DiNapoli finds MTA inefficient in procurements, weak in preparing for extreme weather

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has issued two reports critical of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for wasting money and also not doing enough to prepare for extreme weather.

In one report, DiNapoli found that three MTA divisions, Bridges & Tunnels (B&T), NYC Transit Department of Buses (Transit Bus), and MTA Bus Company (MTA Bus) need to improve their preparations for extreme weather. DiNapoli found a lack of maintenance and inspections of resiliency equipment, and a failure to follow weather alert procedures.

While Superstorm Sandy caused roughly $5 billion in damages to MTA assets, DiNapoli found that the three units named in his report failed to carry out a systemwide risk assessment to help identify the potential for damage from future severe weather incidents.

DiNapoli pointed out that inspections and maintenance of flood protection equipment are critical to ensure that the equipment is available to protect against future extreme weather. Auditors found that the inspections and maintenance did not always take place as required or were not recorded.

As an example, DiNapoli’s report pointed to his inspectors finding broken seals on flood doors designed to keep floodwaters out of tunnels. The broken seals could allow water to enter the tunnels, DiNapoli’s report said. DiNapoli’s auditors also visited six bus depots where they also found that inspections were not taking place as required.

A second audit report by DiNapoli found that the MTA has not done enough to consolidate its procurement procedures across its agencies to save money.

“The MTA faces continued pressure to implement its capital programs and savings initiatives, which would benefit from furthering its stated goals of transforming its procurement process,” DiNapoli said. “More savings may be possible if it does more to coordinate purchasing among its agencies instead of the status quo of having them procure their needs independently. Consolidation, efficiency, and savings in this area was promised years ago, but has yet to be fully realized.”

The MTA spends more than $7 billion a year on procurement, covering everything from construction contracts to office supplies according to DiNapoli. The MTA was required to create a Transformation Plan by June 30, 2019, part of which called for consolidation of procurement procedures to save money and avoid redundancies. But, DiNapoli found that as of Sept. 2023 sufficient changes had not been implemented.