Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by andreasklinger 3100 days ago
Non-NYC-er here:

> The core problem with the NYC subway system is a management culture that does not value long term problem solving, instead preferring quick fixes and short term band aids

Do they have the time and budget horizon to do long-term planning ?

To me it seems like SF and NY subways are underfunded
2 comments
rayiner 3100 days ago
http://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-mayors-budget-2017-18.pdf

Transport for London budgeted 2.26 billion pounds for the London Underground in 2016. Even at peak exchange rates from 2014, that's $3.8 billion. The MTA spent $8.18 billion on the subway in 2017. The London Underground handles about 5 million rides per day, versus a bit under 6 million per day for the NYC subway. So the NYC MTA spends 120% more to serve about 20% more subway riders.

link
chimeracoder 3100 days ago
> > The core problem with the NYC subway system is a management culture that does not value long term problem solving, instead preferring quick fixes and short term band aids

The management culture you're referring to stems from the TWU, which actively fights efforts to impose long-term planning and solutions, in favor of quick, short-term responses that pad their bills.

The government doesn't push back against these, because (for a variety of reasons that are beyond the scope of this article), New York city and state government are not really accountable to their own constituents. To give you an idea of how bad it is, the mayor of New York hasn't ridden public transit regularly in decades and doesn't even know basic transit ridership facts[0].

The former Speaker of the NYS Assembly (who was convicted for corruption a few years ago) was one of the strongest advocates for cutting the bus service that his own district was entirely dependent on[1]. Because of said corruption, he was essentially untouchable, so there was no democratic avenue for holding him accountable.

Corruption in NYS is widespread; it's the most corrupt state in the country[2], and it's no surprise that this corruption impacts the public transit infrastructure.

[0] https://twitter.com/2AvSagas/status/943158489064624128

[1] His district has essentially no subway coverage

[2] http://www.politifact.com/new-york/statements/2016/sep/19/el...

link