I took a lot of heat from some of the rank and file at Metro last year when I first pointed out that some bus drivers and maintenance personnel were making six-figure incomes.

Those writing in said that these unfortunate people actually had to work extra to make all that money and that they deserved it. The issue of the load it was putting on the fare-paying public was pushed to the back burner.

So was the nagging question about whether or not it was safe to have these staffers working 14 hours a day and whether there were concerns about safety from overtired people working on bus braking systems or actually trying to stop those buses in rush-hour traffic.

There is something to consider with all this talk about overtime at Metro and that is that eliminating the $70 million in overtime won’t eliminate all of the expense.

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After all, those bus drivers aren’t out there joyriding in the middle of the night while they are on the clock; they are driving designated routes at times that have been assigned because the public needs them.

The maintenance workers are actually doing repairs on trains and buses and stations need to have a manager on duty whenever the stations are open.

If the overtime for existing employees is cut, then more employees will have to be brought onboard. By my very rough calculation Metro would still have to pay somewhere around $40 million to get the work done even without the overtime.

Of course, the last time I checked there was a hiring freeze at Metro, so somebody is going to have to do the work.

Metro surveys on tap

Beginning today, Metro will be handing out customer survey cards. Over the next week and a half 300,000 of the cards will be distributed at all 86 stations.

You can mail the self-addressed, prepaid survey cards or drop them off at collection boxes that will be set up outside the station manager’s kiosks.

Questions, comments, random musings? Write to Steve@SprawlandCrawl.com.