RIPTA Blocks Requests for Information from Family of Dead 9-Year-Old and Media
GoLocalProv News Team
RIPTA Blocks Requests for Information from Family of Dead 9-Year-Old and Media
Now, GoLocal has learned through court documents filed by the family of the girl against RIPTA, that lawyers for the agency are blocking the release of information relating previous accidents by the transportation agency.
One of the key requests by Emdjian’s attorney is for RIPTA to turn over “all documents concerning substantially similar incidents which occurred during the 5 years prior to the incident where it was alleged that an accident occurred due, at least in part, to the excessive speed of a RIPTA bus.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTRIPTA objected to providing such information, claiming that such a request would be "overly burdensome."
In court documents, RIPTA wrote in response to Emdjian, “Objection. The request as posed, is overly broad, unduly burdensome and not calculated to to the discovery of admissible evidence. More specifically, Defendant avers that a substantial number of claims are brought against the Transit Authority every year, many of which are baseless, and many of which include an allegation, however, well founded or otherwise, that involves speed. It is unduly burdensome to have the Transit Authority dedicate personnel to the man hours that would be required to comb through all such applicable documents to search for information which is not calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence in any event.”
"We're in the process of fighting [for that information]," said attorney Max Wistow, for the Emdjian family. "I think we will get it sooner or later, or whether there will be any information in there for it to be confidential, we will see."
Latest Explanation
RIPTA’s response in its court filing is inconsistent with its 2015 denial of a similar request for information filed by GoLocal.
The agency refused to provide accident reports to GoLocal. In April of 2015, GoLocal requested all RIPTA accident reports for the last three (3) years. The agency refused, “The documents you have requested are not considered public records under the Access to Public Records Act. Under section 38-2-2(4)(E) of the Act, they are exempt from disclosure because, as agency work product, they would not be available to an opposing party in litigation.” The response to GoLocal’s request was signed by Chief Legal Council Benjamin Salzillo.
Central to the lawsuit - and overall questions regarding safety at RIPTA - is proper management of staff. A GoLocal investigation released earlier this month unveiled questions about massive usage of overtime in the agency. The overtime is approved by managers who themselves receive overtime. Of the roughly 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. More than 120 RIPTA employees made more than $20,000 in overtime in 2016.
SEE LIST OF OVERTIME BELOW
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.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has found that excessive overtime has an 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?
Lawyers for Emdjian's family asserted the following in their lawsuit against RIPTA.
“Defendant RIPTA had a duty to exercise reasonable care in hiring, training and supervising its employees, including but not limited to (Eric) Seaberg (the RIPTA driver), in the safe operation of a bus,”
