Comptroller: MTA Received Only 18 Of 300 New Subway Cars By Deadline
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A new audit by city Comptroller Scott Stringer reveals some alarming facts about subway cars the MTA purchased from the Bombardier transit corporation.
WEB EXTRA: Read the audit (.pdf)
The agency signed a $600 million contract with Bombardier to build 300 new subway cars.
Monday, Stringer's investigation revealed the MTA only received 18 of those cars by the 2017 deadline, some of which have dangerous defects.
"New Yorkers have lived and commuted for three extra years with delays and breakdowns," Stringer said. "We found that the MTA repeatedly looked the other way. They ignored clear warning signs. They failed to enforce deadlines. They delayed in enacting penalties."
"We need Bombardier and the MTA to clean up its act and step up," Stringer added. "The MTA gave Bombardier a pass. And what does it mean for straphangers? More delays. More breakdowns of outdated cars."
"We have held Bombardier's feet to fire throughout this project. We have embedded resources to make sure the trains are being built properly. And critically, we leveraged the liquidated damages... to get us new trains, additional new trains that will benefit New Yorkers," said New York City Transit Authority CEO Andy Byford.
Stringer said the contract is 35 months behind schedule, and the MTA still hasn't received the full amount of cars.
