MTA Short Over 400 Maintenance Workers: Report

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NEW YORK CITY, NY – The head of the state Assembly committee overseeing the MTA wants to know why there’s a reported staffing shortage of 403 maintenance workers at the authority.

MTA data released in July showed hundreds of fewer staffers than allotted for in its budget, the Wall Street Journal reported.

“The maintenance jobs are crucial to improving subway service, and require specialized training,” the Journal noted.

MTA Chairman Joe Lhota attributed the staffing shortage to typical turnover, telling the newspaper he’s confident the MTA will find the necessary workers. He recently announced an "action plan" for the troubled subways calling for 2,700 extra staffers - on top of the shortage of 403 workers.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx) wants more answers.

“I find it hard to believe that there is a lack of qualified candidates,” he said in a statement.

“The executive budget contained a $65 million cut to MTA operational funding, which the Democratic Assembly Majority fought against but was only able to restore the money as capital funding,” Dinowitz continued. “This money could have been used to pay competitive salaries for needed workers.

“I would like to hear Chairman Lhota’s perspective on why hiring needs are not being met, and what he thinks the MTA needs to do in order to address this problem.”

Dinowitz noted that the union of subway and bus workers recently complained that the MTA pays far less than transportation companies in the private sector.

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Lead image by Shant Shahrigian/Patch.