Mechanical issues and a reported ‘smoke condition’ caused major delays on the New York City subway system on Wednesday during the morning rush hour. Andrew Siff reports.
A new report finds that transit delays have cost New York City more than 17,000 hours in lost work time this year.
The Daily News asked the city's Independent Budget Office to analyze transit's effect on city workers.
The analysis used a database that lists excused lateness due to transit delays. Should the current pace continue, the News says employees could miss nearly 26,000 hours of work for the year, compared with 19,417 hours last year.
In 2015, subway problems cost 19,142 missed hours, the paper reported, an increase of 5 percent from the year before that.
The data reflect a trend of mounting transit problems, including derailments, breakdowns and delays for the New York City metro area.
Mayor de Blasio says the lost hours are more proof that the state should back his tax plan to improve the subway system.
The MTA says the city should fund half of its subway action plan.
"Any increase in delays experienced on the subway show the critical need to support and fund the MTA's Subway Action Plan and why City Hall and Mayor de Blasio should step up and fund their half of the plan," a spokesman said.
