Citizens Budget Commission urges MTA to cut 1,000 jobs to save $2.5 billion

The Citizens Budget Commission has proposed cutting more than 1,000 positions at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to generate $2.5 billion in annual savings. The watchdog group argues that these cuts are essential to close a funding shortfall that it projects will reach nearly $900 million by 2030.

The report focuses heavily on subway operations, recommending that the MTA allow trains to run with a single worker instead of the current two. The commission cites the limited duties of the train operator as justification for the change. On lines with new computer-based signals, such as the L and 7, the system is already fully automated. The operator’s primary task is hitting a button every 20 seconds to signal alertness, while the conductor manages the doors.

According to the analysis, eliminating operator jobs on just the L and 7 lines would save $36.5 million annually. If the agency expanded this model to the entire system, it could save $500 million a year. The MTA is currently installing new signals on the A, C, E, F, G, M, and R lines, though those routes still require two workers at present.

The recommendation arrives during contract negotiations between the MTA and Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents 40,000 subway and bus workers. The MTA plans to release its financial strategy in the coming weeks, which includes a 4% increase in fares and tolls. The board is scheduled to vote on that plan in December.

John Samuelsen, president of the Transport Workers Union of America, dismissed the proposal as a recurring strategy. "The same recommendations have been coming down for dozens of years, so there's nothing new about it," he said. "It's essentially a recommendation to balance alleged deficits that the MTA has off the backs of working people."

The commission also suggested streamlining fare collection on Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road by checking tickets before boarding. This change would reduce the need for staff to walk through trains and could save $380 million annually. The report also argued that MTA retirees should pay higher healthcare premiums, a move that would generate an additional $315 million per year.

While the MTA saved $576 million this year through operating efficiencies, the budget commission warns that labor and healthcare costs will drive a $300 million gap next year. Samuelsen countered that many MTA laborers, ironworkers, and crane operators accept lower wages than their private sector peers in exchange for generous retirement benefits.