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MTA Transit Committee Meeting Testimony-Safety and Equity Will Bring Riders Back

Good morning, I am Lisa Daglian, Executive Director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, PCAC. It’s so encouraging to see service returning as transit workers return from the Omicrom wave. Many thanks to our heroes who have continued to keep the region moving throughout the pandemic.

Over the weekend, Janno gave heartfelt remarks about how “…mass transit in this city…is about equity.” He spoke about important projects like the second phase of the Second Avenue Subway connecting people in subway deserts to jobs and opportunity, about Penn Access and how it will finally give people in Co-op City a commuter rail option, and about increasing participation in Fair Fares. We echo that and ask the city to consider changing the eligibility criteria to the much higher NYC poverty level, which would more accurately reflect the cost of living here. We’d also point out that Atlantic Ticket and upcoming City Ticket pilot program are designed to provide more affordable and equitable access to more transit options and opportunity.