MTA

December 19, 2024

Hochul deploys 250 more National Guard troops to patrol NYC subway during holiday season

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced that an additional 250 National Guard troops will patrol the New York City subway system during the holiday season, bringing the total count to 1,000 troops following their initial deployment in March. News of additional troops comes even as subway crime is down 10 percent since March, according to the governor. There is currently no planned end date to withdraw the extra troops.
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December 16, 2024

MTA to start retiring subway trains with retro orange-and-yellow seats in 2025

The New York City subway system's classic orange-and-yellow seat cars are entering their twilight years, set to begin gradually disappearing from the tracks in 2025. Starting next year, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) plans to slowly retire the R46, R62, and R68 subway cars—part of the MTA's "B Division" fleet—known for their colorful L-shaped, back-to-back seating, according to PIX11. The outdated cars will be replaced with the new R211 cars, as outlined in an NYC Transit order form.
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December 2, 2024

MTA rolls out first-ever festive ‘holiday train’ on Metro-North

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is spreading holiday cheer across the tri-state region, offering commuters a festive way to ride the rails. The transit agency on Friday introduced the first-ever Holiday Lights Train on the Metro-North, operating on random rotation on the Hudson Line, Harlem Line, and New Haven Line at all times through the New Year. The festive trains are decked out with colorful exterior lights and play special holiday-themed safety messages at select stations.
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November 15, 2024

MTA to offer free shuttle buses, discounted LIRR rides during Rockaway A line shutdown

Rockaway residents won't be left stranded this winter while the A and S subway lines undergo rehabilitation. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced a substitute service plan to ensure reliable transit options for Rockaway residents while the MTA conducts vital resilience upgrades to the A and S lines. The plan includes two free shuttle buses, heavily discounted Long Island Rail Road fares, and a free Rockaway subway shuttle train serving all stations on the peninsula between Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park.
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November 11, 2024

Hochul considers resuming congestion pricing after Trump win

Gov. Kathy Hochul is reportedly exploring ways to revive congestion pricing before President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to eliminate the plan, takes office. As first reported by Politico, the governor's office has asked the U.S. Department of Transportation about potentially lowering the proposed toll from $15 to $9 and whether this change would require another lengthy environmental review process.
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November 7, 2024

Hochul shows no signs of resuming congestion pricing before Trump takes office

Transit advocates are urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to fund congestion pricing before the inauguration of Donald Trump, who has promised to terminate the program during his first week in office. During a press conference on Wednesday, Hochul said she could only provide updates on MTA funding later this year and did not address the fate of congestion pricing, while still acknowledging the limited time before Trump takes office.
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November 5, 2024

The A train won’t run in the Rockaways for 4 months starting in January

The A train will shut down in the Rockaways for four months starting in January to strengthen infrastructure against extreme weather. From January 17 to May 19 next year, the A train will not run at all between Howard Beach-JFK Airport to Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street or Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue in both directions. During this period, the Rockaway Park Shuttle, which normally runs to Broad Channel, will instead operate between Rockaway Park and Far Rockaway, with no shuttle service running at all during the first week of the closure
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October 30, 2024

MTA moves forward with design of Interborough Express project

The Interborough Express, a proposed public transit connection between Brooklyn and Queens, is one step closer to becoming a reality. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the preliminary engineering and design phase of the 14-mile light rail line and began an environmental review with the federal government, according to Bloomberg. The initial phase is expected to take roughly two years to complete.
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October 9, 2024

Grimace joined Mets fans on the 7 train to Citi Field

From Pete Alonso's pumpkin to "OMG" signs, the New York Mets have had several quirky good luck charms that helped them go from below .500 at one point in the season to one win away from this year's National League Championship Series. Perhaps none greater than Grimace, the McDonald's mascot. To get to Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, the purple cartoon character boarded a Citi Field-bound 7 train at Hudson Yards decked out in Grimace decals.
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October 9, 2024

Staten Island Railway gets new train cars for the first time in over 50 years

New subway cars have hit the tracks of the Staten Island Railway for the first time in over 50 years. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Tuesday launched new cutting-edge R211S subway cars into service that feature wider doors, security cameras, digital route screens in all cars, and enhanced accessibility features. To celebrate the new cars, MTA officials and commuters took an inaugural ride from St. George Terminal.
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October 3, 2024

Penn Station needs expansion to boost train capacity, new report concludes

The only way to increase train capacity at Penn Station is to expand the Midtown Manhattan transit hub, a new report concludes. This week Amtrak, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), and NJ Transit released "Doubling Trans-Hudson Train Capacity at New York Penn Station," an engineering feasibility study exploring four concepts to double train capacity without expanding the station's size. Ultimately, none of these proposals were found feasible, marking a shift in focus towards options that would increase Penn Station's footprint.
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September 19, 2024

MTA unveils $68B capital plan to keep NYC transit system afloat

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Wednesday released a $68.4 billion capital plan for 2025-2029 mapping out ways to improve the transit system. The plan, "The Future Rides with Us," focuses on maintaining New York City's aging subway system by funding new train cars, improving deteriorating stations, and modernizing the signal system to ensure frequent and reliable service for New Yorkers. Nearly half of the funding remains uncertain, largely due to a $15 billion gap in the current capital plan caused by Gov. Kathy Hochul's indefinite pause on congestion pricing.
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September 16, 2024

MTA expands bus lane cameras to 20 more routes

Double-parkers beware. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Monday began its Automated Camera Enforcement (ACE) in all five boroughs, issuing warnings for vehicles blocking bus stops or illegally double parking in bus lanes during an initial 60-day period. After the warning period, drivers who break the rules will face fines starting at $50, with repeat offenses increasing up to $250.
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September 12, 2024

