"Any change of the scale that's being talked about, taking a section of our incredibly important transit system and changing it entirely has to be studied, Lieber said, noting that the MTA studied the potential impact of the congestion pricing program for five years before implementing it. The MTA boss said such a review is necessary to understand if the MTA needs to run more buses, bring extra depots online, and account for a loss in subway fare revenue as well."
"But Mamdani who is also a democratic socialist Queens Assembly member said on Oct. 30 that he heard many similar criticisms when pushing for a free bus pilot program in Albany. The pilot saw the MTA make one bus line in each of the five boroughs free for a year. The test run ended in the summer of 2024, with the MTA declaring it a failure because it slowed average bus speeds, despite more regular riders boarding each route."
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee and frontrunner, rejected MTA Chair Janno Lieber's criticism of his proposal to make MTA-operated buses fare-free. Janno Lieber argued that sweeping changes require lengthy study, noting a five-year review before congestion pricing and warning about potential needs for more buses, additional depots, and lost subway fare revenue. Mamdani cited similar pushback during an Albany pilot that made one route in each borough free for a year. The pilot ended in summer 2024 with the MTA calling it a failure due to slower average bus speeds, despite increased regular ridership. Mamdani offered no new plan details at the Brooklyn campaign stop.
Read at www.amny.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]