Token Booths Slated For Closure Remain Open

Your friendly neighborhood subway token booth clerk will remain on duty for the near future, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority so far isn't taking advantage of the opportunity to close dozens of booths as planned, despite winning the right to do so in court earlier this week.

The agency voted in March to close 62 booths, 45 of them this month. The decision seemed to be a done deal, but published reports Thursday now say top agency officials aren't so sure on when they will close the booths. It is unclear what the hold-up is.

With tokens no longer for sale, most responsibilities of subway booth clerks have been shifted to MetroCard vending machines. However, opponents to the closures cite safety concerns, saying subway riders would be more vulnerable to crime and terrorism.

State legislators have also weighed in, passing a bill last month to keep the booths open for three more years. That bill has yet to be signed by Governor George Pataki.

With tokens no longer for sale, most responsibilities of subway booth clerks have been shifted to MetroCard vending machines. However, opponents to the closures cite safety concerns, saying subway riders would be more vulnerable to crime and terrorism.

So with that said....If they do not do anything...why have them there. And do you honestly think that if a token booth clerk (if even paying attention...not on the phone) saw something going on...they would do something about it???

I absoulutely think that you need a human being in the station at all times. Most criminals would absolutely be deterred by the prospect of having the toll guy in a locked booth who can watch and/or call for help. And I do think they would call for help.

I think this may be hard for people who take the LIRR to understand but people in NYC know that not every train station is like Penn Station. I often come home at night and my train station is very empty and quite scary. My station was one of the ones slated to lose the toll collecter and I am SO happy that they will be keeping him/her.

Im sure there are a lot of incompetent or just plain apathetic toll booth guys/girls who should be fired today.

All im saying is that if Im given the choice of being in an empty train station at night without a toll booth person or with , I would definitely feel safer (and probably be safer just by his presence).

Sure, I would prefer an armed gaurd or a cop there instead...but that is not the alternative. Its either the toll booth guy or nothing.

And when you consider most subway stations are small holes in the ground where any crazy person could easily wait to attack the next person off the train, i think the MTA needs to staff all stations.

And I live in a really safe area! I cant imagine how bad it must be in the less safe ones.

Stef I agree with you 100%

Lisa Rose I agree with you as well with the booth clerks on the phone or not paying attention. I see it all the time. Who the heck are they talking to that they are always on the phone???

I agree with Stef on the safer feeling. A few months ago their was a homeless man wondering the area and decided to rest at the train station. The clerk called the police and an ambulance. The homeless guy was fine, he just wanted to get out of the rain. But what if that clerk wasnt there?? would anyone call the police or ignore that man? What if he turned violent would their be anyone to help?

I like the feeling of knowing that if I am in danger or become a sick passenger that their is a person in a booth who can do something.

Also about a month ago I had to take the F train and their was no one in the booth. I had to use the metrocard vending machine. Their was a man their who scared me. he was dressed funny and looked like he was dazed. It was just me and this man. I did not feel safe because what if I screamed who would hear me. So I went back up the stairs and walked to a different entrance and as lame as this sounds I waited for someone else to enter the station so I could enter with them.

I just like having a person in the booth because I feel safe and that if something were to happen they would hear my screams or call for help.