MTA teams with other transit agencies to hold virtual rally for federal relief
Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
The Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 project is one step closer to reality.
New York MTA
On Monday, RT&S reported on the dire situation public transit agencies find themselves in due to loss of ridership caused by the pandemic. Yesterday, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) held a virtual rally with eight other large transit agencies across the nation to press the case for a COVID-19 relief package from Congress that includes substantial relief for transit agencies.
Here is part of a press release that MTA released yesterday:
“The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), today held a virtual rally with the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (NORTA), Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD), Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo), Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), Utah Transit Authority (UTA), Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to call on Congress to urgently deliver significant and immediate federal aid to public transportation systems nationwide as Congress debates the next coronavirus relief package.
“Transit agencies across the country are facing an unprecedented financial catastrophe caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In New York, the MTA is facing the prospect of cutting subway and bus service by 40% and Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad Service by 50%, reducing the workforce by up to 9,400 jobs and scaling back what had been the agency’s most ambitious program in history for infrastructural renewal and upgrade.
“Transit agencies across the country detailed the devastating impact of continued inaction from Washington and pushed for an immediate infusion of federal aid to stave off additional deep cuts.”
You can read the entire transcript of the virtual rally and view a 43-minute video of it via this link to the MTA website.
