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Mr. Sander attempts to justify a six figure transit officer as the driver of his chey due to received death threats. Fair enough, however, if he's seriously concerned about these threats, why would he reveal to the public the trains he takes to work in the morning?
Something stinks at the MTA, and it's not just the urine stained concrete of its subway stations!

I can see why Mr Sanders was chosen to lead the MTA. He is a smooth and polished spokesman. He hasn't said much that gives me encouragement but he sure does say it well. Image is everything isn't it? But it wasn't that long ago that we heard about the cooked books and the board bulied through a fare raise. (That doesn't engender much good will.) And that was during the good times. How about really laying out the finances Ross Perot style so we can see where the money goes.

filibusterfilibusterfilibuster ......
unresponsiveness is MTA policy
filibusters are part of that policy

• TRAFFIC CHECKERS... the MTA people who sit near the front of buses counting how may people get on and off wherever the bus stops ....... what happens to all those sheets of paper that make no perceptible difference in bus service? how much do all the traffic checkers and paperwork cost? what would be lost by eliminating it?

Sander continues to prevaricate and resort to defensiveness, all the while maintaining that things are not as bad as the public insists (his typical attitude is only a half-tone from Bloomberg's characteristic scolding). The simple fact that the in-car announcements are often unintelligible (for a variety of reasons) reveals how little attention he is paying to the riders' plight. And that's the least of the problems The entire MTA senior management group should be dismissed. They are utterly unsuited to public service, Sander is fond of pointing out that he has a lot of experience in the private sector. He should return to it-- his style of ineptitude is apparently welcome there. WNYC shouldn't waste its airtime on this guy.

That said, Sander could really use a course in public speaking. Stay on message, Lee! Don't get bogged down in penny ante garbage. You have a strong case. Make it!

That is GREAT BRIAN!!. BLAME the NY Daily News for the 'perception' that the MTA is bloated, corrupt and inept!. Let's all gang up on the Daily News for being so mean..

The NYC Press SHOULD NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, hold government officials accountable or try to push for transparency. Instead, as I see in the local TV stations and on WNYC, you attack and question the motives of those who question government decisions.

why does the MTA not simply sell exorbitant amounts of advertising o cover the deficit? ads have already begun appearing on the outside of some trains, but there are many more advertising opportunities to captilize on, and if it keeps my fares down, I don't mind

You let him make his case.

While I understand the proposal to raise fares, a cut in service is unnacceptable. I find service already inadequate. The outer boroughs are already short changed. To pay more for less just makes me angry, considering I have no choice but to take the subway. I already don't take the bus because its useless. I also understand how the funding works and where it comes from.

For additional revenue streams, why isn't there a proposal to reinstate the commuter tax, that would be $750 million. Eliminating the property tax rebate (for another $600 mil) was a lost opportunity.

At first I was against bridge tolls on principal, considering such huge areas of queens and Brooklyn don't have subway service at all. But what about charging tolls at the same price as subway fares? That way, for people who can't take the subway for lack of service, they would spend the same money as if they did.

Why was there talk of extending the 7 to Javits, where nobody lives, instead of the other way into Queens to at least 100,000 people do with service (or any other line). This simply sounds stupid.

Why cut G service, where places like Bed-Stuy are completely dependent on it and already have a difficult commute.

Closing stations downtown overnight is just wrong. What if you have to go there? This, there are close stations you could take as well, is nonsense. First of all, the R goes up the west side, the 4 up the east side. How is that convienient? And at that time of night, wouldn't someone want to be as close to their destination as possible for safety?

I would like honest answers please, not political posturing.

It is hard to navigate the subway system with a stroller and a small child: schlepping the stroller, the bags, the child up and down endless sets of stairs. You do it when you have to, but when you arrive at the bottom of the stairs only to find out that the trains are not running one way or another that's infuriating. Would it be so difficult to have a sign at the TOP of the stairs? These are those little things that don't cost much that could make all the difference.

I do not understand the obsession with nickel and dime distractions like what Lee Sander or his occasional driver earn. The MTA is a chronically underfunded agency, and has been neglected by state and city politicians who control the purse strings, then have the nerve to blame agency problems on mismanagement and waste. Of course there is room for improvement, and Sander is an easy target, but the buck stops -- literally -- with the mayor's office and Albany.

