what to know
- They are asking Mayor Eric Adams to pressure Albany to fix the MTA while improving subway and bus service without raising fares, a tall order for an agency that seems to be constantly out of money. Is.
- Advocates are backing a new bill in Albany that would completely revolutionize bus service in the city, making it completely free for riders.
- The MTA tried it out temporarily at the start of the pandemic, and a few other cities have done it full-time.
NEW YORK — A day after the MTA opened Grand Central Madison to commuters on the Long Island Rail Road, some New York City leaders are asking the transit agency: “What about us?”
They are asking Mayor Eric Adams to pressure Albany to fix the MTA while improving subway and bus service without raising fares, a tall order for an agency that seems to be constantly out of money. Is. But it’s a familiar pushback from transit advocates, as budget season fast approaches.
City Councilman Chris Marte said, “We demand that the governor and mayor keep the price at $2.75.”
The lawsuit came after the long-awaited launch of Grand Central Madison, an $11 billion project that took decades to complete. As MTA President Janno Lieber said, “People have wanted this for generations.”
But transit officials are facing renewed pressure to make subway and bus service even better for millions of riders. To save money, with a planned reduction in subway frequency in the coming months, advocates are demanding the opposite: more service.
Bronx City Councilwoman Amanda Farias said, “The ‘six-minute service’ could be the game changer the community has been waiting for.”
Advocates are backing a new bill in Albany that would completely revolutionize bus service in the city, making it completely free for riders. The MTA tried it out temporarily at the start of the pandemic, and a few other cities have done it full-time.
A state lawmaker says free buses are a real possibility.
“There is a real hope for this to happen: 66 of my colleagues are hearing from students who can’t afford the fees,” said New York State Assemblywoman Zohran Mamdani, who represents the portion of Queens.
MTA officials said they welcome ideas, but they need one thing to be absolutely sure at all times: a reliable funding stream. Lieber, however, highlighted the work currently being done to reform the system.
“Let’s make sure we don’t lose sight of the fact that we’re doing a lot of things,” he said. “We’re redefining the system and making it accessible.”
One change revealed Thursday was a new elevator at Penn Station.
“This is especially important to me as a New Yorker with a disability. Now, more than ever, the demand for lifts and ramps is at an all-time high,” said Cumuel Arroyo, MTA director of accessibility.
