New Yorkers Say the MTA Is Bleeding Them Dry

Having to wait longer and pay more to commute to work, that is.

Unfortunately, it looks like that's exactly what's happening in New York.

Check it out: Transportation Alternatives, a commuter-advocacy group, surveyed a bunch of New Yorkers last week to see how happy they were with subway and bus service.

And while the fair residents of our fine city never shy away from complaining, their concerns shouldn't be passed off as simple curmudgeonliness: 61 percent say that their commuting experience got worse over the last several years, while 26 percent say that service is the same, and 13 percent say that it's better.

Transportation Alternatives links this shoddiness to massive budget cuts to subway and bus programs since 2009 -- the state sucked $260 million from transit's coffers, resulting in a cancelation of two subway lines, 36 bus routes, and 560 bus stops in the city.

Also, New Yorkers have more of a "fare burden" than anywhere else in the country -- meaning riders cover more of a percentage of transit costs than other cities.

Transportation Alternatives expects this to get worse. While Gov. Andrew Cuomo isn't proposing any more cuts to transit, fares are still poised to go up in 2013 -- the fifth hike since 2007.

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