Sen. Gounardes in Empire Report: To Build Faith in the MTA, Pass the Rider Representation Package
Originally published in
Empire Report
on
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As the MTA embarks on what is perhaps its most ambitious capital program in history, straphangers deserve a real say in the agency’s future
There’s a lot on the line for MTA riders in Albany this year. The State Legislature, working in tandem with Governor Hochul, identified more than $30 billion in funding for the MTA’s Capital Plan over the next five years.
Without investment in our historically neglected mass transit system, we would have suffered the same fate as those across the river in New Jersey, where NJ Transit riders are contending with lackluster service and an astonishing 15% fare hike this year (not to mention 3% fare hikes every year after that).
Unfortunately, the cynicism that has overtaken much of our nation’s politics extends to our region’s transit. Many New Yorkers have lost faith that we can do big things on time or on budget, particularly after the high-profile cost overruns that defined much of the last decade.
The New MTA, under what is perhaps the most capable leadership in the authority’s history, is doing the unglamorous work of restoring that faith: completing projects on time and under budget; making stations ADA accessible at a record pace; and identifying over $500 million in savings without cutting jobs or service. As part of the funding agreement reached in this year’s budget, they agreed to find $3 billion in additional savings.
While it’s great to see things moving in the right direction, we must do more.
Too many think of state government—and the MTA—as an ivory tower where their input doesn’t matter. To build real trust in the authority, we need to give everyday riders more than just a seat at the table; they need a voice, and a vote.
After the fiscal crisis of the 1970s, the Legislature created the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee (PCAC) to the MTA to be more responsive to riders’ needs. As part of that arrangement, three advisory councils representing riders on New York City Transit, the LIRR, and Metro-North each select Rider Representatives to sit on the MTA Board.
The Rider Representatives are the only MTA Board members required by law to actually ride transit, but unlike other board members, they don’t get a vote. That’s just plain backwards—and we’re proposing legislation to change it.
Our Rider Representation Act would finally give the MTA Board’s Rider Representatives voting privileges. These riders use the transit system daily, and they have a special expertise that comes from real-world experience. They know if wayfinding signage is unclear because they’ve used it to navigate. They know if a train’s PA system is busted, because they’ve heard the garbled announcements. They know how frustrating it is when service is delayed, because they rely on it to get to work every day.
Our bills would also add a new, independent voting board member to advocate for New Yorkers with disabilities. With the MTA working on everything from station accessibility and elevator maintenance to improvements to Access-A-Ride, the riders who depend on these investments should have a real say in how they’re implemented.
We’re also proposing a bill to make it easier and more expeditious to fill rider vacancies on the PCAC, ensuring no part of the MTA’s service area goes unrepresented. This legislation, the Rider Interests Deserve Empowering Representation or ‘R.I.D.E.R.’ Act, gives local elected leaders—rather than just citywide or borough-wide officials—more of a voice in recommending members who best know their communities’ needs.
Since its founding, PCAC’s staff and volunteers have fought to ensure the system gets the investment it needs, keeps fares reasonable, expands programs like Fair Fares to low-income New Yorkers, and broadens ticket options. Our legislation builds on that crucial work.
Together, we represent diverse communities across three boroughs. But we all agree that the best way to build trust in the MTA is to give New Yorkers a real say in the transit they depend on. Our Rider Representation Package does just that.
