Metro spends $49 million on OT in seven months

Agency blows through $48m annual budget

Metro spent $49 million on overtime in the first seven months of its fiscal year, blowing through its entire $48 million overtime budget and on pace to spend far more than it has in recent years.

Overtime paid out

Fiscal 2008: $74.2 million

Fiscal 2009: $62.1 million

Fiscal 2010: $75.2 million

Fiscal 2011: $49 million as of January, budgeted at $48.4 million

Note: Metro’s fiscal year starts July 1

The transit agency spent $49 million on overtime by the end of January, an average of about $7,000 for each employee. That could put its overtime costs at $84 million for the year if the pace continues, far more than the $75 million it spent last year.