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CarlCarbonite t1_je9ligk wrote

Imagine you have to catch them as they run around the station.

133

KaiDaiz t1_je9m9o3 wrote

Useless position. Axe them to save 200m a yr and divert to build elevators and stations plus other must need improvements

−11

Frosted_rain21 t1_je9n90z wrote

So now people have to decide are they catching the train or the free roaming booth clerks.

20

PoopEmoji8618 t1_je9nalv wrote

Really curious to see how many interactions they had in one day sitting in the booth. I feel like most of the time I see them, they’re not even paying attention to anything or anyone

123

The_Lone_Apple t1_je9nuko wrote

They should give them stun-guns to make sure the people who don't know how to act are kept in line.

11

ForkShirtUp t1_je9pqtz wrote

It's like putting zookeepers into the pen with the rest of the animals

74

Grass8989 t1_je9pzll wrote

Replying to KaiDaiz (#2,481,885)

It’s a union job, if anything they would get moved to a different position. That’s the beauty of unions, the city or the MTA can’t just fire you and eliminate your job.

8

NYY657545 t1_je9r85k wrote

When I think of a subway booth clerk, the image of Spence Olchin from King of Queens is all I see.

2

photo11111 t1_je9su26 wrote

They should have plenty of room to walk around, since people are avoiding the train like the plague….

−18

shant_jan t1_je9t1te wrote

all the folks complaining about this being a "patronage job" must never actually take the train because anyone with a stroller, wheelchair, bike, luggage, etc use them regularly to get on the train. they're also the ones who get you through when the turnstiles break or cant collect payment, let first responders into the station quickly, give tourists directions, and are essentially New York's defacto Lost and Found service.

sure, replace them with an automated service kiosk that would be contracted to some Albany crony who would go massively over budget and take a decade to roll out across the city only for them to constantly malfunction or break.

234

fltlsyko t1_je9vay8 wrote

That's right MTA clerks, you aren't above us. Time to stand while you work all day like the rest of public transit peasants!

−3

Prokletnost t1_je9x513 wrote

Hopefully this improves their attitude because holy shit every time I tried interacting with them they were miserable mumbles... 🤮

59

Vizualize t1_je9xzyy wrote

I think there should be more MTA employees in the stations. One in the booth, one by the turnstiles, and one walking the platform. Even more at busier stations.

11

Calendar_Mean t1_je9y193 wrote

Guess they renovated and made some new break rooms hidden behind some of those unmarked locked doors in the stations

Boom Boom Room time

11

Calendar_Mean t1_je9y5tu wrote

Guess they renovated and made some new break rooms hidden behind some of those unmarked locked doors in the stations

Boom Boom Room time

2

Guypussy t1_je9ygne wrote

So faces in their phones outside booths? Got it.

10

Comicalacimoc t1_je9yve8 wrote

I find this weird bc I get nervous if I see anyone approach me and I can’t tell if it’s a real agent or not

6

SinisterWink t1_jea115h wrote

"...but workers can return there during breaks or whenever they see fit." Something tells me that the workers will want to be in that booth all the time

272

oreosfly t1_jea26bq wrote

I read the headline and knew this shit either came from the Post or Gothamist

1

Kalaam t1_jea29lp wrote

Huh. Gonna be hard to stay on their phones all day while walking the platform. How long till we read about an agent falling on the tracks?

14

sheerfire96 t1_jea3hf5 wrote

So instead of asking for help at the token booth and getting told to go to a machine or mail my metrocard to the MTA I’ll be standing 50 ft away and ask for help and get told to go to a machine or mail my metrocard to the MTA. Nice

21

mclepus t1_jea41n2 wrote

and we shall never see them again... unless we air tag them?

3

limasxgoesto0 t1_jea5aey wrote

Nice, now they can not help me in other parts of the station!

14

myassholealt t1_jea5xdv wrote

Replying to PoopEmoji8618 (#2,482,152)

Or when you approach they give you a 10 second stare, then slowly respond as if you were disturbing them on their vacation to ask them about MTA stuff, and they're holding back their wrath to be courteous and respond. Some of them.

I've had waay more interactions with nice booth agents than bad ones, but the bad ones unfortunately leaving a lasting memory.

