The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board passed its 2010 budget Wednesday, which calls for a wide-ranging set of service cuts that will affect nearly every transit rider in some way.

The W and Z train, along with nearly two dozen local bus lines are set for elimination. Other lines would be cut short and service would be reduced for disabled riders.

Board members say the approved budget also calls for layoffs of hundreds of workers and ending a program which provides free MetroCards for about 500,000 city students.

Before the 12-0 vote, many of the board members said they were hesitant to approve the cuts, but insisted they must fulfill their fiduciary duty to close a $383 million budget deficit.

MTA Board member Norman Seabrook, a heavy critic of the proposal, was not at the meeting and did not vote.

Members said the board needed to adopt a budget Wednesday, but stressed that this is only the start of the process, and members will go back and fine-tune some of the savings they're proposing.

"We need to rethink every aspect of our operation," said MTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jay Walder, "to permanently reduce the cost of what we're doing. In short, we need to take the place apart."

A series of public hearings will also be held before another vote.

Ahead of the vote, more than a dozen straphangers, public officials and transit advocates spoke before the board, expressing their frustration over the plan.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn was joined by council members Jessica Lapin, James Vacca and Elizabeth Crowley, and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, among others, to once again talk about an alternative plan to the cuts.

"You cannot get lower than this," said Brooklyn Councilman Charles Barron. "During a season's time when people are trying to struggle in this city. How low can you go to take the MetroCards away from our children."

The MTA Board blames Albany for the financial shortfall, saying the state promised hundreds of millions of dollars, and then two weeks before the end of the fiscal year, it dropped the ball and cut the agency's funding.

Wednesday's budget proposal also outlined plans to slash tens of millions of dollars from the Access-a-Ride program, a move that would affect thousands of disabled New Yorkers.

Under the new spending plan, $40 million would be cut from the service next year and $80 million in 2011.

Where the cuts will be made is not yet certain, but one idea being floated is for the vans to only take passengers to the nearest bus stop -- or subway station with a working elevator -- and drop them off there.

"Who is going to say that Mary can be taken from her home to the bus stop? Who's going to make that determination? And what if they make the determination that day and it's raining? Does Mary still wait at the bus stop?" said Disability Advocate Marilyn Saviola.

The MTA says it is looking into improving eligibility screening for Access-a-Ride, more efficient scheduling and eliminating the most expensive carriers.

Meanwhile, it appears at least one of the cuts approved Wednesday
may be prevented thanks to the governor.

In response to word that the MTA would be cutting free MetroCards for many students, students and community groups held protests throughout the city Tuesday and Governor David Paterson said he will find a way to preserve the passes.

If the cut went through, a half-million students would be forced to pay full fares by 2011. Advocates fear that would cause students to skip class.

But in a town hall meeting at Lehman College, Paterson said he'll go to bat for the students.

"The program that they are talking about would not begin until September. I want to promise this audience that between now and September, I will find a way to make sure that the young people do not have to pay,” said the governor.

One MTA Board member said that it should not be the agency's responsibility to subsidize students, but instead a financial burden that should be placed on the Department of Education.

"The real issue is why the MTA covers any of the education-related expenses of New York City," said board member James Sedora.

Service cuts would take effect next spring.

Riders of the W train in Astoria said they believe the line's elimination will make their commutes more difficult because the N line will be too crowded and the wait between trains much longer.

"The service is very poor. The hikes are going up, so it's very unfair to all of us hardworking citizens," said one rider. "It don't agree with it one bit."

"I think the budget problem is fake," said another. "They just want to take care of themselves. That's it."

And, while the state is struggling with budget shortfalls and the MTA is preparing to pass a "doomsday" plan to cut service, Federal Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is offering some encouraging news from Washington.

Appearing on Wednesday night's "Road To City Hall," LaHood said that the Obama administration is willing to work with the city and state to help solve its mass transit problems.

"This is a priority of President [Barack] Obama and those of us at the [Department of Transportation] to make sure that cities have good mass transportation," LaHood said. "And we're willing to work with the State of New York, with the governor, with the mayor and others, the Legislature to make sure that New York has a first-rate transit system and transportation system."

The transportation secretary will also be calling for a national crackdown against drivers who use their cell phones behind the wheel.