The New York City Transit Riders Council, the voice of transit riders citywide issued the following statement upon learning of MTA Chairman Patrick Foye & NYC Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg’s letter to the Mayor & Police Commissioner requesting an additional 1000 police officers for the subway system:

“We applaud Chairman Foye and Interim President Feinberg’s request for 1000 additional police officers to patrol the subway system”, said NYCTRC Chair Andrew Albert. “Not only is it important to keep riders safe by multiple daily cleanings of subway cars and stations, but it is also important to keep riders safe from those who would do them harm. Having a visible police presence will do that, as would additional mental health services and sufficient housing available for those who need it. I have heard from many riders who say they would rather see police officers than cleaners. We need both, and the dedicated transit workers and the riding public deserve both — which can still be done with the restoration of overnight subway service.”

The call for 1000 additional police officers is in addition to the 500 additional officers already approved by Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.

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The MTA’s fiscal resources have been devastated as a result. More federal funding is critical to emerging from the crisis, as is restarting the capital program. The city’s $3 billion is needed sooner than later to help kickstart it. Congestion pricing will hopefully pick it up from there.

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Today you’ll be voting on the MTA’s 2021 budget. We don’t envy the difficult decisions you’ll be making that are largely due to the stalemate in Washington. The impact of lawmakers’ inability to come to agreement on a stimulus package that addresses the needs of transit agencies will be felt by riders – and economies – not just in New York, but across the United States. Hopefully, consensus on some relief will be reached in the coming days and we thank our elected leadership, including Senator Schumer, for their efforts to make it happen. We look forward to having a friend of transit in the White House and the new and improved dynamic that will bring.

Despite the gaping gap, we’re dismayed that the budget you are voting on includes a four percent yield fare increase. We hope everyone’s testimony will be considered – including those who will testify on December 21^st – before any decisions are made. We understand that in typical times we’d be due for the biennial increase – but these are not typical times. It is unfair to make those of us who have never left or have come back to transit pay for the loss in revenue from those who have not.

We urge you to table the fare increase and instead look at other ways to fill the hole as we await help from Washington. Have you considered a higher increase for tolls while holding riders harmless?

Toll revenue is rising as more people turn to driving. Ridership is still low and expected to remain that way for years to come. Raising fares will only push more people into cars, especially with looming service cuts. We should be looking at ways to incentivize transit ridership while reducing congestion and pollution.

We understand that service cuts are not up for discussion at this meeting, but it is critical that any reductions in service, any right sizing – which is essentially a service cut – be accompanied by public hearings and that public input be a real consideration before any decisions are made. Transparency engenders trust. It’s more important than ever that riders trust the MTA so they get back on board.  Thank you.

Full testimony: MTA Board Testimony 12.16.2020

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Statement by Gerard Bringmann, Chair,

Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council

December 3, 2020

“We wholeheartedly support our Representatives’ call to the IRS to give commuters a break on unused transit benefits. Many riders were caught off-guard and unable to stop their contributions on time back in March and are sitting on hundreds of dollars in unused – and unusable – funds. Some people have resorted to trying to sell their benefits for half off just to recoup some money as they struggle financially. While the pre-tax dollars can be used in the future, not everyone is going back to work, or going back the way they once did, and not any time soon. Thank you, Members of Congress Rice, King, Meeks, Suozzi, and Zeldin for looking out for riders. We hope the IRS hears your call and our plea for help.  The best gift the IRS could give us for the holidays is access to our money.”

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Why weren’t Riders or Board members notified of the proposed rules either at the May or the July Board meeting, when they were renewed? There are numerous channels that the MTA could have used to notify riders. Unfortunately, none were used. Therefore, it shouldn’t be a surprise that no public comments were received. It’s important to engage riders on rules that will directly impact them. The lack of transparency in this process contributes to rider distrust of the MTA.

The amended rules of conduct include prohibiting “any wheeled cart greater than 30 inches in either length or width”. However, not all New Yorkers have access to affordable fresh produce within walking distance and rely on transit to do their grocery shopping. Many use a cart to transport their items. When shopping for a family, a 30-inch cart is not that big. Many New Yorkers do not have access to cars or cannot afford car services. Prohibiting this option drives riders away from transit at exactly the time the MTA should be encouraging riders to use it.

Another amended rule is limiting the time riders can be in a station. For the railroads, there is a 90-minute time limit a person can use shelters, train platforms, or furniture in any area of any station. If you miss your train and it’s a 90-minute wait until the next train or if a service disruption can easily lead to a 90-minute gap in service, where are riders supposed to go? Further making it inconvenient for riders does not encourage them to take the train.

The MTA should be building public trust and engaging riders, especially when it directly affects them and their everyday needs. They might have gotten some good ideas about how to adjust the rules to reflect New Yorkers’ way of life and reliance on public transportation. Thank you.

Full testimony: Rules of Conduct SB 10.28.20

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“This technology is a twin win for riders and the LIRR. Not only will it assist commuters in being better able to social distance by knowing where there is available space on train cars, the rail road will be able to get more accurate ridership numbers on all of their trains without the need to hire surveyors to count passengers.”

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We’re pleased to see that the MTA has developed proposed final debarment regulations that respond to our concerns and those of good government groups like Reinvent Albany, and to the construction community. The regs were moved forward by the MTA Board today – slightly less than a year after the emergency regulations were passed in executive session and without public notice.

There will now be a 45-day comment period during which the public can weigh in on the regs, which narrow the scope of the earlier, ‘non-final’ regs; inject flexibility into whether to initiate debarment proceedings; change the composition of the three person hearing panel; and relate to ‘debarment of a contractor’s related parties and individuals…’.

Importantly, the new regs and added flexibility in debarment address concerns we’ve heard contractors state about bidding on MTA projects. We hope the revised regulations will translate into increased competition and lower prices on projects moving forward.

Among other changes, the newly proposed final regulations will only apply to contracts entered into after the emergency regulations took effect in April 2019 and do not apply to subcontractors – both of which are fair and should have been included in the earlier, emergency regulations. The issues that have been addressed were significant points of concern across a broad spectrum and we’re glad to see that the more collaborative approach to developing rulemaking will result in better regulations and a fair process to resolve project cost and schedule issues.

Download here: 5.20.20 Debarment regs update statement FINAL

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