It’s a good time to be a bus rider! We’re excited about the rejuvenated partnership between the MTA and the city and seeing the passion and commitment that will bring us the faster, more reliable buses we know are possible. Yesterday’s kick-off for the newly redesigned, separated center running bus lanes on Flatbush Avenue will bring it closer to true BRT and be a gamechanger for 132,000 daily riders. The work will also improve safety across the neighborhood.

As we await more details on future corridors and routes that will see upgrades, we’re also celebrating other recent announcements on Fordham, Linden, and more.

I have been riding the bus much more frequently, and can honestly say that the vast majority of riders I have seen have tapped. The main exception has been after school, but we know from our work on the Blue Ribbon Panel that is going to be a bigger ship to turn through education, primarily, followed by enforcement. We support the work of the EAGLE Teams in quelling the tide of fare evasion, and hope they are also sharing information about Fair Fares. Fare evasion should not be a crime of poverty – we know you agree. Expanding Fair Fares to increase eligibility to 300-percent of the FPL and implementing automatic enrollment, while allowing New Yorkers making 150-percent of the FPL to ride buses and subways for free, is the best way to ensure that everyone gets where they need to go. We’re excited Speaker Menin and the Council have continued to make this a top priority this budget season.

The extent of the capital work coming to the G train, other routes and various stations will bring some pain, but the gain will be overwhelmingly worth it. Accessible transit with reliable and frequent service should be the goal.

We are all hoping there is no pain on the LIRR next month and urge all parties to come to an agreement for the best interests of commuters across Long Island. A strike would be devastating, with no winners.

Thank you.

The post MTA Board Testimony- April 29, 2026 appeared first on PCAC.

New dual-mode locomotives will allow commuters and leaf peepers alike to see the Hudson Valley’s beautiful foliage faster and 85% cleaner. This is complemented by five new Super Express trains flying from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central in under 90 minutes. It’s great to see more and more of these rider-friendly options.  

Come January, senior, disabled, and Medicare-eligible riders will be able to access these faster trains for an affordable price thanks to the closing the of the restriction that prevents them from using their discounts in the morning peak. We are very encouraged by the new plan to expand Family Fare to 12 to 17-year-olds for $1 to make taking the railroad cheaper than driving for families. PCAC has advocated for both of these changes for many years, and we are thrilled to see them moving forward. 

With on-time performance above 95%, it’s easy to see why both railroads continue to hit post-COVID ridership records. The fare change provides an opportunity to build on this record ridership by better serving riders in subway deserts like Southeast Queens. CityTicket has saved New Yorkers over $100 million driven all-time ridership highs at city railroad stations – some of the only stations to surpass pre-COVID ridership. We continue to urge the development of a CityTicket Weekly, with transfers to subways and buses included in the price.   

It’s time to seize on this success by allowing city rail riders to benefit from the cost savings of weekly or even monthly ticket options, the same options suburban riders have. Creating a single City Terminal Zone across both railroads would bring the railroads, now under the same roof at Grand Central, under the same fare structure. New proposed day passes should apply to both railroads, encouraging regional travel in addition to traditional commutation.  

Thank you. 

The post Family Fare Expansion is Another Win for Riders- Joint LIRR Metro-North Committee Testimony appeared first on PCAC.

We already knew that Congestion Pricing will reduce traffic, improve air quality, and help fight climate change. More importantly, the data and projections in the Environmental Assessment show that the vast majority of people who enter Manhattan below 60th Street do so using public transit.  

Given our mass transit system that permits one to board a train in the northernmost section of the Bronx and travel all the way to Coney Island on a single swipe of a metro card or OMNY tap, it makes sense to implement a toll on the few who still choose to drive — in order to fund transit improvements for the millions of riders who depend on the MTA every day.   

Of course, the reality is that there are still “transportation deserts” that deny many residents of the outer boroughs ready access to reliably convenient public transportation, these residents should not bear the burden of Congestion Pricing.  

There are still questions to be answered – time to develop answers—Congestion Pricing should be accompanied by other policies to accomplish these goals. Including restrictions or incentives on truck deliveries during peak or off-peak business hours, and variable Congestion Pricing tolls depending on vehicle. We have companies with fully remote staff, surely these same companies can determine how to receive deliveries in off-peak hours.  

The transit system design, pricing, schedules, and service-frequency must be reimagined based on the new remote work and lifestyles. Not to mention the need for safe and clean transit vehicles and stations to attract riders and increase revenue. 

Congestion can be further improved by trucks not being double parked for deliveries and blocking streets and bus lanes. 

I recognize these are not easy solutions but warrant research and exploration as you implement Congestion Pricing. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

The post Congestion Pricing Will Reduce Traffic and Fight Climate Change appeared first on PCAC.

View full statement here: 5.4.2020 essential overnight service

The post Enhanced Overnight Service: An Encouraging Plan, Questions Remain appeared first on PCAC.

The post Next PCAC Meeting Is December 5th appeared first on PCAC.

L Train sign-on letter April 26

The post L Train Slowdown Must Be Transparent! appeared first on PCAC.

In his statement upon nomination, then-President Foye said, “I look forward to working with our customers, elected officials, the MTA Board and advocates as we continue to improve and build a transit system that truly works for all New Yorkers.” As advocates for the more than eight million daily users of New York City Transit, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North, we look forward to working with him to achieve the system that riders deserve.

The post Congrats to New MTA Chairman and CEO Foye! appeared first on PCAC.

Over the course of a year, we compared our rider’s experience to NYC Transit’s real-time data feeds to capture both the larger context and the improvements that have been made through the Subway Action Plan (SAP) and the Save Safe Seconds campaign. In addition to capturing these improvements, the report includes recommendations in the context of the Fast Forward plan. It underscores the importance of taking the next critical steps to identify funding and put the plan in place – not just for this trip, but for the entire system and its 5.5 million daily riders.

Download report here: 100 Days & 100 Nights: From Astoria to Lower Manhattan and Back

Visit the report website: https://www.pcac100daysandnights.org/

The post 100 Days and 100 Nights: From Astoria to Lower Manhattan and Back appeared first on PCAC.

We encourage you to try different combinations of options to see how much they would raise toward the goal!

Play here.

The post Do the Math: On Track For a Better Ride​ appeared first on PCAC.

The proposed internal reorganization provides both opportunities and pitfalls. It merits careful and thorough consideration that should not be constrained by an arbitrary June deadline. We’ve seen benefits from prior efforts, but we’ve also seen failures that should serve as case studies of what not to do.

We are troubled by the creation of an oversight committee, especially as laid out here. Where is the voice of commuter rail riders?? There’s no mention anywhere of the Long Island Rail Road or Metro-North and that’s a real problem. Whether it’s called the Regional Transit Committee or Mass Transit Expert Panel, their functions mirror those of the MTA Board, effectively adding another layer of bureaucracy at a time when transparency is key. If the Regional Transit Committee moves forward, many questions remain including: who will appoint the representatives of the riders of NYC Transit, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad? We look forward to learning more and working with our elected leaders to help shape the future of the MTA for the riders we represent.

PCAC MTA Reorganization Plan 2.26.19

The post MTA Reorganization: Cuomo and de Blasio Come Together! appeared first on PCAC.