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New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today presented testimony before the New York City Transit Committee of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), urging that the MTA maintain station agents in the City’s subways.

“Earlier this month, Albany lawmakers passed a $1.8 billion funding package intended to prevent service cuts and layoffs,” Thompson said. “Riders will pay a half-billion dollars more in higher fares. But here we are, facing a service cut anyway. Forty-one station booths, another 158 station agents gone, through attrition. We’ll be paying more for less.”   

He continued: “This agency has been criticized that it is not upfront with the public. But the MTA loses credibility when it claims that this is not a service cut. And by claiming that every station will still have 24-hour coverage, even though passengers won’t be able to reach many of the remaining open booths without leaving the station altogether, you lose credibility as well.”

On Monday, Thompson was joined at the 77th Street station on the 6 line by the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign, Transport Workers Union Local 100, the New York City Transit Riders Council, Transportation Alternatives and Council members Miguel Martinez and Bill de Blasio to urge the MTA to keep its promise to keep all service in place if funding came through. The 24-hour uptown booth is among those targeted to be closed.

Thompson also has unveiled a new feature on his website, www.comptroller.nyc.gov, which allows transit riders to search which subway stations would be affected if the MTA moves forward with the cuts. Altogether, the MTA would eventually close 41 station booths and eliminate or reduce station agent coverage at 158 additional locations – a total of 199 cuts. The information is based on information the MTA released in December 2008.
           

  
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