Joint Committee Testimony
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.