Op-ed: Double down on transit, Gov. Hochul

In a NY Daily News op-ed, our Executive Director, Betsy Plum, makes the case for investment in faster transit service to attract riders back to the system and for Governor Hochul to ensure that riders can depend on our state budget to keep our buses and trains running without resorting to fare hikes and service cuts.

Here’s where the MTA says we’re at right now:

• Federal aid sent to the agency throughout the pandemic is going to run dry sooner than expected

• That’s because ridership has failed to meet projected recovery targets, reaching only 61% of 2019 levels

With fare revenue down and federal aid running out, the MTA needs to figure out how to both increase ridership AND secure sustainable sources of operating funds to avoid the incipient or future fiscal disasters from threatening the nation’s largest transit system.