Starting January 4, Metro-North and LIRR passengers who repeatedly activate their mobile tickets after train departure will face an $8 fine, following a series of warnings, as part of new policy enforcement by the MTA to encourage timely ticket activation.
Long Island Rail Road workers threaten to strike, risking major disruption for 300,000 daily riders, with potential impacts including stranded commuters and business losses, amid unresolved contract disputes and political tensions.
Last week's NYC subway crash on the Upper West Side was the result of a series of decisions over nearly an hour, leading to a slow-moving collision between two trains. The crash prompted federal regulators to launch a safety probe, which gained urgency after another derailment in Coney Island. The aftermath has raised concerns about the overall management and supervision of the NYC transit system. Additionally, plans for expanding Q train stops were announced, F train service was restored in southern Brooklyn, and a fatal pedestrian accident involving an NJ Transit bus was reported. The MTA also revealed that pulling the subway's emergency brake for unjustified reasons is not uncommon.
The Transport Workers Union Local 100 has approved a tentative contract with the MTA, giving roughly 40,000 New York City transit workers a pay bump of nearly 10% over the next three years. The deal also gives the workers a $4,000 “essential worker” bonus, a bump negotiated after MTA workers kept the city moving during the pandemic.