NY1
MTA Board Votes To Pull E-ZPass Perks
The full Metropolitan Transportation Authority board voted today to revoke free E-ZPass tags for city employees – a perk which has been offered for decades.
The board barely passed the measure, 7-6.
The MTA's finance committee narrowly approved a plan earlier this week, which requires police, fire, and other agencies to get their own pre-paid E-ZPass accounts, just like other drivers.
The committee voted 3-2 in favor of the plan, with Mayor Michael Bloomberg's appointees both voting against it.
The vote comes as transit officials are planning for the worst, as they deal with a nearly $900 million deficit. And that could lead to cuts in subway, bus, and commuter rail service.
Agency heads are being told to target management-level expenses, but MTA officials acknowledge it would be tough to cut the budget any further without cutting service.
The MTA has already proposed fare and toll increases that would go into effect in July.
Meanwhile, the MTA inspector general is investigating the bid process that lead to the agency being charged more than three times what it paid last year for fuel for city buses.
It negotiated a one-year contract extension in August with Sprague Energy, after it did not receive any other bids on a contract to deliver the custom-made diesel fuel, designed to minimize pollution from buses.
Officials say they agreed to pay $200 million for the contract because officials worried the system would run out otherwise.