Top 100 Overtimers at RIPTA
#100
JERIMAL BARNES
Salary: $45,170.54
Overtime: $22,707.39
Total: $67,877.93
Does not include benefits
#99
BRENDA BRIERE
Salary: $60,302.26
Overtime: $22,801.78
Total: $83,104.04
Does not include benefits
#98
MARSEL GARCIA
Salary: $47,368.14
Overtime: $22,832.61
Total: $70,200.75
Does not include benefits
#97
JENNIFER DONAHAY
Salary: $57,083.95
Overtime: $22,910.62
Total: $79,994.54
Does not include benefits
#96
JAMES GARCIA
Salary: $57,177.33
Overtime: $23,025.74
Total: $80,203.07
Does not include benefits
#95
JEFFREY THERIAULT
Salary: $47,370.19
Overtime: $23,195.92
Total: $70,566.11
Does not include benefits
#94
ANTOINIER PINTHIERE
Salary: $40,231.47
Overtime: $23,220.03
Total: $63,451.5
Does not include benefits
#93
ARTHUR TILLEY
Salary: $60,646.22
Overtime: $23,319.01
Total: $83,965.23
Does not include benefits
#92
A JOSEPH DAOU
Salary: $40,226.29
Overtime: $23,518.67
Total: $63,744.96
Does not include benefits
#91
ANTONIO LOPES
Salary: $37,807.65
Overtime: $23,591.75
Total: $61,399.4
Does not include benefits
#90
PENELOPE CODY-HEROUX
Salary: $42,539.58
Overtime: $23,786.93
Total: $66,326.51
Does not include benefits
#89
ABIODUN OSHIYEMI
Salary: $56,424.39
Overtime: $23,945.01
Total: $80,369.4
Does not include benefits
#88
OSWALDO RIVERA
Salary: $33,963.10
Overtime: $24,169.54
Total: $58,132.64
Does not include benefits
#87
NERY DURAN
Salary: $47,826.31
Overtime: $24,171.43
Total: $71,997.74
Does not include benefits
#86
PIERRE CHARLES
Salary: $56,467.37
Overtime: $24,236.90
Total: $80,704.27
Does not include benefits
#85
DAVID BLAIS
Salary: $62,316.27
Overtime: $24,281.46
Total: $86,597.73
Does not include benefits
#84
ANTHONY WILLIAMS
Salary: $61,714.37
Overtime: $24,377.80
Total: $86,092.17
Does not include benefits
#83
NICHOLAS DECRISTOFARO
Salary: $59,374.23
Overtime: $24,557.13
Total: $83,931.36
Does not include benefits
#82
GIOVANNI TIBURCIO
Salary: $59,579.49
Overtime: $24,645.30
Total: $84,224.79
Does not include benefits
#81
WILLIAM FELCI
Salary: $61,242.21
Overtime: $24,721.23
Total: $85,963.44
Does not include benefits
#80
MICHAEL CAMPOPIANO
Salary: $57,838.80
Overtime: $24,766.28
Total: $82,605.08
Does not include benefits
#79
ROBERT ANDOSCIA
Salary: $70,601.28
Overtime: $24,787.80
Total: $95,389.08
Does not include benefits
#78
MICHAEL PELLETIER
Salary: $59,553.13
Overtime: $24,798.52
Total: $84,351.65
Does not include benefits
#77
JULES ROMAIN
Salary: $60,919.34
Overtime: $24,861.48
Total: $85,780.82
Does not include benefits
#76
ERNST LUBIN
Salary: $65,183.76
Overtime: $25,318.42
Total: $90,502.18
Does not include benefits
#75
CHARLES WILLIS
Salary: $65,945.25
Overtime: $25,544.98
Total: $91,490.23
Does not include benefits
#74
STEPHEN ZACHAS
Salary: $64,362.72
Overtime: $25,594.00
Total: $89,956.72
Does not include benefits
#73
ORLANDO SEMEDO
Salary: $61,694.61
Overtime: $25,688.86
Total: $87,383.47
Does not include benefits
#72
DIMKY EDOUARD
Salary: $56,220.53
Overtime: $25,707.05
Total: $81,927.58
Does not include benefits
#71
JAMES MANER
Salary: $60,082.03
Overtime: $25,771.87
Total: $85,853.9
Does not include benefits
#70
MAURICE HOWIE
Salary: $70,170.11
Overtime: $26,013.00
Total: $96,183.11
Does not include benefits
#69
FERNAND LAGUERRE
Salary: $59,563.90
Overtime: $26,014.51
Total: $85,578.41
Does not include benefits
#68
KENNETH ATHAIDE
Salary: $65,816.19
Overtime: $26,238.96
Total: $92,055.15
