Good morning! I’m Jessica Spezio representing the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC).
Today is a big day for the subway: it’s 121st anniversary! Happy birthday to the backbone of our transit system, city, and entire region.
As a former subway conductor, I saw every day how important it was to the lives of millions of New Yorkers. Whether it was young kids excited to hear the subway announcements or people depending on transit to get to work in the morning, it’s a major part of what makes our city great.
That’s why it’s so important that transit continues to get investment and upgrades so that generations to come can keep depending on the subway system. We were thrilled that the billionth rider of the year came earlier than in previous years and this past Thursday set a post-pandemic record with 4.56 million riders— both are great signs that people are returning to transit as it gets safer, more reliable, and faster. We hope that more ridership milestones will be met as we approach the busy holiday season, and people turn to transit instead of driving.
As we get ready to say goodbye to the MetroCard, we’re happy to see the partnerships launched last week celebrating such an iconic piece of transit history on its farewell tour. We know that in time, the OMNY card will rise to its level, especially now that 87% of riders are tapping instead of swiping. We’re glad that many of the initial issues with OMNY are being fixed, so that the system is fully ready in the new year.
Congrats to Demetrius on your first year at the helm of NYCT, happy 121st birthday to the subway, and many more in the future! Thank you.