Tag Archive | "new york city transit"

MTA to Lay Off Hundreds of Station Agents


The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is expected to announce today that they will lay off hundreds of subway station agents.

Subway station agents provide customer information, sell Metrocards, and assist commuters at various stations throughout the subway system.

The layoffs come after the MTA began to phase out station agents who do not handle money last September.

According to The New York Times, the MTA planned to allow the station agents to retire and that the cuts will save $50 million. amNewYork reports that the MTA will boot the workers by this summer.

The MTA has a $400 million deficit and is trying to bridge the gap in their budget. They have announced the elimination of several bus lines, two train lines, and free Metrocards for students. Public hearings for the proposed cuts are set to begin on March 1.

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SI Ferry Bucks the Trend


While the rest of New York City’s transit system has seen a decline in ridership, the State Island ferry — NYC’s cheapest cruise — has seen a rise in ridership, the SI Advance reports. From the article:

The ferry has seen a 10 percent rise in riders over the past three years, as the flagging economy drove many budget-conscious commuters off increasingly expensive express buses and onto the free orange boat to Manhattan.

Of course, droves of new riders have created some drawbacks: apparently catching a power nap or purchasing a tall boy for the ride home is getting next to impossible.

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