Groups Repeat Call for MTA Reorganization Plan to be Publicly Released

In light of reporting that the AlixPartners MTA plan recommends significant restructuring of capital construction and may split NYC Transit’s subway and bus divisions, transit advocates and government watchdogs again call on MTA Chair Pat Foye, the governor, and state legislature to make the MTA reorganization process transparent, with ample opportunity for public review and comment.

Yesterday, June 30, was the deadline mandated in Governor Cuomo’s budget for AlixPartners to deliver its MTA reorganization plan to the MTA Board. But there is still no timetable to post the plan online or hold any public hearings before the report’s recommendations are approved. The reorganization plan is supposedly in the MTA’s possession, but transit riders have no way to tell what’s in it.

Transit riders deserve better than a rush job conducted behind closed doors. They will have no confidence in a plan they cannot see, and which has not been vetted publicly prior to adoption.

Our organizations are waiting for Governor Cuomo and MTA Chair Pat Foye to respond to letters we sent last month calling for an open, consultative reorganization process. In the interests of transit riders and the ultimate success of the reorganization effort, the report should be posted publicly today, and a subsequent AlixPartners review of “waste, fraud, and abuse” should also be posted as soon as it’s delivered to the MTA. The MTA Board should hold public hearings in a format similar to its fare hike hearings, providing opportunity for experts in transit and organizational management to assess the plan, and allowing ample time for flaws to be addressed before recommendations are officially adopted by the Board.

By conducting business in the open, Governor Cuomo and Chairman Foye will gain credibility in the eyes of riders and better position the MTA to deliver high-quality transit service to millions of riders every day.