The city’s largest transit union is suing the MTA, alleging the agency is scaling back bus service to cut costs in the wake of Gov. Hochul’s pause on the implementation of congestion pricing.
The case, brought in Manhattan Supreme Court by Transport Workers Union Local 100 head Richie Davis; Davis’ mother, Roopdai Julie Davis, “as a bus rider;” and Public Advocate Jumanne Williams — as well as other union leaders — argues the MTA started cutting bus service last week in an effort to reduce overtime pay to drivers.
The suit, first reported by news outlet The City, incorrectly states the MTA had been expecting $16.5 billion from the congestion pricing plan that was put on indefinite pause by Gov. Hochul last month. In fact, the transit agency had been expecting to raise $15 billion in bonds off an expected $1 billion in annual toll revenue from the plan, money that was required by law to fund the MTA’s capital budget.
As previously reported by The News, MTA bigs have since expressed fear that any alternative source of capital funding will also impact the agency’s day-to-day operating budget, both in terms of debt service for additional borrowing — and to cover expected upticks in overtime pay for maintenance on equipment the MTA can no longer afford to replace.
According to the TWU suit, the MTA started throttling back on bus runs this month, cutting service by 5% to 10% from at least five depots.
There are not enough bus operators to staff all the scheduled runs, the union officials said — meaning any reduction in service is overtime the agency doesn’t have to pay.
“These are significant reductions during the course of the day, which have led to, and which will continue to cause greater passenger waiting time, and more crowded buses,” the union argued.
Davis and his co-plantiffs said the reduction in service runs afoul of the state’s public authorities law, which requires a 30-day heads up to the mayor and the Board of Estimate.
MTA officials, however, say no such reduction in service is occurring.
New York City Transit, the MTA division that oversees bus and subway operations, has had a moratorium on unscheduled overtime since April. MTA officials said no changes had been made in that policy or its enforcement in recent weeks.
“Apparently now it’s silly season and some union leaders need that explained in court,” MTA spokesman Tim Minton said in a statement.
Judge Arthur Engoron ordered MTA leadership on Thursday to maintain bus service at the levels it had been running before last week, pending a hearing on the matter.
“We will continue to deliver a high level of service—still with no changes to routes or schedules—as we look forward to getting to the merits of this case in court as soon as possible,” Minton said in a statement.
A hearing is expected in September.
