RIPTA: Agency in Chaos - OT Jeopardizing Safety and Financial Viability

Monday, April 03, 2017

GoLocalProv News Team

Is overtime a factor in RIPTA accidents?

A multi-month investigation by GoLocalProv finds that the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) is in self-inflicted fiscal chaos. Overtime costs are crippling the quasi-public agency and may be linked to their questionable safety record.

Of the roughtly 800 budgeted positions at RIPTA, more than 95 percent of them are unionized and nearly every union employee is earning significant amounts of overtime. With managers managing line employees, there are little financial controls.

SLIDES: See Top RIPTA Overtime Employees BELOW

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Of RIPTA’s overall budget, 76.8 percent of the agency’s budget is spent on salaries, wages and benefits. By contrast, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) only spends 53.7 percent on personnel costs, according to United States Department of Transportation data.

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Organized Chaos

One former RIPTA official, who requested confidentially, told GoLocal that the agency’s finances are in chaos because of an organized system to spark overtime.

In 2016, more than 125 RIPTA employees made more than $20,000 in overtime. And, with overtime, more than 20 union positions earned over $100,000. Of those, many were earning 30 percent or more of their compensation in overtime.

The top overtimer at RIPTA earned $58,359.06 in overtime, on top of his bases salary of $84,823.35 in 2016. Joseph Monti’s salary and wages totaled $143,182.41 — not including healthcare and other benefits. He is an Assistant Superintendent, according to state documents.

Safety Issues and Overtime

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has found that excessive overtime has adverse impact on performance and safety for workers.

“In 16 of 22 studies addressing general health effects, overtime was associated with poorer perceived general health, increased injury rates, more illnesses, or increased mortality,” reported the CDC.

“Overtime was associated with unhealthy weight gain in two studies, increased alcohol use in two of three studies, increased smoking in one of two studies, and poorer neuropsychological test performance in one study.”

Is the excessive overtime also impacting the safety of the public?

RIPTA: Agency in Chaos - OT Jeopardizing Safety and Financial Viability

Related Slideshow: Top 100 Overtimers at RIPTA

#100

JERIMAL BARNES

#99

BRENDA BRIERE

#98

MARSEL GARCIA

#97

JENNIFER DONAHAY

#96

JAMES GARCIA

#95

JEFFREY THERIAULT

#94

ANTOINIER PINTHIERE

#93

ARTHUR TILLEY

#92

A JOSEPH DAOU

#91

ANTONIO LOPES

#90

PENELOPE CODY-HEROUX

#89

ABIODUN OSHIYEMI

#88

OSWALDO RIVERA

#87

NERY DURAN

#86

PIERRE CHARLES

#85

DAVID BLAIS

#84

ANTHONY WILLIAMS

#83

NICHOLAS DECRISTOFARO

#82

GIOVANNI TIBURCIO

#81

WILLIAM FELCI

#80

MICHAEL CAMPOPIANO

#79

ROBERT ANDOSCIA

#78

MICHAEL PELLETIER

#77

JULES ROMAIN

#76

ERNST LUBIN

#75

CHARLES WILLIS

#74

STEPHEN ZACHAS

#73

ORLANDO SEMEDO

#72

#71

JAMES MANER

#70

#69

FERNAND LAGUERRE

#68

KENNETH ATHAIDE

#67

DAVID LEMIRE

#66

KEVIN DECOSTA

#65

HENRY WILLIAMS

#64

CARLOS ROCHA

#63

CHARLES CAMPBELL

#62

ELEUTERIO TORTI

#61

ELDORA GIBLIN