Monday, June 22, 2009

MTA is $6.6M under budget this year


From the NY Post:

The sour economy has pushed straphanger commutes off the rails and onto the couch.

Subway ridership has been down every month of 2009 when compared to the same periods in 2008, according to new MTA numbers.

The stats for April show an average 3.6 percent decrease in the number of rides taken on weekdays, a drop of about 189,000 trips from April 2008.

There was also an average 90,000-ride dropoff this April from the previous month, March.

As a result, the MTA took in $7.4 million less than expected in April. Total intake, including bus fares and tolls, is under budget by $6.6 million this year.

The declining figures are "primarily caused by low ridership from a declining city economy," the report says.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Keep on raising those fares and the riders will be forced to cut back right

Nobody's going to win here with this shortsighted policy!

It's like the Sheriff of Nottingham is running the system..."More revenues are needed ...squeeze 'em"!

Now go and raise the fares again and see what you get!

Raising the NYC sales tax didn't help either. I go to New Jersey now and buy in bulk!

Bloomberg is doing a "wonderful" job overseeing NYC...isn't he? !!!

neversleep said...

Huh? Anybody else think that maybe, just maybe, the decrease in weekday ridership might have something to do with layoffs, rather than a fare increase that hadn't happened yet?

Anonymous said...

Hey neversleep...This is how the posting begins:
"The sour economy has pushed straphanger commutes off the rails and onto the couch."

I guess reading comprehension is not your strong suit. What's your point?

Anonymous said...

Economic activity is unsustainable at present price levels. If wages plummet, so should prices. Otherwise goods and services pile up unused. Classic supply and demand.

Anonymous said...

maybe with all the cuts and lay offs there are less workers that have to ride the train?

Anonymous said...

maybe with all the cuts and lay offs there are less workers that have to ride the train?

DUH!!?!??!!?!