As remote work, ride-sharing, and alternative eco-friendly modes of transportation increase in popularity, communities dependent on the availability and affordability of public transportation are feeling the pinch. In New York State, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) operates one of the largest transportation networks throughout the United States.
According to an MTA report, “Subway and Bus Ridership for 2023,” the MTA saw continued post-pandemic growth in ridership. The data shows that the MTA served an average daily ridership on subways of nearly 3.6 million, resulting in an annual paid ridership of 1.15 billion; The average daily ridership on buses was nearly 1.4 million, or an annual paid ridership of 426 million. The data confirms that these numbers are approximately 60% of the paid ridership reported in 2019, prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A survey released in 2016 by Pew Research reports that one-in-ten Americans report using a form of public transportation on a daily or weekly basis. New York State accounts for double the national average, with 25% of adults relying on public transit systems. The Pew Research survey concludes that, “Americans who are lower-income, black or Hispanic, immigrants or under 50 are especially likely to use public transportation.”
Furthermore, the United States aging population imposes urgent needs for these services. According to the Population Reference Bureau, “[…] the 65-and-older age group’s share of the total population is projected to rise from 17% to 23%.” For this aging population living below poverty lines, their inability to afford to have others drive for them leaves them entirely reliant on public transit services.
Despite this discernible dependence by New Yorkers, the MTA has been plagued by management issues, affecting daily and weekly commute times for passengers. Riders and advocacy groups are reporting decreases in scheduled peak times, unpredictable “dwell times,” or the times where a bus or train holds the doors open for prolonged periods to allow for passengers to board, reallocation of staff away from decreased bus and train routes, and other issues and concerns riders report experiencing with the transit system.
Concerns have been raised about a potential link between MTA mismanagement and the historical use of redlining to eliminate resource allocations, deliberately isolating people of color in impoverished communities. Conceptualization and development of New York City districts by architects and city planners, including Robert Moses, constructed segregated zones designed to make it harder for people of color to travel and access public resources.
Jack Nierenberg, Vice President of Passengers United, highlights these concerns: “Communities that are historically lower income [and] mainly consist of people of color […] have historically lacked proper public transportation access.” These communities are found in the surrounding boroughs and neighborhoods of New York City and rely on bus transit to transport them to main subway lines.
Statistics show that two-thirds of the city’s population live within walking distance of a subway station, with the exception of Queens, where less than four-in-ten people are within walking distance. Unfortunately, even these main subway lines require additional transfers to connect passengers with the rest of the city, and they may experience an hour and a half long commute to work because of inconsistent and unreliable transportation. “Their commutes are at least three times longer than the average Manhattanite,” says Nierenberg.
The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) service to Brooklyn used to offer “The Atlantic Ticket,” a discount program between Brooklyn and South East Queens that offered a $5.00 peak or off-peak option between the boroughs. With a purchase of a weekly Atlantic Ticket, which cost $60.00, passengers would receive a complementary unlimited MetroCard for easy and free transfers to buses or subways once they departed from the LIRR. The program was eliminated in 2023 and replaced with the “City Ticket”, a program that costs $5.00 during off-peak hours and $7.00 during peak hours and allows a rider to travel within NYC on both Metro North and the LIRR. The MTA eliminated the complementary unlimited MetroCard, leaving low-income regions feeling the financial strain.
Residents living on eastern Long Island have also experienced challenges resulting from the consolidation or elimination of peak and off-peak trains. Nierenberg informed Veris Media Group that initial MTA proposals aimed to make the last evening train to locations east of Ronkonkoma, depart Penn Station at 5:04PM. For employees scheduled to work from 9:00AM to 5:00PM, it made it virtually impossible for them to arrive at Penn Station prior to departure. Passengers United opposed the MTA proposal, ultimately getting the last evening train extended to 5:34PM. Despite the extra half-hour, many city employees are still unable to make the 5:34PM train, leaving them facing substantial costs for alternative modes of transportation between Ronkonkoma and points east.
As a result of ongoing issues with subway and LIRR access, local bus service is becoming the next most relied upon form of public transport. MTA buses fill a vital gap in public transportation, accessible to both residential and commercial neighborhoods. Due to this dependence, on Wednesday July 24, 2024, the MTA intends to hold a public hearing on the redesign of the Queens bus network. These redesigns initiated by the MTA promise to further support communities disregarded by other public transportation methods.
To date, this redesign has produced schedule restrictions during peak hours, an elimination of bus stops to simplify and speed up existing bus routes, and the removal of public structures like benches and overhangs to discourage loitering. The MTA remains adamant that the redesign will lead to more reliable and equitable bus service for communities. However, Nierenberg explains, “[…] when you have an initiative as bold as a redesign of the entire bus system, one of the first questions they should be asking themselves is […] how will equity be measured?” Nierenberg and other advocates believe that measurements should be based on the needs of all demographic groups that the MTA serves. Veris Media Group reached out to the MTA for comments, but has not yet received a response.
New Yorkers can agree, funding public transportation is crucial, and the proper allocation of funds benefits ridership in a tangible way. The MTA has maintained a long-standing commitment of working to improve identified shortcomings, in an effort to be as accessible and reliable as possible. Notwithstanding, the elimination of bus lines, abolishment of discount programs, and restructuring of routes, may be adversely affecting the same communities the MTA has promised to support.