March 23, 2026 

Good morning! I’m Kara Gurl, Planning and Advocacy Manager at the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC).  

First, thank you to the transit workers who kept us moving on Transit Employee Appreciation Day and every day. This was a particularly brutal winter for train service, and we’re thankful that riders were largely able to get around through the storms.  

But this winter, many Metro-North riders reported an abrupt change in the way that trains pulled into the stations—what we’ve now learned is called “Universal Train Spotting.” While riders may have previously waited for the train in the same spot on the platform every day, trains are now pulling all the way up to the front of the platform, shaking up the way that commuters show up for and wait for their trains. We’ve also heard reports of this happening on the LIRR more recently. 

We’re sure that there’s a reason for this policy change to ensure that trains are arriving in stations in a standardized way, but it’s important to communicate with riders in advance or in tandem with any decision that will impact their commutes. Consistency in where trains stop at stations makes sense, but the abrupt change left riders running up slippery platforms when the train no longer arrived at the spot where they’re used to catching it. As with all policy changes, riders can adapt if you clearly explain why changes are happening, why it will benefit them, and how they can change their travel behaviors to limit any inconveniences. We do appreciate that you’ve since made some tweaks and released a video explanation to address rider concerns.  

We’re similarly still hearing from riders who miss their ten-trip tickets and lament the loss of flexibility with the new and shorter ticket validity window. Thank you for making some major strides with affordability through the expanded Family Fare to age 17, extended AM peak discount for Senior, disabled, and Medicare-eligible riders, and permanent CityTicket one-way fares—these are all examples of how common-sense fare policy can help attract more people onto transit, and we hope to see detailed ticket sales data on the Open Data portal in the coming months. Thank you. 

The post Thanking Transit Workers, Improving Commutes appeared first on PCAC.

Good morning! I’m Kara Gurl, Planning and Advocacy Manager at the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC).

When we learned in early 2022 that Governor Hochul planned to create the IBX, we were beyond thrilled. A few years later, we’re well on the way to seeing this once-in-a-generation project take off. For too long, riders traveling between most of Brooklyn and Queens have had to ride through Manhattan or endure long bus and train trips. The IBX will transform the transit network for 160,000 daily riders and 900,000 neighborhood residents along the route. We’re endlessly thankful that the Governor has made this project a priority, and that the MTA has the funding and investment needed to commence the environmental review and scoping process.

We’re excited that the early stages of the planning study have pointed to light metro as the mode of choice for the IBX. Light metro systems have proven to be the best balance of cost-effectiveness, speed, and capacity so we support the decision to move forward with that mode. We’re thrilled the MTA is making the investment to tunnel below Metropolitan Avenue and All Faiths Cemetery to minimize the possibility of cars and trucks interfering with the IBX at grade level. Speeding up the run time, enhancing safety, and encouraging more riders will pay dividends over the long-term. 

We also hope to see stronger, more direct, transfer points between IBX stations and subway and the LIRR’s East New York station. While the existing tracks for the IBX may be located a few blocks away from some current stations, including at Broadway Junction and Brooklyn College, we hope to see station designs and wayfinding that clearly point riders to the IBX—and of course, transfer and fare policy that allows all riders to use all of the connected modes without paying twice.

Riders are counting on our elected leaders to continue funding and supporting transit at the city, state, and federal level. For too long, we’ve had to choose between maintaining the century-old transit system we have and expanding its reach— but as long as the MTA’s Capital Plan remains funded, New Yorkers will see that we can have both. Thank you.

The post IBX Scoping Meeting Testimony appeared first on PCAC.

This month marked another important milestone for the Interborough Express: officially kicking off the environmental review process and getting started with formal project scoping. The IBX is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to connect Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods with much faster trips, and it’s also a chance to show that the MTA can build new things with the development of our first light rail project. We encourage riders to speak up at the MTA’s upcoming scoping meetings to weigh in on the details of the project, station locations, and reasons why the IBX will benefit you. We’ll have more to say in the coming weeks about just how transformative the IBX will be for riders, the city, and even for the MTA itself.

There’s a lot to be optimistic about with the MTA’s capital projects, but we remain alarmed by the actions of USDOT and the federal government that risk holding New York back. Withholding $18 billion for the Hudson River Tunnel Project and phase two of the Second Avenue Subway – combined with their decision to withhold critical antiterrorism and public safety money for the MTA – are the latest examples of their blatant efforts to punish New York and New Yorkers.

