N.Y. MTA contracts with IBM, Unisys

The New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has contracted to turn over management of its data center to IBM.

IBM will supply computing power as part of a $65 million information technology services contract that is expected to lower costs for the MTA over the next five years, IBM announced this week.

From a local data center outside Manhattan, IBM will manage computer processing operations for New York City Transit, MTA Bridges and Tunnels, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North Railroad and Long Island Bus.

The data center will handle MTA’s fare collection system, parts inventory database and applications that oversee crew schedules, procurement, contracts and other tasks.

Meanwhile, information technology company Unisys Corp. announced that it received a contract worth up to $143 million to provide desktop support services to New York City Transit.