Why is nobody talking about the MTA's scam, reported in the "Village Voice" some months ago, whereby it, and other Metro Tranist organisations around the country, sold cars to a bank, and then leased them back, sharing the tax loophole profits that then ensued? The bank has since gone down, and the MTA has effectively lost its "investment". This is the kind of thing which can necessitate a huge fare hike, to recoup the losses. I can't be the only person to know about this.

Boy, Mr. Sander sure did have a lot of "ums" trying to explain why his driver pulls in 6 figures. That is just insane!

The fare hike is a defacto tax on the poor.

Mr. Sanders,

You sound very frustrated and tired. Understandable considering the difficulty of your job. Unfortunately, the smugness comes off as very "let them eat cake." My mother does wake up at 4:30AM every morning to commute to her $30,000 a year job, so why can't you wake up at 4:30 AM for your $300,000 a year job?

Also, I'm sure you're a very talented businessman, but the argument that government has to compete with the private sector by providing lavish pay packages is rather moot after the failure of so many over-paid CEOs in 2008. Quantity of pay does not equate to quality of product.

HEY ELLIOT - With regards to the 'relative low' pay of the MTA compard to other mass transit systems: Simply because a job pays more doesn't mean the best people are attracted. The highest paying jobs simply go to the best connected. Look at Wall Street, if high pay atracted the best, we wouldn't be in this mess. There are LOTS of people who can do as well as you who'd be willing to work for less.

If the subways are going to be significantly cut back at night and on weekends, then there should be a posted schedule at the stations like the commuter railroads. This way a rider would know when the next trasin comes in rather than not knowing whether he just missed one and has to wait a half hour or more. Since traffic will be reduced it should be relatively easy to keep to the schedule. It's bad enough that service is cut; at least riders should be able to know when the limited service will arrive at their station.

Oops, I should note that the lack of posted service change bulletins mentioned was two weeks ago (not last week--which had the excuse of the changes being canceled).

The text of my post was from an email I sent to MTA's contact page a couple of weeks ago (haven't yet received a response).

Gee Brian you sound like he's your chum. Saying superior to 70s and 80s is no sign of good service. 70s and 80s service was so bad that a bit better is not much of an improvement.

Dear Brian,

Reminder.. YOU ARE the FOURTH (IV)(4th) POWER!! USE IT!!

My favorite is the "Wet Paint" signs that appear on the Astor Place stations every six months and the is, in fact, no wet paint, i.e., nothings been painted. I take it that money was paid out of MTA funds for work not done. Who got the dough?

Limousine is a term used to describe being taken around not necessarily a stretch-car. So his Chevy IS a limousine because he's chauffered around by someone else.

The big loans made in the past for future project should be renegotiated. The interest rate should be very very very low.

This segment is wasting all it's time talking about executive compensation and what kind of car Sanders gets around in when there are really important MTA issues. Bad job, Brian!

What was this guy doing in the "private sector"?

Was he fired from his last job?

Sander's responses are doing nothing to make me have faith in him.

Dear Mr.Sanders:

On the show you have described the MTA as 'unbelievably complex' .This kind of desription is really saying that it is out of control . A person who is supposedly in charge shouldn't be saying it s 'unbelievably complex'..he or she should be able to turn it into a logical and straigh tforward system.

David

Oh, poor Elliot Sander might have a long commute. Welcome to the experience of the average New Yorker.

I want to know what is happening with the infrastructure. Has there been fixes since the big power outage years ago? Are these projects seeing ANY progress?

What is the point in having public hearings when it seems that the decisions are already made and that you don't listen to the comments of the public anyway.

If you're having problems getting talented people at the salaries we have available, could you get public executives from Europe or Asia where the salaries are a fraction of our executive salaries?

Bobby #3 - GREAT QUESTION!!!!!!> NO ONE in Government, the MTA or the MEDIA talks about this.. BRIAN.... WIll you dare ask this question and pressure for an answer?

I can't believe I'm sticking up for the MTA here, but the guy makes 300-350K / a year, the budget gap is hundreds of millions? I think "bigger picture" is the question here.

