Sunday, June 5, 2011

Citizens Budget Commission of New York Study Analyzes the Efficiency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority

http://ec2-50-17-180-122.compute-1.amazonaws.com/sites/default/files/press_release_04062011.pdf
Finds New York’s Subways Among The Most Efficient In The Nation; Buses Operations and Commuter Railroads Are Relatively Inefficient

On April 6, 2011 The Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) of New York released a report on the efficiency of the services of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA): its subways, bus operations, and commuter railroads. The report is part of an ongoing effort by the CBC to support and encourage cost controls at the MTA. The study uses unit-cost comparisons to benchmark the efficiency of the MTA compared to other large mass transit systems in the United States.

Key findings of the report – titled “Benchmarking Efficiency for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Services” – include the following:
* New York’s subways are among the most efficient in the nation. Among the ten largest subway systems in the United States, the MTA has the lowest cost per passenger trip; it has the second-lowest cost per passenger mile (behind Atlanta) and second-lowest cost per hour of service (behind Chicago), and it is third (behind Philadelphia and Chicago) in cost per active vehicle. New York is fifth in cost per mile of service. In non-vehicle operations (stations and other facilities), the MTA scores only in the middle of the group – a notable opportunity for further improvement.
* The MTA’s bus operations are relatively inefficient. Among the ten largest urban bus systems in the nation, the New York City Transit bus operations rank last in three of five cost indicators: cost per mile of service; cost per hour of service, and cost per active vehicle. The MTA Bus Company ranks seventh or below in all five indicators; the other two being cost per passenger trip and cost per passenger mile.
* The two MTA commuter railroads, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North, also are relatively inefficient. Among the ten largest commuter railroads in the nation, the Long Island Rail Road was at or near the bottom on three of five indicators (last on cost per passenger mile; ninth on cost per active vehicle; eighth on cost per mile of service) and below the median on the other two (seventh on cost per passenger trip and sixth on cost per hour of service). Metro-North was in the bottom half of the group on all five indicators (eighth on cost per active vehicle; seventh on cost per hour of service, and sixth on the other three indicators: cost per mile of service; cost per passenger trip, and cost per passenger mile).

“This benchmarking analysis highlights both the national leadership of the MTA and specific opportunities for improvement,” said CBC President Carol Kellermann. “It’s a very valuable tool for understanding the efficiencies and inefficiencies of the system and how the taxpayers’ money can be better spent.” “This benchmarking study also provides a basis for judging the MTA’s performance going forward,” said CBC Executive Vice President and Research Director Charles Brecher. “We can now gauge improvement – or decline – against these key unit-cost comparisons.”

The table below shows that for "Heavy Rail Service" in 2009 operating expenses per mile of service in New York City were $9.40 per mile of service (ranked 2nd lowest and below the median of $10.30), $171.48 per hour of service (2nd), $1.40 per passenger trip (1st) and $0.33 per passenger mile (2nd).



For Bus Service in 2009 operating expenses per mile of service in New York City were $22.29 per mile of service (ranked 10th lowest and above the median of $12.79), $172.48 per hour of service (10th), $2.72 per passenger trip (3rd) and $1.25 per passenger mile (8th).

For Commuter Rail Service operating expenses per mile of service in New York City were $16.98 per mile of service (ranked 8th lowest and above the median of $14.34), $496.19 per hour of service (6th), $11.35 per passenger trip (7th) and $0.57 per passenger mile (10th).

The full report is available at http://ec2-50-17-180-122.compute-1.amazonaws.com/sites/default/files/report_mta_04062011.pdf

The Citizens Budget Commission of New York www.CBCNY.org founded in 1932, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic organization devoted to influencing constructive change in the finances and services of New York City and New York State governments.
2 Penn Plaza * 5th Floor * New York, NY 10121; 212-279-2605, ext. 322 212-279-2605, ext. 315
April 6, 2011

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