73

LowellGeorgeLynott t1_jeaccjz wrote

“Now available to give you attitude from anywhere in the station!”

9

Batchagaloop t1_jeacprz wrote

They're coming out of the cocoons and blossoming into beautiful butterflies.

5

Jimmy_kong253 t1_jeag86y wrote

God help them in some areas it's like if the visitors at a zoo walk in the lion pit unprotected

6

self-assembled t1_jeaomwu wrote

Maybe not all stations, but the Bedford stop has a handicap door open button inside the booth that the (awesome) clerk uses for people coming off the train. What about things like that?

6

Thefirstofherkind t1_jeaq3gv wrote

This seems like such a bad idea for so many reasons. So, now, instead of having a fixed place I KNOW an agent will be I have to literally hunt down a roaming human, potentially in a station I’m not familiar with. Time wasting? Check. Oh, I found the agent! Now I have to hope they really are an agent and not some psycho dressed as one that wants to stab me. Threat to my safety? Check. On their end, they must now wade through the terrifying masses that are the nyc commuters. It’s a goddamn jungle full of crazies who HATE people in uniform. Threat to their safety, check.

6

Pennwisedom t1_jeaqfvd wrote

Replying to shant_jan (#2,483,710)

Last time I needed them, both the OMNY readers and Metrocard machines were broken, and the guy basically shrugged and told basically said "Sucks to be You." I also remember another time when the metrocard machine took me money, then didn't put it on the card, and the lady at the booth wouldn't let me in, I ended up having to walk home.

So maybe some subset of them do what you claim they do, but as someone who "actually takes the train", many of them just sit there and shrug when you actually need help.

21

chengjih t1_jeateov wrote

IIRC, station agents were required to stay in the booth at all times because they would get lured out and have their booths robbed of all the tokens and cash. In the old days, robbers would set fire to the booths to force the clerks out for the robbery.

With both OMNY and Metrocard, I think particularly more as we've moved cashless with OMNY, there's nothing really of value in the token booths anymore.

4

bezerker03 t1_jebuvzh wrote

so now i need to hunt down a guy to talk to if i need to find a human?

At least I had a central place to go to... Minus those situations where booth workers ignored pleas for help from people (like that case where the person was attacked and they ignored it), this just feels worse?

5

CactusBoyScout t1_jebv2vy wrote

Replying to Pennwisedom (#2,492,416)

There were only two MetroCard machines in my station for years (before OMNY) and one of them had a busted #1 button on the number pad… the local zip code had four 1’s in it so it was effectively unusable with credit cards. This went on for like 3 years. I asked the station agent next to the machine if they were ever going to fix it and she just shrugged. I’d seen other people complain about this to the station agent too. People missed trains all the time because of the lines.

Months later I finally got tired of the lines for the one working machine and emailed the MTA district manager for my station. It got fixed in like a week!

Just seems like some of the station agents truly do nothing. Why couldn’t she have communicated this shit up the chain? She sat there and watched these lines every morning and listened to people complain… but I guess did nothing.

10

TheBklynGuy t1_jec7fn4 wrote

Replying to Pennwisedom (#2,492,416)

I ran upstairs one morning from the platform at 42nd st-PABT to tell a clerk to call the PD after a guy was attacking people. I had to go through the turnstile to get back to get the subway to get to work. Clerk screamed at me "you must pay again!!! No free ride!!" Missed the train explaining to him I paid already and ran up to get help. Ridiculous.

4

jvenegoknee t1_jec95me wrote

Let’s go ahead and convert those booths into public restrooms. Wouldn’t it be great having access to relieve yourself and retain your dignity while out and about?

0

Kindly-Ad5029 t1_jecbkmd wrote

Lies The booth clerk in my neighborhood was still in the booth chewing gum checking her nails & talking the phone

2

Grand_Chateau t1_jecbm46 wrote

I didn’t see this on the L at 1st Ave. Cozy in the booth still.

1

casanovaelrey t1_jecsooz wrote

Today I saw them out of the booth and it looked so strange. I remember questioning why, just because it is so noticeable, but that makes sense.

2

chilliwog t1_jef90mo wrote

News to me. Mine are still in the booth.

1

staticbleak t1_jefd5d4 wrote

They wont be helping anyone because they'll be on break their whole shift.

1