As you all know, the weekends are a confusing time to ride the subway--many of the lines' services are changed or suspended. Because of this, riders are highly dependant on the Service Advisories to know how to get around town.

Recently, however, the web page that provides these service advisories have changed. It is now:

http://travel.mtanyct.info/newtp/serviceAdvisories/serviceadvisoryall.aspx

Previously, the Service Advisories were presented all on one page, so that riders could scan the information and try to make sense of it. Now, riders are forced to look at the lines one at a time--it is very
difficult/impossible to get a sense of what is going on system-wide.

It's fine to have added the functionality for viewing the information on a single line at a time, but it was very unnecessary (and counter-productive) to do away with the system-wide presentation.

On a related note, lately it seems that the service change information is not being as reliably posted in the stations' bulletin boards as it has in the past. This last weekend I was in several stations that did not have the information available at all. (Added to this, a station attendant's
hand-written sign not to ask her questions left riders at a total loss).

Last year I heard about the sheer number of lawyers on the MTA staff (something like 400).

Elliot Sander was hired at a rate of something like $340,000 - it sounds like he is playing loose with the truth.

Finally, these high-paid execs, whether in public or private arenas, insist that they are uniquely talented, uniquely qualified, BUT then they say that it all comes down to how much money they get. If they don't get paid more, they'll leave.

So what does that say about their "dedication" to the work they're doing?

Here's our first slice of baloney. There's more to come later.

If we had the BEST TALENT we wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place.

Brian, I will run the MTA for $1 a year and we can use Mr. Sander's salary to run the trains. Mr. Saner can return to the private sector and make all the money he thinks he deserves.

Pay more money - get less service.

I attended the first hour or so of the public trial last night and I think the middle class will lose to the Access-a-ride -- meaning, we will pay a higher fare so the disabled won't have to. I would agree to this. However, one statement by the board was stand behind us and support us so that this plan does not pass. Why can't we stand behind and support the board in a plan that is better -- that is not so draconian and unfair during these hard economic times.

On another note, a good point was made about the cleaning fees for the subway at $100 million. I would agree: start fining those who bring food and beverages on the train and make it known that garbage in the subways will increase the individual's fare.

Why is this generation today paying for all of these unneeded construction projects?

Is extending the 7 line really for New Yorkers or just to help the Javits exec's?

Who really needs a 2nd Ave line - it was stopped before because it's unnecessary and it still is (it's right next to the 4, 5, and 6)? It should have been over on East End Ave.

The MTA started all this construction cuz it had too much money. Well, now it doesn't, so why not just stop it?

Don't raise the fairs; stop all this wasteful building.

And why does the MTA need offices in the most expense place in the world? Why haven't they sold their Midtown building and gotten affordable space in Queens or Brooklyn?

Please stop all this mess!

So New York would see less money from the Federal government than any one of AIG, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, GM, etc., etc.

The entire government aid/stimulus/bailout scheme seems upside down.

They should just cancel the 2nd Avenue Subway AGAIN.

I am so sick of hearing about "fare hikes." It's crazy, I went to the unemployment office last week (recently laid-off) and there WERE NO JOBS FOR ANYONE.

Who at the very bottom suffers from this price hike and service cut? No one else other than the poor who does not have any option other than riding the subway and bus. Many from their companies had their bonus cut, raise cut and even pay cut.

So my question is why can't MTA employees across the board accept pay cut?

Mr. Sander,

The MTA is in a dire financial situation. In 2005 it agreed to sell the Vanderbilt Rail Yard to Forest City Ratner for a low ball offer of $100 million even thought the site was appraised at $214.5 million.

Ratner has not paid any of the $100 million and now news reports say that the developer is looking to not have to "pay up front" or pay in installments.

Are you concerned that the developer will never pay, and regardless, shouldn't the MTA re-open the agreement with Ratner to negotiate a market price for the yards or re-open a bidding process for the yards, where multiple developers can bid on multiple parcels and bring far MORE money to the MTA than Ratner is supposed to pay.

Please ask your guest why, when a subway train stops running and there are no alternatives, it is impossible to get a refund or a ticket from the station agent.

