New York: “Doomsday Budget” Plans for Cuts to Subway Service
November 19th, 2008Via: New York Daily News:
The MTA’s doomsday budget will wipe out the W line, zap the Z line and ax more than 1,500 NYC Transit jobs, the Daily News has learned.
The list of bus and subway cuts the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will unveil at its monthly board meeting Thursday is extensive and potentially bruising, sources said.
Riders can expect longer waits, more-crowded rides and having to make additional transfers to get to their destinations if the draconian moves are put into effect.
…
According to sources, the cuts include:
– Elimination of at least a handful of bus and subway routes, including the W and Z subway train lines.
– Fewer transit workers in the subways because 600 or so station agent positions will be axed and about 350 administrative posts.
– Longer gaps between scheduled trains at midday and between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m.
– Expanded subway loading guidelines to allow for more crowding of trains.
– Eliminating bus service during late nights and weekends on dozens of routes that have low ridership.
