Subway Mess Has Cost City $550K As Workers' Tardiness Spikes, Report Says

NEW YORK CITY, NY — The messed up subway system has cost New York City public workers 17,143 in lost hours this year, according to the New York Daily News.

The newspaper asked the city's Independent Budget Office to look into the effect that delays, derailments and other problems in the transit system have had on the city's employees.

The analysis looked at how many city workers blamed their lateness on the MTA's woes and submitted proof. The MTA issues verification letters on request when service is disrupted.

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The Daily News estimated that the average city worker is paid about $32.40-an-hour – meaning the lateness has cost about $555,000 so far this year.

The report elicited the usual blame game for city and MTA officials.

"Riders' cries might be out of Albany's earshot, but they're mad as hell and they won't stand for it anymore – including our city employees," a spokesman for the mayor told the Daily News.

The MTA responded that the city should fund half of its subway action plan.

Photos courtesy of Patrick Corbett, Chelsea Lawrence, @nrik_nyc/Twitter