The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has already overspent its overtime budget for the year by $176 million, with nearly 1,000 employees earning more from overtime than their regular salaries last year. The agency spent nearly $764 million on overtime in the first six months of the year, placing it on track to surpass the record of nearly $1.5 billion set in 2025.
Overtime expenses constituted about 23% of MTA salaries in the first quarter of the year. MTA officials attribute the surge in overtime spending to unfilled positions and the need for staffing backup. In one instance, New York City Transit saved $97 million on salaries due to vacant jobs but then spent an additional $141 million on overtime.
As of the end of June, the MTA had 2,868 unfilled positions. The total operating budget for 2026 is $21.3 billion. Critics argue this indicates mismanagement, questioning the ability to fill these roles in a city of 10 million people.
Records show specific employees with significant overtime earnings. Luis Miranda, a Bridges and Tunnels lieutenant, collected $89,560 in overtime in the first three months of 2026, exceeding his base pay for that period. His total earnings were on pace to surpass his 2025 total of $382,583. Similarly, John Anastasatos, a Bridges and Tunnels sergeant, earned $78,520 in overtime in the same three months, contributing to a 2025 total where overtime nearly doubled his salary. Both work in the Bridges and Tunnels unit, which reported overtime at 50% of regular pay in the first quarter, the highest rate among MTA divisions.
Stilwell Manriquez, a New York City Transit senior stationary engineer, also saw substantial overtime, collecting $79,695 in the first three months of 2026. Last year, his overtime pay reached $276,898, making him the MTA's highest-paid employee, earning more than the agency's chairman.
An MTA spokesperson stated that managing overtime is a priority, involving efforts to change work rules that incentivize overtime and implementing more aggressive supervision. Critics suggest that union work rules can be complex and sometimes lack clear justification, citing examples where working across different depots could lead to double pay.
The MTA's internal financial statements reported a lower overtime total of $1.15 billion for 2025 compared to state payroll records, possibly due to how overtime charged to construction projects is categorized. The agency has also faced incidents of overtime abuse, including Long Island Railroad employees using fraudulent swipe cards and Staten Island bus maintainers leaving work premises during overtime shifts while still claiming pay.
Despite these issues, MTA Chairman Janno Lieber has previously expressed pride in the high overtime figures, interpreting them as evidence of employees working nights and weekends. The MTA projects deficits for the coming years, even after implementing a new congestion pricing toll for drivers entering Midtown Manhattan. The agency plans fare and toll increases for March 2027 and March 2029.