Pothole Becomes a Steady Income Source for Brooklyn Mechanic

In a city where potholes are as common as streetlights, one young mechanic is finding an unusual silver lining. Javier Yat, 23, owner of Jas Mobile Tire in Brooklyn, has turned a single, unrepaired pothole on the Belt Parkway into a steady income stream. The crater, described as 12 inches deep and located near Exit 9A, has become a recurring nightmare for drivers. 'You never know when it's gonna be open,' Yat told the Daily Mail, explaining that inclement weather exposes the city's patchwork repairs, making the hole more dangerous. How does a pothole create such a lucrative opportunity? Simple: it's destroying tires faster than the city can replace them.

Every few months, Yat and his brother Emilio, 25, rescue 15 to 20 drivers stranded after their vehicles hit the hole. The business model is straightforward: charge between $150 and $300 per tire repair, with each job potentially earning $2,200 before costs. After factoring in tire expenses, the Yat brothers take home around $1,500 per incident. 'I usually use it to buy the tires again,' Yat said, explaining how his earnings fund the family business. When supplies run low, Emilio rushes to deliver more tires from their shop, which they opened eight months ago after starting as a mobile service two years prior.

The pothole's impact is visible in the shredded tires Yat displays as evidence. One customer's tire, flattened by the hole, sits as a grim reminder of the road's dangers. 'I can't say I'm a mechanic because I just do tires,' Yat clarified, adding that his expertise spans trucks and cars. Yet, for all his skill, the brothers face a paradox: they're saving drivers from a problem the city refuses to fix. How does a city with adequate staffing, as NYC DOT officials claim, allow such a crater to persist? The answer may lie in the gap between policy and practice.

NYC DOT First Deputy Commissioner Margaret Forgione recently asserted during a budget hearing that the agency has 'adequate staffing' to address potholes. Her colleague, Commissioner Mike Flynn, offered a more nuanced view: 'Filling potholes is... dynamic. It depends on the specific weather conditions of that winter.' The contradiction raises questions. If the city has the resources, why does a single hole continue to devastate drivers? Yat's business thrives in this vacuum, but his customers are left with a bitter irony: the pothole that funds their rescue is also a symbol of bureaucratic neglect.

The Yats' story is not just about profit—it's about survival. Raised in Guatemala, the brothers learned car repair from their father before launching their business in the U.S. They work 15-hour days, from 7 a.m. to midnight, splitting their time between the shop and Yat's van, which carries 10 spare tires for emergencies. 'I enjoy helping people,' Yat said, though he admits prices vary based on distance. For drivers stuck in the dark after hitting the hole, his services are often the only lifeline. Yet, as the pothole grows deeper, one question lingers: when will the city finally fill it?

Snow and ice don't just make roads slick—they turn them into ticking time bombs. City officials admit they can't patch potholes when the ground is frozen or buried under snow. 'But the even bigger picture, potholes are kind of a symptom, and what we want to do is address the underlying problem,' said Flynn, a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation. The statement came after a fatal crash in Ozone Park, Queens, where a 46-year-old scooter driver died after hitting a deep crater in early January.

The Daily Mail reached out to the NYC DOT for comment on the pothole that led to the death, but the agency hasn't publicly addressed the specific incident. Sources close to the DOT told the paper that budget cuts and aging infrastructure have left the city scrambling to keep up with repairs. 'We're stretched thin,' said one insider, who asked not to be named. 'Every winter, we're playing catch-up.'

The crash has reignited debates about road safety in New York. The scooter driver, identified as a local resident, was pronounced dead at the scene after his vehicle flipped into the pothole. NYPD officials confirmed that the DOT arrived within hours to fix the hole, but the repair came too late. 'It's heartbreaking,' said Officer Maria Lopez, who responded to the call. 'We're doing our best, but these holes are everywhere.'

Residents in Ozone Park say they've long known the Belt Parkway is a death trap. 'I've seen cars swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid potholes,' said 58-year-old shop owner James Rivera. 'This isn't just about maintenance—it's about priorities.' The city has faced criticism before for its slow response to road damage, but the latest tragedy has pushed the issue to the forefront of public discourse.

The DOT insists it's working on a long-term plan to improve pavement quality, but critics argue that promises come too late. 'They talk about fixing the root cause,' said Flynn. 'But until they fix the funding, nothing changes.' For now, drivers are left to navigate a maze of cracks and craters, hoping they'll make it home safely.