Tens of thousands of jobs hang in the balance and hundreds of billions in economic activity are at stake should these projects fail to move forward. These jobs and essential projects support not just New York but the entire region, and the working men and women who depend on them. We stand with Governor Hochul and the New York Congressional Delegation and urge them to fight this unconstitutional injustice with every ounce of their strength. We encourage you to continue the work that needs to get done, and thank you for keeping riders moving in times of uncertainty.

The post Capital Program Committee Testimony- Keeping Transit Projects Moving Without Support from USDOT appeared first on PCAC.

Nearly a month into the full implementation of the Queens Bus Network Redesign, we’re glad— but not surprised— that things are working smoothly. This generational upgrade to the Queens bus network and $35 million in new operating funding was sorely needed, and it’s great to see that many of the common-sense improvements like balancing stop spacing, streamlining routes, and creating new “Rush” routes are helping riders already. The PCAC team was out at bus stops around Queens as ambassadors for both phases of the redesign implementation. We were glad to see such a robust in-person program informing riders about changes— it’s clear that the best way to tell riders that their commutes are changing is by meeting them where they already are, at their bus stops and in their neighborhoods.

But the MTA can’t improve the bus network alone: NYC DOT has a major role to play in upgrading our buses. We’re very happy that construction on the upgraded Flatbush Avenue began last week with center-running bus lanes, reduced traffic lanes, and bus boarding islands. This is a big step in the right direction towards true BRT in New York City, and we encourage the city and MTA to work together to upgrade street-level infrastructure around the five boroughs that will speed up buses. Our report, released earlier this summer, “BRT for the Boroughs,” outlines even more improvements that can be made on Flatbush and around the five boroughs – but only with the city’s direct involvement.

We’re also calling on the city to expand the Fair Fares program to at least 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and to the railroads within the city so that 450,000+ more New Yorkers can afford transit. Currently, minimum wage workers earn too much to qualify— that needs to change. Especially as we approach a potential new mayoral administration, the time has never been better to make major upgrades to the city’s transit commitments and opportunities.

Thank you.

The post NYCT Committee Meeting- Interagency Collaboration for Better Buses appeared first on PCAC.

Good evening! I’m Kara Gurl, Planning and Advocacy Manager at the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC).

I’m here tonight to talk about some very welcome fare policy changes, along with some improvements that could make transit simpler and more affordable for riders.

We’re thrilled you’re proposing to expand the senior and disability half-fare to the AM peak, something PCAC has long advocated for. We also support planned, moderate fare increases coupled with targeted discounts.

Making the 7-day rolling fare cap permanent and adding it to express buses is great. It makes total sense not to have to pay upfront for rides, as with the unlimited MetroCard offerings. However, adding a single-day—and most importantly, 30-day—fare cap would ensure that the most frequent riders are not subjected to a fare increase of up to 18%. We urge you to work with Cubic to program OMNY readers in this way.

We’re also thrilled to see that CityTicket will become permanent, and that all one-way city zone fares on TVMs will match its price. PCAC has long called for this fix so that no one is accidentally overcharged simply for not knowing about CityTicket, and we appreciate that you’ve listened.

With CityTicket, the one-way ticket price is standard no matter where in the city you travel within a single railroad. But because there are still five different fare zones across the railroads within the boroughs, the cost of a weekly or monthly ticket varies whether you’re traveling from Jamaica to Grand Central, Woodside to Grand Central, or Fordham to Grand Central—as much as a $17.50 weekly or $45 monthly difference. It’s time to create one unified city zone with one unified fare for each ticket option. We also renew our longstanding call for a CityTicket Weekly with transfers to subways and buses. Similarly, we like the concept of an unlimited day pass, but it should be valid for use across both railroads.

Thank you for holding these hearings, but we encourage you to schedule additional full hearings around the region. We’re confident that with more discussion, we can settle on fare policy choices that bring riders a more unified, affordable transit system.

The post Fare Change Hearing Testimony- One Unified City Zone for a Better Transit Network! appeared first on PCAC.

Earlier this month, PCAC launched a survey to hear from riders about the transition to OMNY. We asked about their tapping habits, whether they’ve experienced any issues, and what features and integrations they want to see in the future.

