MTA: Metro-North supervisor manipulated GPS of a work truck and used it for private trips

A Metro-North Railroad supervisor at the maintenance depot in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has resigned after an investigation found that he “many times tampered” with the GPS device in his work truck and used it for shopping trips and other personal errands during work hours, the MTA's Office of the Inspector General announced Monday.

The supervisor, whose name was not disclosed, had worked for the MTA for about twelve years.

The MTA's Office of the Inspector General said an investigation launched in July 2023 found that the supervisor, identified only as a “structure supervisor,” turned off his work truck's GPS on at least 111 occasions between July 15, 2023, and March 18, and used the vehicle for “personal purposes” 40 times during a 57-day period.

These events included shopping at Bass Pro Shops and the Connecticut Post Mall, as well as a trip to his parents' house on Christmas Eve.

An MTA OIG report said that using a company vehicle for personal purposes is a violation of MTA policy – and that tampering with GPS is also a violation of Metro-North policies and operating procedures. The MTA also cited ethical violations related to public trust.

The investigation found that in 18 cases the GPS device was disconnected and reconnected the same day, in 60 cases the connection was disconnected overnight, and in 31 cases the connection remained disconnected for several “consecutive days” – such as Thanksgiving weekend and the Christmas and New Year’s weekends during the study period.

Officials said OIG investigators installed a second, hidden GPS device on the truck that revealed its true usage, and found that the supervisor also used the truck 21 times to drive to a co-worker's home outside of work hours.

The report states that the supervisor “blatantly violated MNR and MTA policies regarding MNR-assigned work vehicles” and also “conducted himself in a manner that aroused distrust and violated public trust” – all in violation of New York State Civil Service Law.

“He admitted to using his MNR-assigned work vehicle for personal purposes both during work hours and off-hours, and to turning off the GPS device installed in the vehicle to use the vehicle whenever he wanted,” the report states. It continues, “In addition, the Structures Supervisor was not initially honest with OIG staff during his interview. It was only when confronted by the OIG and presented with his analysis that he admitted to tampering with the GPS device.”

The supervisor was initially suspended without pay and subjected to disciplinary action before being allowed to resign on August 12.

The OIG report states: “The use of all MTA vehicles is limited to the conduct of official business, and use for personal or business purposes is strictly prohibited, except under very limited circumstances.”

“Even in cases where personal use is authorized or in connection with official business, any person operating an MTA vehicle is expected to use his or her judgment to avoid the appearance of impropriety,” the report said.

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has received awards from the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for his investigative, entrepreneurial and current affairs reporting and columns. He is also the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti appears in the Emmy-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”