MTA could need $100B+ to fund transit projects over next five years

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) needs over $100 billion for transit projects and maintenance over the next five years, significantly more than the funds currently available, according to a new report. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on Thursday released a report estimating the MTA's 2025-2029 capital plan could cost up to $92.2 billion. This figure doesn't account for the $15 billion gap in the current plan due to Gov. Kathy Hochul's pause on congestion pricing, which would bring the total funds needed up to $107 billion.
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September 5, 2024

Grand Central-Times Square shuttle gets full cell service

The shuttle connecting Grand Central Terminal and Times Square now has full cell service. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday announced the installation of 5G wireless service on the 42nd Street Shuttle line, marking the MTA's first step in adding connectivity to all 418 track miles of subway tunnels. The new service, made possible through a public-private partnership with Boldyn Network, allows Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile customers to take a phone call or browse the internet while traveling between the two stations.
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September 3, 2024

G train resumes full service after summer shutdown

After a summer-long shutdown, the G train is back. Tuesday marked the first morning of full service on the G train since the end of June, ending a nine-week partial closure of the 11.4-mile line. During the shutdown, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority replaced 1930s-era signal infrastructure with communications-based train control (CBTC), allowing trains to run closer together, improving the reliability and efficiency of the line.
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August 28, 2024

As nearly half of NYC bus riders don’t pay, MTA deploys inspectors to combat fare evasion

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is ramping up its efforts to stop fare evasion in the bus system following a report that nearly half of all riders are not paying. The MTA on Monday revealed that new unarmed fare inspectors will be deployed on local buses throughout the city to enforce fare payment, with fare evaders being asked to leave the bus and potentially facing a summons or arrest. The city bus system has the worst fare evasion problem of any major city in the world, costing the transit agency more than $300 million every year.
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July 30, 2024

Second Avenue Subway work resumes after Hochul allocates $54M

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday allocated $54 million to immediately restart work on the Second Avenue Subway extension, which will bring the Q train from 96th Street to 125th Street in East Harlem. The new funding allows the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to relocate utility lines along Second Avenue in preparation for the next phase of the transit project. The MTA stopped work on the project last month after the governor indefinitely paused the start of congestion pricing; the $1 billion in projected annual revenue from the program was intended to fund the project.
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July 25, 2024

New Student OMNY cards expand free rides to 24 hours a day

Taking public transportation will soon be easier for New York City public school students. City officials on Tuesday announced Student OMNY cards will replace MetroCards, allowing for tap-and-go trips on the subway and bus. Plus, the new cards will be valid for four free rides per day, 24 hours a day, all year long. Previously, student MetroCards were limited to three free rides a day, from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and only on days when school was open.
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July 3, 2024

A lower congestion pricing toll floated by New York lawmakers

New York lawmakers are floating a lower congestion pricing toll as a way to convince Gov. Kathy Hochul to resume the program, which she halted "indefinitely" last month. The $15 base fee was established based on the 2019 law that required the program to raise enough to support $15 billion in debt. As first reported by the New York Times, some state senators are seeking an adjusted fee low enough for Hochul to endorse but high enough to fund the MTA adequately.
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July 1, 2024

200,000 more New Yorkers now eligible for half-priced MetroCards

Nearly 200,000 additional New Yorkers will be eligible for the city's half-priced transit fare program. Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council on Friday agreed to a $112.4 billion budget deal for fiscal year 2025, which adds $10.7 million in baseline funds for the Fair Fares program and increases the program's eligibility from 120 percent to 145 percent of the federal poverty level. The deal marks the biggest expansion of the Fair Fares program since it launched in 2019, with the entire eligible population now over one million New Yorkers.
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June 19, 2024

MTA stops work on Second Avenue Subway extension after congestion pricing delay

Work to extend the Second Avenue subway has stopped following Gov. Kathy Hochul's delay of New York City's congestion pricing program. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday announced that work on the transformative transit project, which would extend the Q line from its current endpoint at 96th Street to East Harlem at 125th Street, is now paused. The extension was one of the projects that would have been funded in part from congestion pricing revenue.
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June 17, 2024

Mosaics reflecting intimacy of NYC public life installed at Williamsburg subway station

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority unveiled two new mosaics in a Williamsburg subway station that reflect on the human connections of language and touch experienced throughout New York City's diverse communities. Fabricated by Miotto Mosaic Art Studios, Jackie Chang's "Signs of Life" and Chloë Bass' "Personal Choice #5" were installed throughout the Metropolitan Avenue/ Lorimer Street station in conjunction with new accessibility upgrades, including new stairs and elevators.
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June 6, 2024

The NYC transit projects affected by congestion pricing delay

With Gov. Kathy Hochul's last-minute decision to "indefinitely" pause the congestion pricing program, the MTA will lose out on an anticipated $15 billion in revenue. The governor's decision puts a huge gap in the agency's capital program, which planned to use proceeds from congestion pricing to make critical repairs and improvements to New York City's public transportation network. From making subway stations accessible and updating antiquated signaling to extending the Second Avenue Subway to East Harlem, several projects promised to improve the lives of millions of New Yorkers will now be delayed without dedicated funding.
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June 5, 2024

Hochul pauses congestion pricing plan ‘indefinitely’

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday officially paused New York City's congestion pricing program, just weeks before it was set to begin. According to Politico, the governor voiced concerns about how the program, which would have charged drivers $15 for entering Manhattan south of 60th Street starting June 30, might hurt Democrats in upcoming House races later this year. In a pre-taped video, Hochul said "circumstances have changed" since the program was approved in 2019 and cited the effects of the pandemic and high inflation on New Yorkers as reasoning behind halting congestion pricing "indefinitely."
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