“Right now the authority is facing a billion-dollar shortfall,” said Danny Pearlstein, director of Policy and Communications for Riders Alliance.
A recent economic report shows that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has large debts that put the system at risk.
The report was released by Reinvent Albany and argues that the MTA faces a “fiscal cliff” that could destroy transit service when federal emergency COVID aid runs out.
Riders Alliance, a non-profit organization, makes sure that mass transit works properly for everyone in the city.
“Transit is something that unites us all and we are calling on elected officials, especially Governor Kathy Hochul, to take action. Specifically, we want you to spend your January budget saving on transportation and investing in the better service that New Yorkers need,” Pearlstein added.
According to the group, the threats facing public transport include route closures, drastic reductions in service and fares rising beyond what many people can afford.
A large part of the problem is due to the declining number of users of the system.
Few users.
As of October 2022, the MTA’s monthly transit ridership remains at 65 percent of 2019 levels, according to the released report.
The report ensures that the MTA has no future without billions in new, recurring and dedicated state funds for operations.
“We’re glad the MTA is sounding the alarm. This truly is an imminent disaster for transit passengers and we urge the Transit Authority to use Open Balance figures to help strengthen their state aid plea to the public and the legislator,” Rachael Fauss of Reinvent Albany .
For his part, Janno Lieber, executive director and president of the transit authority, recently attended the Somos conference in Puerto Rico, where he called on lawmakers to find new sources of revenue for the system.
The train and bus system carries millions of users into the city 24/7, which is why state and federal budget support is urgently needed.
