Thoughts on "Station Customer Assistants"

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Anybody have any thoughts or opinions about the changeover from token booth agents to station customer assistants? I have not seen one yet so I can't comment but I do think it's a good idea.

Given the fact that MVMs are very popular now, accept all forms of payment, and sell all types of MetroCards, I think that this was the way to go. I was happy to hear that there would still be one agent in a 24-hour booth at all stations even after this program has been fully implemented.

[Lirr168]

Personlly, I do not see the point. The MTA is still paying these people, so why not keep them in the booths? IMHO, if it isn't broken, don't fix it! BTW, I have encountered SCA's (at 14th/Union Square) and, despite the claims that they were given sensitivity training and whatnot, the good ones were still good and the bad ones still bitter and nasty. I'd love to know how much $$ was wasted to give that training.

[GP38]

Why keep them in the booths? Their job collecting money and giving cards (or tokens when they were around) is obsolete.
Eventually, I see the station booth agent job disappearing completely (in a booth). You can see this is on the MTA's agenda with the recent wave of booth closings. Some platforms now only have automated access. Eventually, I see the MTA changing that to lower use stations, where there will no longer be a 24 hour booth. Eventually that will extend to the more medium use stations, and eventually will pinacle by reaching Times Square.

Station Booth Agents will slowly become Station Agents, sort of "station helpers". They will walk around the station helping people with the Metrocard Vending Machines, directions, etc. There is no need to have them confined to a booth, because they will no longer be handling money. They eventually will have so much more use as Station Agents walking through the station helping passengers, etc than being confined to a booth doing the same thing Metrocard Vending Machines can do.

The true question should have been: "Why should the MTA continue to pay station booth agents confined to a booth where their job has become and will become more obsolete."

[Otto Vondrak]

I think manned token booths should be maintained at Grand Central, Penn Station, and Times Square in Manhattan. With the throngs of tourists, I don't want to sit behind a wave of out-of-towners trying to figure out a touch screen for the first time in their lives!

-otto-

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I have to agree with GP38. It's more of a safety issue now than anything else I think. People feel more secure when there are MTA employees in the station, and I agree with that. But, because the MetroCard Vending Machines have really taken over part of the token booth clerk's job then I see no reason why they have to sit in the booth anymore.

I think that if you asked a token booth person, they would probably be happy with the change since they get to roam around now instead of being stuck inside the booth for a long time.

They did say that there would be at least 1 24-hour booth still open in every station once the program is fully implemented. This would be good since there would be someone available at a fixed location if you need them.


There used to be a page on the MTA's site which showed maps of each station and indicated the booths that would be closed, turnstiles that would be closed, etc. I don't think it's available anymore but if I run across it, I'll post the link here.
Otto, that is a good point. I would guess that more MVMs are on the way for higher use stations now and that will force the tourists and others who are not familiar with the subway to use them. However, I'm sure there will still be more than 1 booth available as well.

On a somewhat unrelated note, with the closing of the booths, you are going to see less and less turnstiles (like GP38 mentioned) and more of the iron-maiden type entrances.

[ctaman34]

it's stupid anyway since it will not save them money anyway

[GP38]

It's not stupid. While it will save a minimal amount of money, it's not entirely about money. Why have a person sitting confined in a booth in one small area of the station, doing an outdated and obsolete job, that vending machines can handle....when the agent can be walking around the station in a much more useful job of helping people.
The agents would not be any more unsafe than an average passenger, as the agents would no longer be handling money.

[EastCleveland]

A closed booth and a "roving" employee during rush hour is one thing. It's another thing entirely at 4:00 a.m. -- when a passenger's inability to quickly find help (or know which of a large, deserted station's multiple booths is still staffed) could mean the difference between life and death.

As it stands now, I often have to wake up token booth clerks who are "resting" their eyes after midnight. In larger stations with multiple platforms and levels, the lazier and craftier "rovers" will quickly learn to disappear for extended periods, finding convenient back rooms and other hideaways where they can catch up on their sleep time.

The whole thing is foolish. And I believe the "rover" idea will go away once a few tourists (or a pretty, 20-something NYU student from Iowa) find themselves in the wrong station at the wrong time.

[ctaman34]

It's not stupid. While it will save a minimal amount of money, it's not entirely about money. Why have a person sitting confined in a booth in one small area of the station, doing an outdated and obsolete job, that vending machines can handle....when the agent can be walking around the station in a much more useful job of helping people.
The agents would not be any more unsafe than an average passenger, as the agents would no longer be handling money.

ny1 had a story on this and it said it will not save any money

[GP38]

It's not stupid. While it will save a minimal amount of money, it's not entirely about money. Why have a person sitting confined in a booth in one small area of the station, doing an outdated and obsolete job, that vending machines can handle....when the agent can be walking around the station in a much more useful job of helping people.
The agents would not be any more unsafe than an average passenger, as the agents would no longer be handling money.

ny1 had a story on this and it said it will not save any money

...and as I said, the point isn't about saving money.

[LakeHoboken]

I find this very useful, except the part where you gotta buy Metrocards at those Machines.

[mb41]

Boston is doing the same thing with the Charlie card system, booth people are now Customer Agents on the platforms. I have not ridden the blue line to see this, but has anyone seen experienced them on the NYC subway?