Stringer: MTA ignored ‘lemon’ subway trains
BY VINCENT BARONE
The MTA overlooked warning signs and failed to
hold the contractor accountable for delivering
now long-delayed new subway cars, according
to an audit from City Comptroller Scott Stringer.
The transit authority is still waiting on a handful of
new cars in a 300-train order it took out with manufacturer
Bombardier back in 2012 — cars the MTA
expected to have received nearly three years ago. The
exorbitant delays have cost the MTA millions in increased
maintenance fees for the ancient fl eet the new
trains were meant to replace.
The audit, which Stringer’s offi ce published Monday,
was damning for both the MTA and Bombardier.
The Canadian manufacturer missed major milestone
after major milestone in the $600-million contract,
suffering issues with its train car welds, castings and
a host of other components; but the MTA didn’t properly
oversee Bombardier’s work or penalize them for
its blown deadlines, Stringer argued.
“The MTA repeatedly looked the other way. They
ignored clear warning signs; they failed to enforce
deadlines; they delayed in enacting penalties,” Stringer
said during a Monday news conference in Manhattan.
“In other words, the MTA gave Bombardier a
pass. And what does it mean for straphangers? More
delays, more breakdowns of outdated cars.”
Stringer said the mess of a contract was indicative
of the need for a major overhaul at the MTA as it sets
to embark on its next fi ve-year, $51.5 billion spending
plan for major projects.
To start, it was not clear to auditors if Bombardier
understood contract terms.
Even though the MTA required Bombardier to
submit its welding procedures for the trains, the
company immediately refused to do so, arguing such
procedures were proprietary. That resulted in a 21-
PHOTO BY VINCENT BARONE
City Comptroller Scott Stringer on Monday released
a new audit outlining a host of issues
between the MTA and contractor Bombardier
regarding a long-delayed, $600 million project
for new train cars.
month back-and-forth between the two parties, during
which Bombardier discovered a signifi cant welding
issue known as “hot cracking.”
Welding problems halted production twice during
what was an 18-month delay, according to the audit.
The new cars (R179s) have been slated to run on
the A, C, J and Z lines. But even after the MTA received
the fi rst set — 22 months behind schedule —
the cars were riddled with problems.
Cars had to be removed from service at least three
times since 2018 due to issues with door controls, the
conductor’s valve and other technical problems, auditors
found.
So far Bombardier has delivered 298 of its 318 new
train cars, with most in service. During the delays,
the MTA has spent an additional $35 million on upkeep
for the oldest cars in its fl eet — the 55-year-old
R32s — which the new trains were expected to replace
by the end of 2017.
The MTA has assessed $36 million in liquidated
damages and negotiated with Bombardier to deliver
18 additional cars, auditors reported.
Stringer’s offi ce issued a host of recommendations,
including for the MTA actually lean on enforcement
measures when contractors miss milestones and for
Bombardier to more promptly relay information to
the authority.
MTA Transit President Andy Byford said during
a conference call with reporters that the MTA “held
Bombardier’s feet to the fi re throughout this contract.”
“Let’s be crystal clear. The villain of the piece here
is not the MTA. The villain of the piece is Bombardier,
and that comes across not only in the comptroller’s
report but also in our response,” Byford said.
“Bombardier let the MTA down, Bombardier let New
Yorkers down…”
Bombardier did not immediately respond to a request
for comment. In its written audit response, Marie
Claude Galarneau, Bombardier Transportation’s
regional head of commercial management, said the
manufacturer suffered unforeseeable setbacks.
“Bombardier strongly believes that it is not the sole
party responsible for the delays in delivering the R179
subway cars,” she said.
Local workers urge guv to sign e-bike legalization
BY VINCENT BARONE
Delivery workers and advocates
are urging Gov. Andrew Cuomo
to fi nally sign a bill legalizing
e-bikes and e-scooters before its
too late.
The bill would in part create a legal
three-class system for e-bikes operated
with throttle controls—bikes already
popular among low-income, immigrant
delivery workers in the city who
have faced targeted police crackdowns.
There was strong support for the legislation
when it passed six months ago,
but it has since languished.
If Cuomo fails to sign the bill by Dec.
31, it would have to be re-passed next
legislative session.
“Even now after the bill was passed
delivery workers still receive a lot of
tickets,” said De Quan Lu, president
of the Chinese Mutual Support Labor
Union, through a translator at a rally in
Downtown Brooklyn Friday. “They’re
still concerned,—they worry a lot on
their daily job. In the morning when
the start their work they worry about
tickets.”
Workers said the bikes have helped
De Quan Lu, president of the Chinese Mutual Support Labor Union,
speaks at a rally on Friday with Delivery workers and advocates to
urge Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign a bill legalizing e-bikes and e-scooters
on Friday, Dec. 6, 2019.
ease what is a grueling job that sends
them biking tens of miles each day.
Advocates support the bikes as a safer
and more energy-effi cient alternative to
cars as well as an option to make cycling
more accessible to a wider population
of New Yorkers.
“E-bikes make it a lot…easier for a
lot more people to be able to make that
PHOTO BY VINCENT BARONE
choice to commute by bike, to do their
everyday errands by bike,” said Patrick
McClellan, state policy director at the
New York League of Conservation Voters.
“So this is a very important justice
issue for delivery workers but it’s also a
very serious environmental issue.”
The governor in June mentioned
vague hangups involving safety regulation
and helmet use around the bicycles
and scooters. His offi ce Friday only said
that it is still wading through hundreds
of bills that were passed last session.
“There were more than 900 bills
that passed both houses at the end of
session and over 200 bills remain under
review by Counsel’s Offi ce and
the Division of the Budget,” said Jason
Conwall, spokesman for the governor.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that
the bills, as written, are responsible,
enforceable and accomplish their intended
purpose.”
Marco Conner, deputy director at
Transportation Alternatives, said a helmet
requirement would be “well-intentioned,
but misguided” in that it could
deter cycling and cripple Citi Bike’s
own pedal-assist e-bike fl eet.
“The current enforcement against
delivery workers causes hardship.
Their e-bikes are confi scated and they
are fi ned up to $1,000 per incident;
this is devastating and far out of proportion
for the alleged harm and risk
they cause.”
Last year, e-bikes caused .05% of all
reported traffi c injuries in the city, according
to an analysis from advocates.
4 December 12, 2019 Schneps Media