RIPTA Statement in Response to GoLocal Investigation, Says "Staffing & Overtime Managed Effectively"
Statement by RIPTA
RIPTA Statement in Response to GoLocal Investigation, Says "Staffing & Overtime Managed Effectively"
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) said today that it welcomes any public discussion of its staffing levels, overtime costs and safety procedures. “Fiscal responsibility and prudence are driving forces in RIPTA’s operations. Any suggestion otherwise is based on a misunderstanding of the facts,” said RIPTA CEO Raymond Studley.
Questions have been raised about RIPTA’s overtime costs, but “overtime is an issue throughout the transit industry,” Studley explained. “The question is how to manage those costs as effectively and efficiently as possible.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe challenge is how to balance the cost of permanent staffing with the cost of daily overtime, said Studley. “The fact is, it’s often more cost-effective to pay overtime than to incur the cost of hiring more employees.” For example, a top-scale driver with a salary of about $58,000, costs the Authority an additional $44,000 in benefits and retirement costs. This means that an experienced driver who earns less than $44,000 in overtime actually represents an overall savings to RIPTA, Studley explained. “People have to remember that if you simply go out to hire more drivers or mechanics to bring down overtime, you will burden taxpayers down the road with the cost of paying pensions and other post-retirement benefits,“ he said.
RIPTA works hard to maintain an appropriate staffing level, said Studley, but this too can be a challenge. This year RIPTA increased its budgeted driver positions from 391 to 401, but it can be difficult to fill these jobs. As Studley explained, “the main problem is that there is a nationwide shortage of people with Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs),” which are legally required for all bus drivers, and there is also a shortage of diesel mechanics who are able to work on RIPTA buses. These shortages hamper RIPTA’s constant need to infuse its workforce with new workers as long-term employees retire. Nonetheless, “RIPTA continues to aggressively recruit employees by hosting job fairs, attending employment recruitment events and advertising,” Studley said.
Other factors that play into personnel and overtime costs are provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between RIPTA and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), which represents drivers and other employees who are eligible for overtime. RIPTA and the ATU have been without a contract since June 2016, and are scheduled to participate in binding arbitration. “We are currently headed for arbitration with the ATU so we can appropriately manage labor costs and benefits, and so we can secure improved management controls over a number of operational issues, including overtime,” said Studley.
Despite all these issues, Studley said, RIPTA’s payroll costs were under budget in Fiscal 2016, and are running approximately 3% over budget in Fiscal 2017. “The notion that we aren’t properly managing staffing and overtime costs just isn’t true.”
Whatever the financial environment, “safety will always be our highest priority,” said Studley. RIPTA meets or exceeds safety standards set by federal regulations and also employs industry “best practices.” Regardless of overtime, there is a limit on how long drivers can work, and they must have a minimum of nine hours off between full shifts. “These measures are in place to make sure that drivers don’t get fatigued from too much driving,” Studley explained. “When it comes to safety, we will use every tool – from training to technology – that we have at our disposal.”
Studley concluded by saying, “The oversight that I and my senior staff exercise in managing staffing levels and overtime is just one example of the due diligence we apply to all aspects of RIPTA operations on a daily basis.”
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
