The Metropolitan Transportation Authority spent nearly $1.3 billion on overtime payments last year. That’s after officials sought to reduce overtime costs with timekeeping upgrades.
The MTA curbed overtime costs in 2019, but was still 26% over budget.
Overtime at Metro-North was 4.2% over budget. The LIRR was over by 6.8%.
An MTA Finance Committee report found the biggest overall cause for overtime was routine maintenance.
The Empire Center for Public Policy issued a report last year that turned a spotlight on large overtime payments. The MTA then hired a consultant to make recommendations.
The agency now has plans to lower overtime costs in 2020, with more realistic estimates on projects and more detailed monthly overtime reports.
