, there are pros and cons to expanding free ride privilege across branches of the MTA. First of all, from the perspective of the MTA workforce as a whole, some may value the free riding privilege while others may want the cash equivalent in their pocket. so that issue would have to work its way theirgh the internal union decision-making process. From the perspective of the general ridership, granting braoder free rider privileges might appear at first blush be a good thing, because it increases ridership, but I suspect that the MTA would not count the employee free riders the same way they count paying customers. As a result, 10,000 added monthly trips by MTA employee free riders on NYC Transit would not necessarily result in the same increment of service increases or improvements as 10,000 added monthly trips by new paying patrons. So expanding employee free ridership in the way you suggest could result in more crowding without any correspnding benefits. Which is not to say I would not necessarily support the unions representing MTA employees if they chose to bargain for the expanded access, but I don't see this as an issue for the general ridership to take up.

]]> By: Wayne Bonfiglio http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/comment-page-1/#comment-24634 Wayne Bonfiglio Tue, 02 Jan 2007 16:32:27 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/#comment-24634 As a Transit worker who rides the LIRR from Long Island to Jamaica and previously Penn Station. I would like people to know including Mr. Snader if he could address the situation - that each branch of the MTA is not permitted to let the others ride for free. I pay a couple of hundred a month for my monthly LIR ticket and to save some money I now get off at Jamaica instead of Penn Station which loese more time. Mean while other persons I have been told - some get free rides and others don't. And meanwhile LIRR people, especially Metro-North people, even Amtrak, NJ transit, and Port Authority expect free rides. As a Transit worker who rides the LIRR from Long Island to Jamaica and previously Penn Station. I would like people to know including Mr. Snader if he could address the situation - that each branch of the MTA is not permitted to let the others ride for free. I pay a couple of hundred a month for my monthly LIR ticket and to save some money I now get off at Jamaica instead of Penn Station which loese more time. Mean while other persons I have been told - some get free rides and others don't. And meanwhile LIRR people, especially Metro-North people, even Amtrak, NJ transit, and Port Authority expect free rides.

]]> By: ABG http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/comment-page-1/#comment-18843 ABG Sun, 17 Dec 2006 04:57:24 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/#comment-18843 Good to know; thanks, John. Good to know; thanks, John.

]]> By: JK http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/comment-page-1/#comment-18760 JK Sat, 16 Dec 2006 17:41:34 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/#comment-18760 Sander was friendly to advocates during his two year tenure at NYC DOT, and he personally intervened to overcome obstacles to bike/ped projects built. His appointment is welcome by advocates, many of whom have worked closely with him in the Empire State Transportation Alliance. This said, Sander and the MTA face truly immense fiscal problems, a massive debt, and a mayor and state legislature who have steadily cut operating assistance for fifteen years. It's very hard to imagine the VZ bike path will be a priority. Sander was friendly to advocates during his two year tenure at NYC DOT, and he personally intervened to overcome obstacles to bike/ped projects built. His appointment is welcome by advocates, many of whom have worked closely with him in the Empire State Transportation Alliance.

This said, Sander and the MTA face truly immense fiscal problems, a massive debt, and a mayor and state legislature who have steadily cut operating assistance for fifteen years. It's very hard to imagine the VZ bike path will be a priority.

]]> By: Willaim J. Mills http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/comment-page-1/#comment-18741 Willaim J. Mills Sat, 16 Dec 2006 16:15:16 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/#comment-18741 Thank the Heavens, a wonderful decision, and my compliments to the governor. I am a Union Delegate at Metro North,and deeply appreciate the course of action. If support is neeeded please contact me. Good luck to Mr. Sanders and all our commuters Thank the Heavens, a wonderful decision, and my compliments to the governor. I am a Union Delegate at Metro North,and deeply appreciate the course of action. If support is neeeded please contact me. Good luck to Mr. Sanders and all our commuters

]]> By: ABG http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/comment-page-1/#comment-18719 ABG Sat, 16 Dec 2006 15:03:36 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/#comment-18719 After a little more research, it seems that most of the anti-cyclist actions on the Queensboro Bridge were taken by Chris Lynn. Maybe Sander was a brief gleam of hope in between windshield-perspective commissioners. I guess we'll see. Time to resurrect plans for the Verrazano bike/ped path? After a little more research, it seems that most of the anti-cyclist actions on the Queensboro Bridge were taken by Chris Lynn. Maybe Sander was a brief gleam of hope in between windshield-perspective commissioners. I guess we'll see. Time to resurrect plans for the Verrazano bike/ped path?

]]> By: ABG http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/comment-page-1/#comment-18594 ABG Sat, 16 Dec 2006 05:13:47 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/#comment-18594 Okay, I remember when Lee Sander shut down the bike path on the Queensboro Bridge for years and wouldn't listen to bike/ped advocates. Is that all, well, water under the bridge? Okay, I remember when Lee Sander shut down the bike path on the Queensboro Bridge for years and wouldn't listen to bike/ped advocates. Is that all, well, water under the bridge?

]]> By: NICHOLAS CASALE http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/comment-page-1/#comment-18433 NICHOLAS CASALE Fri, 15 Dec 2006 20:45:09 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/12/15/sander-picked-for-mta-director-by-spitzer/#comment-18433 December 15, 2006 - Governor-elect Elliot Spitzer selected Elliot Sander, the director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at New York University, to head the Metropolitan Transportation Authority today. Mr. Casale, THE Metropolitan transportation Authority deputy director of security for counterterrorism said, “I applaud Mr. Spitzer’s selection and I’m confident that Mr. Sander will put the M.T.A. back on track. Mr. Casale said, “I’m asking the new leadership to revisit the $212 million emergency Lockheed Martin security contract, which is $80 million over budget and behind schedule, and review the agency’s renovation at 2 Broadway, which originally was expected to cost $39 million and is now $400 million over budget and six years behind schedule.” Mr. Casale added, “Exposing corruption at M.T.A. reveals a world of mismanagement, favoritism and graft not normally seen in government. I wish Mr. Sanders success and ask that he address these issues.” December 15, 2006 - Governor-elect Elliot Spitzer selected Elliot Sander, the director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at New York University, to head the Metropolitan Transportation Authority today. Mr. Casale, THE Metropolitan transportation Authority deputy director of security for counterterrorism said, “I applaud Mr. Spitzer’s selection and I’m confident that Mr. Sander will put the M.T.A. back on track.

Mr. Casale said, “I’m asking the new leadership to revisit the $212 million emergency Lockheed Martin security contract, which is $80 million over budget and behind schedule, and review the agency’s renovation at 2 Broadway, which originally was expected to cost $39 million and is now $400 million over budget and six years behind schedule.”

Mr. Casale added, “Exposing corruption at M.T.A. reveals a world of mismanagement, favoritism and graft not normally seen in government. I wish Mr. Sanders success and ask that he address these issues.”

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