15 minutes to an hour: MTA may increase public transit waiting times

A study by the public transportation advocacy group Riders Alliance shows that due to budget deficits, the New York City Transportation Administration (MTA) may increase waiting times for buses and subway trains by 15-60 minutes, depending on route. Details told the publication AMNY.

The MTA said the volume of services could be cut by up to 40%, and authorities have repeatedly called on the federal government for financial assistance as the COVID-19 pandemic has robbed the agency of most of its revenue. But the Senate has been ignoring these requests since April.

A Riders Alliance study shows that, without the $ 12 billion requested from the federal government to support the MTA, the average commute to work on New York's public transit will be much longer than it is now. At the moment this figure is 51 minutes.

“Reducing transit services will take hours of precious time from millions of New Yorkers every week,” said Betsy Plum, executive director of the Riders Alliance. “Public transportation is the lifeblood of the city and a lifeline for the millions of hardworking Americans struggling to support their families. The House of Representatives voted twice to save the transportation system, and now the White House and the Senate must take action to help the transportation system during the pandemic. ”

How much on average the waiting time for transport will increase:

• Metro - 15 minutes
• Bus - 30 minutes
• West Farm (Bronx) - Washington Heights (Manhattan) - 30 minutes
• Flushing (Queens) - Financial District (Manhattan) - 30 minutes
• Alphabet City - Midtown (Manhattan) - 45 minutes
• Crown Heights (Broolkyn) - East Harlem (Manhattan) - 45 minutes
• Canarsie - Sunset Park - 60 minutes

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The MTA does not dispute the predictions outlined in the Riders Alliance study.

“This report underscores what we've been talking about all along: access to public transport is clearly an important issue for the city's residents,” said MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan. “As with any potential cutback in services, the hardest consequences will be on the shoulders of those who rely on us the most. If the federal government wants to support doctors, nurses, police officers, transportation workers, drugstore and grocery salespeople who help tackle the crisis, Washington must provide us with $ 12 billion in funding. ”

MTA chairman Pat Foy said waiting times could increase by eight minutes for the metro and 15 minutes for buses. The proposed $ 1 fare increase, along with a 40% cut in services, could be enacted soon if the federal government does not approve the funding. Overall, the MTA projects a $ 16 billion budget deficit by 2024.