Statement by Lisa Daglian, PCAC Executive Director,
Regarding the Proposed Budget at the
MTA-MNR/LIRR Joint Committee Meeting
December 10, 2018
Good morning, my name is Lisa Daglian, and I am the Executive Director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA.
Tough fiscal times call for tough fiscal measures. However, the proposed budget reductions are tantamount to service cuts – even if the intention is to slow progress, rather than cut existing services. Service cuts would bring us back to the bad old days, and we just can’t take that risk.
In order for riders to be able to understand the effects of whatever cuts may be imposed as a result of this budget, we urge you to create a rider dashboard, similar to that created by NYCT and Access-A-Ride, using metrics for on-time performance; mean distance between failures; functioning communication devices; on board cleanliness; cancelled trains; trains that are short; number of standees; and major delay, with causes and by branch.
Riders want to be able to support calls for increased funding from Albany, City Hall, Washington – whatever it takes – and this information would be very helpful to showing riders and funders the effects of the cuts. Thank you.
Download here: 121018 MNRLIRR Budget Support