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MTA Reduces Service As Ridership Plummets And More Workers Test Positive For Coronavirus
By
Stephen Nessen
Published Mar 24, 2020
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Gretchen Robinette / Gothamist
By
Stephen Nessen
Published Mar 24, 2020
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Starting Wednesday, the MTA will reduce subway service by 25%, with trains on the B, W and Z lines not running during the week, and some express trains running local.
The MTA promises most riders during the morning and evening rush won’t notice a difference in service. The agency refers to this schedule as the “Essential Service Plan.”
The service reduction comes as subway ridership this week declined 87%, and buses are down more than 70%. Metro-North is down 94% and Long Island Railroad ridership is down more than 71%, all of which helps with social distancing but crushes the MTA’s budget.
The agency also had 800 delays due to a shortage of MTA workers, now that more than 50 workers have tested positive for COVID-19. “It’s one of the main reasons we’re taking this step now,” according to New York City Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg.
Still, the MTA noted there were a few places where there is still crowding on buses. Due to hiring at the Amazon warehouse on Staten Island, Feinberg said some buses were crowded and the MTA will add buses to that route. But for most routes, on March 26th the MTA will only run 77% of the regular bus service.
Metro-North and Long Island Railroad will also be reducing trains later this week, but will preserve morning and evening rush trains.
“We’re not shutting down, we’re not going anywhere,” was the message MTA Chairman Pat Foye delivered Tuesday. “The MTA is the lifeblood of the New York economy, it’s crucial we’re able to resume the tremendous progress we were seeing before the COVID-19 pandemic began. But for now we will focus on the MTA Essential Service plan, so essential workers can continue delivering for New York.”
The MTA has asked the federal government for $4 billion in assistance to make up for expected fare box losses this year.
“It was just a matter of time for this logical next step. With increasing worker shortages and decreasing ridership, we appreciate that the MTA will keep a good level of service to get front line workers where they need to go, while reducing crowding and maintaining social distancing for all,” Lisa Daglian with the with the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, wrote in a statement. “It’s critical that the federal government step up and pass an emergency stimulus package to support the transit agencies that support the regional economy.”
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Stephen Nessen
Stephen Nessen covers transportation. Since 2008 he has reported on everything from Occupy Wall Street, the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, Hurricane Sandy, to Trump’s campaign for president. His transportation reporting has taken him everywhere from the MTA’s secret Rail Control Center to the gleaming subways of Seoul. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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