Does not include benefits
#67
DAVID LEMIRE
Salary: $64,622.21
Overtime: $26,673.94
Total: $91,296.15
Does not include benefits
#66
KEVIN DECOSTA
Salary: $60,720.01
Overtime: $26,682.68
Total: $87,402.69
Does not include benefits
#65
HENRY WILLIAMS
Salary: $75,864.00
Overtime: $26,901.18
Total: $102,765.18
Does not include benefits
#64
CARLOS ROCHA
Salary: $72,422.30
Overtime: $26,924.37
Total: $99,346.67
Does not include benefits
#63
CHARLES CAMPBELL
Salary: $54,881.00
Overtime: $27,059.66
Total: $81,940.66
Does not include benefits
#62
ELEUTERIO TORTI
Salary: $60,846.67
Overtime: $27,175.79
Total: $88,022.46
Does not include benefits
#61
ELDORA GIBLIN
Salary: $58,241.09
Overtime: $27,294.04
Total: $85,535.13
Does not include benefits
#60
MEURIS MOQUETE
Salary: $67,626.46
Overtime: $27,478.84
Total: $95,105.3
Does not include benefits
#59
EDDY PIERRE PHILIPPE
Salary: $68,720.56
Overtime: $27,539.27
Total: $96,259.83
Does not include benefits
#58
JASON FERREIRA
Salary: $74,351.36
Overtime: $27,555.32
Total: 101,906.68
Does not include benefits
#57
JAMES BIANCHI
Salary: $57,462.71
Overtime: $27,632.22
Total: $85,094.93
Does not include benefits
#56
MARY HATHAWAY
Salary: $38,637.04
Overtime: $27,644.10
Total: $66,281.14
Does not include benefits
#55
DENNIS DUGAN
Salary: $61,758.61
Overtime: $27,941.43
Total: $89,700.04
Does not include benefits
#54
OSIEL OLIVA
Salary: $51,294.64
Overtime: $27,984.21
Total: $79,278.85
Does not include benefits
#53
FIROUZ PAZHOUHANDEH
Salary: $63,288.54
Overtime: $28,013.90
Total: $91,302.44
Does not include benefits
#52
LOVERIDGE AMOAKO
Salary: $68,757.43
Overtime: $28,127.17
Total: $96,884.6
Does not include benefits
#51
DAVID MCGEE
Salary: $61,188.94
Overtime: $28,388.53
Total: $89,577.47
Does not include benefits
#50
SLAV MALYUTA
Salary: $40,164.78
Overtime: $28,802.99
Total: $68,967.77
Does not include benefits
#49
MILTON LUNA
Salary: $60,352.93
Overtime: $28,832.53
Total: 89,185.46
Does not include benefits
#48
JOSEPH COLE
Salary: $65,644.69
Overtime: $29,904.84
Total: $95,549.53
Does not include benefits
#47
GEORGE CURRAN
Salary: $68,968.48
Overtime: $30,022.05
Total: $98,990.53
Does not include benefits
#46
PETER DZIEDZIC
Salary: $61,072.04
Overtime: $30,820.70
Total: $91,892.74
Does not include benefits
#45
JORGE VIZCAINO
Salary: $67,905.35
Overtime: $30,900.19
Total: $98,805.54
Does not include benefits
#44
BERT DEMERS
Salary: $65,121.68
Overtime: $31,222.21
Total: $96,343.89
Does not include benefits
#43
LENUS BAPTISTE
Salary: $39,874.52
Overtime: $31,283.90
Total: $71,158.42
Does not include benefits
#42
JOHN TANCREDI
Salary: $69,805.26
Overtime: $31,362.49
Total: $101,167.75
Does not include benefits
#41
SAMUEL RIVERA
Salary: $47,874.95
Overtime: $31,394.86
Total: $76,269.81
Does not include benefits
#40
RAYMOND LEE
Salary: $67,935.57
Overtime: $31,442.45
Total: $99,378.02
Does not include benefits
#39
ALBERT CARDILLO
Salary: $60,086.08
Overtime: $31,736.42
Total: $91,822.5
Does not include benefits
#38
XIOMARA PACHECO
Salary: $68,383.37
Overtime: $31,819.18
Total: $100,202.55
Does not include benefits
#37
SHELDON WILLIAMS
Salary: $60,798.37
Overtime: $31,849.70
Total: $92,648.07
Does not include benefits
#36
WELLINGTON TAVAREZ
Salary: $58,525.45
Overtime: $32,213.38
Total: $90,738.83
Does not include benefits
#35
DAVID NOVSAM
Salary: $61,966.07
Overtime: $32,414.02
Total: $94,380.09
Does not include benefits
#34
MARILYN RAPOSA
Salary: $60,837.44