It happened twice last year. Once when there were 5 of us, returning from a day at the MOMA, at the 5th ave and 53rd st. Station. We were waiting for the downtown V train for ten minutes when an announcement came on the PA system. "5 more minutes", "5 more minutes".... for a half hour until the announcement that the trains were not running. The ticket booth attendant would not refund out cards or provide us with transfers to use at another station...

WTF!

Do we get to see both wets of books this time?

Brian, please tell Lee that we bus operators ARE moving people as best as we can thru this inclement weather. I was cursed out by a customer this morning because I was 1/2 hour late. Granted I apologized for the delay. Please tell the riding public that I can only stop at red and go at green. I do not control traffic or the weather.

Why not extend Metro-North to Albany? Put in a bullet-type train! Improve and expand parking at all of the stations from Poughkeepsie and above. Many of us travel to and from New York City on a regular basis, but by car.

BRIAN: Can you PLEASE ask at LEAST ONE (1) Question regarding Accountability and Transparency. The discussion last week concentrated on specific bus/train lines and other specifics of NYC transit which are fascinating to me. But based on the non-answers from Mr. Sanders it seems that he is not really very familiar with the specifics of NYC transit. He is 'BIG PICTURE'. Therefore, I believe you should be asking questions related to Governance, transparency and Accountability - I.e., Will money from existing source of funding be diverted to other things once the new source of fundings are approved? What happened with the $500M surplus for December 2005? How are projects prioritized? How will debt be reduced? These are the things Mr. Sanders is responsible for and I HOPE, knows more about

Any thought to add more commuter trains and some new stations within the city limits? Example build stations on the far west side to utilize the amtrak/metro north tracks that are there right now!

Other cities that have mass transit like DC ,Boston, London and Paris have clean platforms and waiting areas but NYers have to live with ugly gum blotches that detract from the station upgrades. The stains are unsightly and depressing. It doesnt take much detective work to see that the gum problems starts with the candy vendors who sell gum in the stations and at bus stops. Should n't these vendors have a responsibiltiy to clean up the problem they foster..What do you think?

Is the MTA considering peak/off-peak pricing for its Bridges & Tunnels? How about some form of peak/off-peak pricing for subways and buses?

And how about distance pricing? Express buses cost more, can't longer subway rides cost a little more, too? Since most subway riders take round trips, distance pricing can probably be accomplished with the Metrocard system -- by pricing the front end higher and the back end lower based on the latter's proximity to the former's entry point.

MetroNorth runs diesel trains through Harlem, South Bronx and other urban areas. The South Bronx has a severe asthma problem and diesel pollution has been identified at a contributing cause. Since the diesel locomotives can also run from the third rail, this could be an MTA "green" objective.

Mr. Sanders,

Are payments on interest and principle of MTA borrowing part of the Operating Budget? If yes, what percentage of the budget are these payments?

How many Capital Projects does the MTA currently have underway? Wouldn't it be wise, in these tough economic times, to prioritize capital expenditures?

If we postponed the East Side Access Capital Project and took the S Train, the money saved could be used to make payments on the excessive borrowing of the past and help balance the Operating Budget without drastic fare hikes and service cuts.

Regarding police presence at subway stops:

They're supposedly there to inspect bags that might be security risks. But I never see police on subway platforms or riding the subways. My local stop (Broadway and 72nd) has become a student hang-out - there's high school age kids on the downtown platform after 9am. Train after train arrives and departs, but the kids are still there - harrassing students and non-students. The MTA is looking for state aid, but the Board of Education is losing state aid for every student who is marked absent. Does the MTA have its own police force, or are there NYC cops who are assigned to the subways? Either way, where are they where they're needed?

Mr. Sanders,

Why is it we have no affordable train from NYC to our State Capital. The only option is Amtrak which is unaffordable for at least 80% of the population. Albany and New York City, offer greater employment opportunities to State residents especially those that live along the Poughkeepsie line. However, for those that reside between Poughkeepsie and Albany the only alternative is driving, which is not achievable by everyone, contributes to green house gases and leaves many able-minded and bodied folks with very few alternatives. Amtrak is elitist, excludes the majority of the population and is not always reliable. We need real public train transportation between Poughkeepsie and Albany.

Please help!