MTA, LIRR create 'loco' motion

While commuters are faced with ever-increasing transit fares and drivers are confronted with congestion pricing, ostensibly to pay for mass transit improvements, the Long Island Rail Road is out of control [“MTA overtime is off the rails,” Editorial, May 14]. Not long ago, we learned that the LIRR was rife with bogus disability fraud claims costing millions of commuter and tax dollars.

Now, overtime is again draining money on the train to oblivion. Where is management — blame starts at the apex. For years, practically every quasi-public agency board, be it a utility, transportation, medical center, authority or commission, has been a traditional landing ground for political hacks, donors or defeated politicians rewarded for failed election efforts.

What is the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board doing while workers collect salaries, benefits and pensions? What are their qualifications and what exactly do they do? We voters helped allow this boondoggle.

— Michael J. Vicchiarelli, Eastport

I am disappointed by the exclusion of Nassau County residents from the MTA board’s April 30 enactment of a 10% discount for monthly commuter rail tickets within New York City, especially amid the advent of congestion pricing and its impact on Nassau County households [“Monthly LIRR discount for NYC OKd, but it excludes LI,” News, May 1].

As a lifelong resident of Plainview and a Nassau legislator for the past eight years, I am keenly aware of the extent to which my constituents rely on LIRR train service to commute to and from work in the city.

Moreover, as a policymaker, I am cognizant of the environmental benefits associated with increased mass transit use and the positive fiscal impact of greater ridership for the MTA and our county.

Considering those clear benefits, Nassau and Suffolk counties’ exclusion from this incentive program makes little sense, and it strikes me as a missed opportunity to regain goodwill with Long Islanders amid the current frustration over congestion pricing.

To ameliorate this glaring inequity, the MTA and the state should immediately identify resources for creating a fund to support a comparable discount initiative for Nassau and Suffolk commuters.

— Arnold W. Drucker, Plainview

The writer is the Nassau County Legislature’s deputy minority leader.

I guess a monthly round-trip ticket from Ronkonkoma to Penn wouldn’t cost about 400 bucks if the MTA could get its act together.

It’s a disgrace that someone could make more than three times their salary in overtime. Greed and poor management equals overpriced product.

— Ray Seeback, Ronkonkoma

Why all this MTA overtime? The simple solution to persistent overtime is to hire more people. We must assume that overtime is management’s less costly option. Overtime would not exist were there not work needing to be done. Why use the pejorative “racking up” when the top 23 recipients are not lauded as exemplars of their work ethic, as diligent employees striving nobly to keep the trains running. Instead of implied blame for boosting payroll costs, perhaps give an award for service “above and beyond”?

— Brian Kelly, Rockville Centre

A reader wrote of LIRR fare dodgers, “I’m pretty sure if the scofflaws were called out in public, it would significantly reduce the outstanding balance” [“Remove LIRR riders who ‘can’t afford it,’ ” Letters, May 3].

As a schoolteacher, I once had a group that handed in sloppy, illegible written work and failed tests. I knew they were being lazy and capable of much more. I told them I would no longer hang up exemplary work. “I will now hang up, for all to see, the sloppy, illegible work and all failing tests.” No one handed in sloppy work anymore, and no one failed any tests.

— Carol Ludwig, Wantagh

Now the truth comes out about congestion pricing [“MTA could face $25B deficit,” News, May 10]. The MTA needs the money to survive. Fine, then do this logically. Install E-ZPass readers on every crossing in or out of Manhattan. No one argues with paying for bridges and tunnels to be safe and to “reduce congestion.” This would greatly encourage mass transit, which is exempt from this surcharge. This would also replace congestion pricing and perhaps generate a larger profit.

The only exceptions to these charges would be buses, city, state and federal vehicles and maybe taxis. Pricing for trucks should be fair with a yearly discounted flat rate. Remember, if we encourage fairness and commerce, we increase revenue and people’s satisfaction.

More revenue means more police and better social programs and a better MTA. We must view the problem and find an elegant, fair solution to benefit most or all of our people.

— Alan H. Cohn, Nesconset