There is more to “Cuomo declares state of emergency for MTA” (Janelle Clausen — July 7).
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is mistaken in his belief that he can have the Metropolitan Transportation Authority dispense with normal procedures for ordering new subway cars, replace broken signals, installing new tracks and the like.
A significant percentage of New York City Transit subway car procurements along with many other capital projects and programs, are funded for the most part by U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration grants.
These federal funds going to NYC Transit, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North Rail Road and MTA Bus.
They will total almost $7 billion between now and when the $32 billion 2015-2019 MTA Capital Program Plan is completed.
These are subject to U.S. DOT FTA federal procurement rules and regulations including Buy America requirements.
Contrary to Cuomo’s perceptions, there are very few rail car manufacturers in the United States to supply transit agencies around the nation.
As a result, there is limited competition between a handful of potential suppliers.
The MTA, NYCT, LIRR and Metro North are competing against other transit agencies, who operate subway and or heavy commuter rail around the nation for time and space on the handful of manufacturer’s production line.
As a result, over past MTA Five Year Capital Programs, NYCT has averaged five years.
This process begins from the development of bid specifications, advertising and award.
This is followed by vendor mobilization, pre-production, assembly, testing, delivery and acceptance from the first to the last subway or commuter rail car.
Purchasing several hundred or more subway cars is not like us going to a local car dealer.
Automobile manufacturers have a series of basic models with a variety of optional add-ons produced each year in the hundreds of thousands.
Subway and commuter car manufactures do not have a ready supply of off the shelf stock on hand, ready to drive off the lot.
Each transit agency has different bid specifications to meet their respective physical systems, maintenance and operational needs.
The winning bidder needs time to develop a prototype car followed by delivery of one ten car train set.
The NYCT needs time to run these vehicles in revenue service for thirty or more days.
This is to insure they can survive the challenges of operating in the nations largest subway system.
They have met bid specifications. NYCT operations and maintenance groups need time to make sure they have the resources to manage both this new and existing fleet.
Only then, after completion of NYCT internal review and sign off by various departments can the manufacturer begin full production.
If you are lucky and there are no hiccups during production, this might average ten cars or one train set per week.
Each car has to be inspected and accepted at the point of production and again after delivery which takes time.
Cuomo should visit any subway car plant and see for himself before complaining.
He should also meet with the handful of hard working MTA HQ and NYTC procurement, operational and maintenance staff assigned to manage subway car procurements.
This would help him develop a better understanding of the process from start to finish.
It could result in having Cuomo avoid making inaccurate statements of why new subway cars can’t be purchased, built and delivered in months rather than several years.
Larry Penner
(Larry Penner is a transportation historian and advocate who previously worked 31 years for the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office.)
