Quote:
Originally Posted by wrx_snobordr
Don't come on here asking for assistance then blast people who have a different opinion than you. I noticed you ignored the option of privatizing routes or eliminating pensions. Don't cherry pick issues, but since you did here is my rebuttal.
Those late runner buses DO NOT need to be that large. I can guarantee you the majority of them that run outside of the city limits rarely fill up, so a 3mpg bus is overkill. So spending an extra 200k on a bus, that is not pulling its weight to begin with, IS wasteful spending. You don't fly a 747 from here to Boston do you? No, you fly a few more flights with smaller aircraft. Same with buses. Smaller = cheaper to operate and maintain.
Also, employees pay 1%, ONE PERCENT, of their wages towards health care, capped at 40 hours. They DO NOT pay for the entire plan as most other workers in the private sector do. Also, as part of the deal to end the strike pensions were increased. Again, a pension is not like a 401K where the workers put a majority of the money in and the company may match a certain percent. A pension the employer is supposed to put away a certain dollar amount every month the employee is there that will then be used to pay for the employee in retirement. Typically they employer pays much more, in some cases all, of the pension compared to a 401k which they generally will match up to 4-6% of gross salary, only if you are making contributions. Since SEPTA is a public company, this comes out of all of our pockets, even though I don't use the service.
Since SEPTA is a public company this is all public knowledge. I found one article stating the Authority, back in the 98 strike, wanted the ability to move workers from one area to another if work load increased or decreased. Apparently that move was struck down by the union. I wonder why, would it be because they would rather have all positions staffed full time to have more employees hence more power? I believe I mentioned something about Law of Diminishing Returns, weird, this is a classic example in action.
So I say again, SEPTA is lying in the bed they made. I don't ride it, so frankly I don't give a damn if it goes belly up. Every time SEPTA strikes I see it as all of those people saying to me "I am better than you and feel I should have my health care and pension subsidized by your tax money while you work and pay for your own health care and own retirement fund". I have no pity for the state SEPTA is in currently. I do not feel compelled to bail them out. They are not suffering because a few greedy CEO's pissed away their earning. They are suffering because the rank and file follow a few union leaders who claim to be fighting for their rights but in reality are working to ensure their future relevance.
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Again, we have no buses smaller than 30'. The late runner suburbs are all Eldo's...which are the 30's. And yes, I agree about the suburb routes. They never fill up and could easily run a Champ down this way (F450 with a bus back) but they're all in Germantown.
Also, the Hybrids are not run out here, because of the low pop routes. They're run currently in high pop (Southern), and are being looked at for Midvale and Gheny.
1% is ONLY the mechanics. Everyone else pays different amounts.
Also, there's nore than 1 union in SEPTA.
Also, these aren't my opinions, what I state are facts. I did not come here asking for assistance because this doesn't effect me in the least. I felt that maybe SOME people on this board use mass transit to move around the city without wasting gas.
Again, you're only stating partial information. Gather it all and then come up with a fight.
And yes, I ignored the leasing option, because that would make sense and we know that would work. That's why SEPTA doesn't do it. I also agree that an audit should be done to figure out where the hell it's all going, because I've seen what the CEO's drive, and it sure as hell aint luxury. The drivers make the cash. They're the ones with Lexus' and all.
If the company had the ability to move people from one location to another depending on workload, they would have to provide the ability for their tools to be transported. This also brings up the issue that people really don't want to see a SEPTA tow truck with workers boxes on the back. Because that's a good use of money. It would also slow down a LOT of progress on buses. The work flow changes daily, not weekly.
I'm attacking what I see as an opinion formed without full facts. If you're going to strike, do more research first. That's what I've been saying.