About 300 New York City subway cars were pulled from service early Wednesday because of unreliable door mechanisms, raising questions about the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s entire US$600-million equipment order with Bombardier Inc.
The MTA has had repeated problems with Bombardier, including late delivery that resulted in the Montreal-based company compensating MTA with 18 additional so-called R179 cars. None are operational, according to the agency.Maryanne Roberts, a spokeswoman for Bombardier, blamed the latest issue on Kangni Mechanical & Electrical Co Ltd., a China-based company that she said supplied the problematic doors. Executives there weren’t immediately available for comment.
The Bombardier cars would have accounted for more than 5 per cent of the city’s 5,400-car subway fleet used on any given day, said MTA spokesman Tim Minton. The audit also showed that the MTA failed to adequately oversee Bombardier’s contract performance and failed to complete required annual evaluations.