The pinch is on. The knives have been sharpened, the department heads at RT have been warned and the Transit Dependant citizens of Sacramento will get screwed.
Mark Lonergan, Sacramento Regional Transit Operations Chief-
"Lonergan said RT managed $9 million in savings through freezing personnel positions and by operating frugally, but still came up short, triggering the call for bus route cancellations"
Source SacBee.com
Frugally?
I just don't get it. Call me a moron, call me what you like but it makes no logical sense to me.
Consider this-
RT Bus and Light Rail Drivers make on average $19.00 per hour, as bound by our current labor contract with RT. Since RT has eliminated almost all overtime, that equates the the majority of Bus and Light Rail operators earning $3040.00 Pre-Tax per month.
You think I'm expensive?
No.
Executive Assistant-
$3,732 - $4,763
Annualized Salary Range: $44,784 - $57,156
$6,081- $7,762
| Annualized Salary Range: | $72,972 - $93,144 |
Compliance and Quality Assurance Auditor-
Annualized Salary Range: $84,444 - $107.784
Understanding and appreciating the fact that it takes more than me driving a train to make RT keep the people moving, Maintenance and Facilities people are lucky to have a similar contract negotiated by IBEW.
Without Maintenance the bus would never leave the garage. Without Maintenance, the Bus would be dirtier and stinkier than it already is. Without maintenance, the CAF Light Rail Cars would have a far worse track record than they already do.
Without Facilities People, Marconi/Arcade Station would have been overtaken by weeds long ago. Without Facilities bus stop signs that get wiped out by drunk asshats would never get replaced, without Facilities People light rail stations would be stained with human elements of all kinds.
And...The most Important part-
Without passengers, none of us would have a job. All the nearly six figure positions at 1400 29th Street would be eliminated, not to mention my less than integral part as a driver. Forget freezing that position vacated by someone 2 years on the 2nd floor to make things look better.
Sacramento's transit Dependant population deserves better. RT management should look at cutting the top heavy administration before they pull the wheels out from underneath Sacramento's most vulnerable people.
5 comments:
Jon, may I anonymously quote some of your statistics in my column? email me at fetchingjen@gmail.com.
thanks fj
I'm surprised that you did not mention this salary from the Employment Opportunities section at http://iportal.sacrt.com/WebApps/HR/JobsIndex.asp
Principal Planner
Posting Date: May 24, 2007
Filing Deadline: Open Until Filled
Salary: $5,791- $7,391 monthly
Location: Sacramento, CA
You do realize, of course, that the Planning Department is responsible for RT Bus Service changes including "possible discontinuation or realignment" of bus routes.
sac rt dot com,
I realize that the planning department wears several hats, one of them being transportation service adjustments. With Supervisors making $40.00 per hour, Superintendents making $90k a year and admins pulling down $55k per year I'm surprised we have any money left at all.
I assume you are with the District, care to share your view of the budget issues?
My view of the budget issues:
First: I would love to be employed by Regional Transit - so these budget problems DO concern me.
However, the problem and its proposed solution are not something that Regional Transit brought on itself.
It was not poor planning - though that department is obviously short at least one player right now - that caused this situation.
How would you propose they PLAN for one of their biggest payors to renege on their promise?!
Taiwo being gone did not contribute to this situation.
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