Op-ed | What the MTA is doing to better communicate with riders amNewYork

"For New Yorkers, no agency straddles the line between love and hate quite like the MTA. As a Bronx native who commuted 90 minutes each way from Morris Park to Manhattan for years, I've felt the full spectrum of emotions. And in the worst times, a lack of information was always the biggest source of frustration. Since becoming MTA's Chief Customer Officer, I've been determined to keep riders in the loop, no matter what's happening, whether it's good news like decals highlighting new projects funded by congestion pricing, coming soon or bad like subway delays."

"Communication is key, and it goes both ways. I'm proud that MTA Customer Communication agents handled more than 1.2 million interactions in 2025. That's roughly 3,300 per day, spanning phone calls, chat, written correspondence, and in-person outreach. The high volume is a natural outcome when you make it easier to get in touch. We've installed posters in every subway car informing riders how to reach our team, including via the new MTA app chat service, which offers 24/7 real-time support to customers experiencing subway or bus issues."

"For round-the-clock in-person assistance, our Customer Service Centers have now expanded to 30 locations across the subway system. This has been especially important during the transition to Tap and Ride. We're now at 97% adoption across all customer groups thanks to some creative promotions ahead of MetroCard's retirement on December 31. We had free OMNY card giveaways, partnerships with New York icons like Zabar's and Alidoro, and even PSAs from some famous voices. Stars like Andy Cohen, Cardi B, Sabrina Carpenter, Trey Anastasio and Oscar the Grouch have all recorded messages in the last year."

MTA prioritized improved rider communication across multiple channels and handled over 1.2 million customer interactions in 2025, averaging about 3,300 contacts per day. Posters in every subway car and a new 24/7 MTA app chat provide real-time support for subway and bus issues. Customer Service Centers expanded to 30 locations to offer round-the-clock in-person help, aiding the Tap and Ride transition with 97% adoption. Promotional efforts included free OMNY giveaways, partnerships with local businesses, celebrity PSAs, and a network of more than 14,000 digital screens delivering tailored messaging to specific lines and stations.

Read at www.amny.com