We’ve found that riders want to make sure that OMNY will give them the best fare option available, without having to think about it or second-guess that they’ll be overcharged. We understand that OMNY’s backend had some issues last month leading to charges showing up after they were made, and that those have been worked out. But riders should be able to immediately see—whether on the reader itself or on their devices—whether their transfer was honored, they’ve hit their fare cap and how much they were charged.

Riders also told us they want OMNY to be a chance for new—and more—features and functionality, like transfers to other modes like ferries and Citi Bike, without losing their favorite things about the MetroCard, like a 30-day fare option. We know it’s possible—London and other cities have done it—and we hope Cubic will work with the MTA to make it happen. More to come on our survey results soon, but if you haven’t taken it, go to pcac.org/OMNYsurvey!

We were also proud to rally with Council Speaker Adams, Riders Alliance, and the Community Service Society earlier this month in support of Fair Fares expansion. PCAC released a new report showing that over 415,000 New Yorkers in every Council district of the city would benefit from expansion to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Fair Fares is a vital lifeline for low-income New Yorkers to access transit, and we urge you to put pressure on the city to finally expand the program to include minimum wage workers before the budget is finalized.

Lastly, we’re looking forward to seeing the Queens Bus Network Redesign begin implementation! We’ll be out as Ambassadors and continue to monitor feedback from riders as the changes take effect and hope to see bus speeds increase. Thank you.

The post Tapping the Way to a Better Ride- NYCT Committee Testimony appeared first on PCAC.

But we can’t ignore recent complaints from riders who are dealing with extra charges, late charges, and customer service complaints, as reported by Jose Martinez in The City.

Of course, we hope it’s true that riders aren’t actually being overcharged but are instead seeing a delay coming hours or days after tapping. But riders need to be able to trust OMNY before the MetroCard is fully phased out—and these bumps in the road are unfortunately making the transition more painful than it should be.

We in this room understand that OMNY is a common-sense upgrade that will make riding transit easier and more affordable. But despite outreach efforts, average riders are concerned about the transition—whether about being overcharged, data privacy, or ensuring that they can still pay with cash.

At this time of transition, it’s more important than ever to use OMNY’s potential to create new fare discounts that can put money – and time – back in riders’ pockets. You’ve heard about our “Rider-First Fare Agenda,” a package of fare discounts and new ticket deals to make transit more affordable and attractive. OMNY and its integration with the TrainTime app will make discounts between the LIRR, Metro-North, and subways and buses more feasible, especially if riders are automatically charged the best fare available to them.

Change isn’t easy, particularly when riders have grown so used to swiping. Building trust with riders also isn’t easy and it’s harder to rebuild it after a negative experience when finances are involved. We urge you to over-communicate with the public about the transition to OMNY, remain responsive when riders complain, and ensure that double charges are being investigated and refunded quickly when appropriate. Coupled with creative fare discounts, we’re confident that riders will eventually embrace OMNY in time for the MetroCard’s phase out. Thank you.

The post MTA Committee Meeting Testimony- Making Sure OMNY Works for Riders appeared first on PCAC.

As state budget season comes to a close—hopefully soon—the time to fully fund the 2025-29 Capital Plan is now or never. Whether it’s through  expanding the Payroll Mobility Tax, reinstating the Stock Transfer Tax, instituting a package tax, or another combination of the dozens of funding options we evaluated in our report called “Take Your Pick,” riders deserve investment. We encourage Albany to choose funding options that don’t disproportionately burden low-income New Yorkers or New York City, as the benefits of transit investment support our entire region and state. Riders can’t afford to see our Capital Plan cut or rejected again, especially when the bulk of this plan is essential state of good repair work, accessibility upgrades, and signal revamps.

PCAC also strongly rejects USDOT’s ongoing attempts to kill congestion pricing. Every month, the benefits have become more and more clear—and the worst-case scenarios that opponents like Sean Duffy continue to fearmonger still haven’t materialized! In fact, quite the opposite. Business is up traffic is down and transit riders and drivers are already reaping the benefits. We fully support the MTA’s lawsuit against the administration’s feckless attempts to bring back traffic and congestion, this time by threatening to pull even more funding. The feds should put down their swords and learn to upload the correct documents next time.

