Rider Power: 2023 Year in review
This year was one of hard work and huge wins for New York City public transit riders. Our members and staff called, texted, emailed, canvassed, rallied, chanted, painted, testified, lobbied, strategized, and traveled throughout the city (and up to Albany) to make the case that the State and City budgets had to meet riders’ needs. The combined acts of our heroic members added up to over 4,800 grassroots Rider Power actions and made a real impact:
We celebrated a New York State budget that not only stabilizes and sustains funding for the MTA, but also includes more frequent service for riders. Riders won an unprecedented increase in subway service on nights and weekends. In 2023, eight train lines will see frequency increases bringing wait times during the weekday midday, evening, and weekends from an average of ten to eleven minutes to six to eight minutes. These lines include the G, J, M, C, N, R, 1, and 6 trains. In 2024, the frequency increases will continue on four more lines, including the B, D, 3, and 5 trains.
For the first time since it was established, eligibility for Fair Fares (the half-priced MetroCard program our members campaigned for and won in 2018) has been extended from 100% to 120% of the federal poverty level. We’ll continue working to raise eligibility to 200% of the poverty level so Fair Fares can help more than 1 million New Yorkers at a time of spiraling inequality, inflation, and hardship.
Four years after winning our #FixTheSubway campaign, the federal government finally approved the first-in-the-nation congestion pricing program. Tolling for cars and trucks entering the Manhattan central business district should begin in mid-2024. We would not have reached this critical milestone without building a strong, diverse coalition that has worked together to direct so many of the pressing questions of our future as a city, region, and economy back to congestion pricing.
Meanwhile, back at headquarters, we moved into a beautiful new office, brought a new team member onboard, Salma Allam, our Johnson Justice Grassroots Organizing Fellow, held our first Transit Activist Summit for grassroots leaders, and opened a merch store on our website!
This year, we also got to hold more social and educational gatherings including our much loved I Transit happy hour, a deep dive breakfast into MTA capital spending and future costs-saving opportunities, a Rider Power Celebration to toast an incredible state budget season, and a G-Train themed picnic in Ft. Greene Park. And of course, we were grateful to be able to come together and celebrate our amazing community at our annual gala.
Even after a year of great success, particularly for subway riders, there are still many opportunities for us to win meaningful investments in more reliable, affordable transit. This is especially true for those who ride the bus, as these riders are still more likely to live in areas poorly served by the subway and continue to face some of the longest, most arduous commutes. That’s why, as the tide that lifts all boats, we’re heading into 2024 laser-focused on winning major improvements to bus service.
Better Buses on Flatbush Ave:
As a vital transit corridor in need of significant improvements (as identified by DOT), supporting 12 bus routes and constantly choked by traffic with nary a bus lane along its 10 miles from DUMBO to Flatlands, Flatbush Avenue presents an opportunity to win a landmark project that can center underserved and disenfranchised bus riders as primary stakeholders and define major bus improvements as the true future of transit in NYC.
Through this campaign to bring better buses to Flatbush Avenue, we aim to work with local community members to create a ‘blueprint’ for building strong, rider-led efforts that can cut through the politics and see through the implementation of new, transformative bus priority projects throughout the city.
Congestion Pricing:
After years of delay, we’re looking ahead to the final months before congestion pricing begins operation, which is slated to happen as soon as May. Right now, even if it can feel like a done deal, there are still powerful adversaries utilizing every tactic they can to further delay and disrupt the imminent implementation of congestion pricing with unfounded lawsuits and debunked misinformation campaigns.
We will continue to work with our coalition partners and rally the voices of the majority of New Yorkers who have everything to gain from congestion pricing to get it past the finish line without further concessions to those who oppose less congestion, cleaner air, and dedicated funding to improve and expand our transit system.
Fair Fares:
Even after winning an expansion of the Fair Fares program to raise eligibility from 100% to 120% of the federal poverty level (rising from $14,580 to $17,496), New Yorkers are still feeling the pressure of an ongoing affordability crisis and transit costs are still a significant burden for many working people. In 2024, we will continue to build power amongst working New Yorkers and stand in allyship with our partners at Community Services Society and supporters on the Council to raise eligibility to 200% of the federal poverty level and ensure access to affordable transit for all.