Overtime: $32,555.86
Total: $93,393.3
Does not include benefits
#33
JEAN LOUIS
Salary: $64,816.03
Overtime: $32,768.48
Total: $97,584.51
Does not include benefits
#32
ANTONIO VARGAS
Salary: $56,851.23
Overtime: $33,014.32
Total: $89,865.55
Does not include benefits
#31
FRED NASH
Salary: $39,037.18
Overtime: $33,286.43
Total: $72,323.61
Does not include benefits
#30
MATTHEW BORGES
Salary: $61,538.40
Overtime: $33,312.95
Total: $94,851.35
Does not include benefits
#29
DANILO PAULINO
Salary: $57,872.33
Overtime: $33,391.43
Total: $91,263.76
Does not include benefits
#28
OSCAR DELCID
Salary: $61,871.52
Overtime: $34,594.63
Total: $96,466.15
Does not include benefits
#27
BENJAMIN CABRERA
Salary: $48,300.97
Overtime: $35,264.78
Total: $83,565.75
Does not include benefits
#26
FELIX TERRERO
Salary: $57,890.97
Overtime: $35,267.81
Total: $93,158.78
Does not include benefits
#25
EDMUND MELLO
Salary: $62,106.72
Overtime: $35,272.97
Total: $97,379.69
Does not include benefits
#24
LAWRENCE ONYE
Salary: $60,037.59
Overtime: $35,655.53
Total: $95,693.12
Does not include benefits
#23
DONALD SPELLMAN
Salary: $60,171.53
Overtime: $35,959.88
Total: $96,131.41
Does not include benefits
#22
VICTOR FERREIRA
Salary: $49,687.19
Overtime: $36,268.59
Total: $85,955.78
Does not include benefits
#21
JEAN ALTERA
Salary: $64,439.65
Overtime: $36,722.77
Total: $101,162.42
Does not include benefits
#20
KEVIN CAHILL
Salary: $61,882.27
Overtime: $36,831.63
Total: $98,713.9
Does not include benefits
#19
DAVID ST.GERMAIN
Salary: $58,210.46
Overtime: $37,099.91
Total: $95,310.37
Does not include benefits
#18
MARIAN LONCZAK
Salary: $74,721.30
Overtime: $38,320.12
Total: $113,041.42
Does not include benefits
#17
LAWRENCE THORNTON
Salary: $58,770.93
Overtime: $39,139.03
Total: $97,909.96
Does not include benefits
#16
JULIO ROCA
Salary: $66,959.54
Overtime: $39,256.56
Total: $106,216.1
Does not include benefits
#15
JEFFREY ROY
Salary: $60,785.53
Overtime: $40,374.83
Total: $101,160.36
Does not include benefits
#14
PAUL PRICE
Salary: $60,574.83
Overtime: $40,782.05
Total: $101,356.88
Does not include benefits
#13
JOSEPH LIMA
Salary: $65,717.90
Overtime: $42,067.18
Total: $107,785.08
Does not include benefits
#12
JULIEN RAVENEAU
Salary: $62,387.59
Overtime: $43,244.80
Total: $105,632.39
Does not include benefits
#11
STEPHEN MIELE
Salary: $62,797.76
Overtime: $45,612.73
Total: $108,410.49
Does not include benefits
#10
PASCO MACARI
Salary: $59,191.64
Overtime: $45,837.34
Total: $105,028.98
Does not include benefits
#9
LIVINGSTON CICERON
Salary: $57,473.30
Overtime: $46,234.44
Total: $103,707.74
Does not include benefits
#8
STEPHEN FARRELL
Salary: $63,534.81
Overtime: $46,880.08
Total: $110,414.89
Does not include benefits
#7
PAPA NDIAYE
Salary: $57,226.65
Overtime: $46,898.01
Total: $104,124.66
Does not include benefits
#6
WILLIAM BLAIR
Salary: $61,665.97
Overtime: $48,069.52
Total: $109,735.49
Does not include benefits
#5
LYNN HENDERSON
Salary: $61,909.12
Overtime: $51,238.23
Total: $113,147.35
Does not include benefits
#4
RAYMOND HOLT
Salary: $74,738.88
Overtime: $52,280.20
Total: $127,019.08
Does not include benefits
#3
DENNIS CONNOLLY
Salary: $60,932.98
Overtime: $53,056.52
Total: $113,989.5
Does not include benefits
#2
JOHN REALL
Salary: $61,145.00
Overtime: $53,766.95
Total: $114,911.95
Does not include benefits
#1
JOSEPH MONTI
Salary: $84,823.35
Overtime: $58,359.06
Total: $143,182.41
Does not include benefits