Lastly, with the economy and affordability issues front and center for so many New Yorkers, now is the time to expand fare discounts around the region. PCAC’s Rider-First Fare Agenda lays out five common-sense ways to make sure that all New Yorkers can afford transit:

• Expand Fair Fares to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and to the Railroads within New York City;
• Ensure that Seniors and disabled riders can use their discount on the Railroads during the morning peak;
• Create a Family Fare that includes 12- to 17- year olds, who are currently forced to pay the full adult fare;
• And create a Weekly CityTicket with transfers to subways and buses within New York City.

As we continue the transition to OMNY, investing in transit affordability will pay off in the long term by encouraging more riders to get on board. Thank you.

The post “Investing in Riders is Good for the Region” Joint NYCT/RRs/Capital/TBTA Committee Testimony appeared first on PCAC.

First, congratulations to the new members of the New York City Transit leadership team. Riders are in good hands with Bill Amarosa as Senior VP of Subways, Rachel Cohen as VP of Paratransit, Bernard Jackson joining us as COO from Dallas.   Congrats to Chris Pangilinan on your new role at buses. And Frank, thank you for all you’ve done for bus riders.

Last week, USDOT Secretary Duffy threatened to withhold transit funding for the MTA if the agency doesn’t share data and plans on subway safety. The good news is that the MTA and NYPD have been sharing that data for years! The numbers don’t lie, and crime rates and fare evasion are way down. And even if the numbers weren’t trending in the right direction, defunding the MTA won’t make riders safer. Ditto for stopping congestion pricing, and the so-called reprieve is welcome. Thank you to Governor Hochul for standing strong in defense of riders— the cameras are staying on, and they’ll continue to past the monthlong extension.

Millions of daily riders depend on transit – as does our regional economy. We need investment, including fully funding the 2025-29 Capital Plan. The $35 billion funding gap that Albany needs to fill stands between riders and critical projects like station accessibility, signal upgrades, essential state of good repair work, and expansion projects like the IBX. And we hear that even more elevators are on the way, thanks to ongoing cost savings. But now it’s up to the Governor and legislators to put their heads together and make sure that our transit infrastructure doesn’t crumble. We’ll be back in Albany next week reminding them how important transit is. Our report from last month details dozens of ways that Albany could fund the MTA.

Lastly, we were proud to stand with Riders Alliance and CSS last week calling on the city to expand Fair Fares to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level and the commuter railroads within New York City. Over 415,000 more New Yorkers would qualify from this common-sense change. We appreciated hearing you advocate for this expansion last week as well. Thank you.

The post Riders Need Investment, Not Political Games-NYCT Committee Testimony appeared first on PCAC.

I’ll start by saying that PCAC strongly condemns the USDOT’s decision to withdraw their approval of congestion pricing. But the cameras are staying on, thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul. 

Six weeks in, the benefits of congestion pricing are undeniable. We’re seeing less traffic, fewer cars, more transit ridership, and faster bus speeds around the region. From express buses to New Jersey commuter buses to the previously slowest local buses in Manhattan, riders are finally getting where they need to go faster—and it’s all thanks to congestion relief. We support the MTA’s legal action to defend the vast majority of New Yorkers and New Jersey residents alike who ride transit. The program is bringing in the expected benefits following 4,000 pages of detailed environmental review, and we can’t go back now. The cameras are staying on! 

We were glad to see launch dates for the Queens Bus Network Redesign on the calendar. After years of planning, public comment, and revising, Queens bus riders will see bus routes adapted to meet their current needs—but of course, we hope to see room for tweaks once implementation begins and real-life feedback rolls in. These bus improvements should also be coupled with investment and partnership from the city in bus lanes, signal priority, and camera enforcement. 

We continue to urge legislators in Albany to come together with a plan to fund the MTA’s 2025-29 Capital Plan. So many critical subway and bus improvements are on the line. Everything from CBTC signal upgrades to resiliency projects to new rolling stock and electric buses will be delayed if our state leaders don’t put their heads together and fund the plan. Luckily, we did a lot of the work for them—this month, we released a report detailing two dozen potential funding streams, and counting! Riders need to see investment in the capital plan. The state of good repair of our system depends on it. Thank you! 

The post NYC Transit Committee Testimony- Keeping Congestion Pricing—and Riders—Moving. appeared first on PCAC.