Re:How Politics and Bad Decisions Starved New York’s Subways
by Arnt on Monday November 20, 2017 @03:30AM
(#15738604)
TfL is. Everyone does that. It's part of the taxes that employers pay on top of salaries.
That's part of the reason why the cost of an employee is so much higher than the salary, and it's one of the costs you save by having nominally independent contractors instead of employees.
TfL does have good planning, though, and is largely able to fix things before they grow too expensive.
Re:How Politics and Bad Decisions Starved New York’s Subways
by inferiorhuman on Tuesday November 21, 2017 @05:32AM
(#15747002)
> TfL is. Everyone does that. It's part of the taxes that employers pay on top of salaries.
Right, but TfL is paying into a system that every working Briton pays into. What the New York MTA pays into (mostly) is a scheme that benefits a much smaller group.
Re:How Politics and Bad Decisions Starved New York’s Subways
by lostboys67 on Monday November 20, 2017 @05:17AM
(#15738938)
From an outsiders view its the extremely devolved nature of the USA that causes a lot of problems. In a more centrally managed country eg France or the UK if there's a major SNAFU like this quite often the tabloids go on rampage and something gets done.
Similarly with Racist Sheriffs and problems with local police forces happen the Home Secretary can sack the senior police officer in charge.
My two cents: things are more expensive in the United States due to us insisting on being so different in two major ways:
1.) Different safety and road standards. All of Europe, as well as many other countries have completely or partially adopted European road and rail safety standards. For example: in the United States if a passenger rail line shares track with freight trains the passenger cars are required to withstand collisions with heavy freight trains with a minimum of deformation. This makes everything heavy and unique. Emissions standards likewise mean that if you're still running diesel equipment that's all going to be very unique.
2.) We don't believe in social services in the United States. The NY MTA has to fund health care (via insurance) as well as pensions. TfL sure ain't subsidizing health insurance for its employees, although they may be funding a pension.
As it turns out the bigger your pool of risk, customers, whatever... the cheaper things get.