The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is the public agency responsible for operating New York’s mass transit system, including subways, buses, and commuter railroads. This page covers CBC’s work on capital planning and funding, operational efficiency, transparency and open data, procurement practices, and legislative oversight.
This page was created with AICBC Insights uses AI to group, analyze and present data and recommendations from CBC's publications. Always reference the cited sources to verify important details..
Focus the Capital Plan exclusively on Rebuild and Improve projects to shrink the funding gap.
Increase the City and State contribution by $9.0 billion in pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) financing to support critical investments.
Modestly increase fares, tolls, and vehicle registration fees to generate revenue to support a $6.8 billion investment.
Require the MTA to publish project plans, user-friendly capital project status reports, and regular updates on asset repair status to ensure accountability.
Ensure labor provides the flexibility to generate at least $500 million in recurring operating budget savings to support debt obligations.
Require a study to identify any State or City laws or regulations that increase MTA capital costs.
Include provisions to provide tools to the District Attorneys, police, and the MTA to dramatically turn the tide on fare evasion.
Key Data
In August 2019, a coalition of civic groups highlighted that the Capital Program Review Board (CPRB) failed to abide by the Open Meetings Law when approving the MTA's 2015-2019 Capital Plan.
In August 2019, the CBC noted that under Section 1279-H of the Public Authorities Law, the MTA is required to establish regulations to debar deficient contractors for 5 years if they exceed contract timelines or submit invalid claims by more than 10%.
In February 2019, a coalition of civic groups noted that appointees to key MTA leadership roles, including the Chairman/CEO and board members representing Dutchess, Nassau, and Rockland counties, require the advice and consent of the State Senate under Section 1263 of the Public Authorities Law.
In February 2018, the Authorities Budget Office (ABO) was charged with overseeing 578 state and local authorities—including the MTA—while operating with a skeleton crew of 11 full-time employees, representing just 40% of its originally envisioned staffing level.
In October 2014, the CBC highlighted that the Capital Program Review Board (CPRB) consists of 4 voting members representing the Governor, the Mayor of New York City, and the majority leaders of the State Senate and Assembly, with each member holding veto power over the MTA's capital plans.
John (“Janno”) Lieber was confirmed as Chair and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in January 2022, following his nomination by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Lieber has been serving as MTA Acting Chair and CEO since July 2021 and is the Authority’s 15th Chairperson since it was founded in 1968.…
Proposed legislation prohibiting one-person train operation would increase operating costs and hinder the implementation of modern transit technologies. Implementing systemwide one-person train operation could save $442 million annually, while restricting its use on specific lines would cost up to $10 million per year.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The Governor should veto A4873/S4091, which would prohibit the Metropolitan Transportation Authority from using one-person train operation.
State officials should leave operational strategies and decisions to management as the best, most flexible path to high quality service at the lowest cost.
State laws should focus on ensuring agencies are high performing and transparent, and that management is accountable.
Key Data
$442 million
— Estimated annual savings from using one-person train operation systemwide, which could be reinvested to close the MTA’s structural operating budget gap or improve service.
$10 million
— Estimated annual cost of ceasing one-person train operation on the A, G, M, 5, and all shuttle services.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority faces a $33.4 billion funding gap in its $68.4 billion 2025-2029 Capital Plan, requiring a balanced approach of increased state and city contributions, modest fare and toll hikes, and operational efficiencies. To ensure fiscal stability and project delivery, the plan calls for greater accountability, labor flexibility, and a focus on essential repair projects over expansion.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
Focus the Capital Plan exclusively on Rebuild and Improve projects to shrink the funding gap.
Increase the City and State contribution by $9.0 billion in pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) financing to support critical investments.
Modestly increase fares, tolls, and vehicle registration fees to generate revenue to support a $6.8 billion investment.
Require the MTA to publish project plans, user-friendly capital project status reports, and regular updates on asset repair status to ensure accountability.
Ensure labor provides the flexibility to generate at least $500 million in recurring operating budget savings to support debt obligations.
Require a study to identify any State or City laws or regulations that increase MTA capital costs.
Include provisions to provide tools to the District Attorneys, police, and the MTA to dramatically turn the tide on fare evasion.
Key Data
$68.4 billion
— The total size of the proposed 2025-2029 Capital Plan.
$33.4 billion
— The initial funding gap identified in the MTA's 2025-2029 Capital Plan.
$35.4 billion
— The revised financing gap following the State Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget.
$14.0 billion
— The amount of expected federal aid to the capital plan.
$3.6 billion
— The amount of funding gap reduction achieved by removing expansion projects.
$9.0 billion
— The proposed increase in City and State contribution through pay-as-you-go financing.
Visit our Flickr page for photos of the event - https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBZZfn . Janno Lieber was confirmed as Chair and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in January 2022, following his nomination to that position by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Lieber has been serving as MTA Acting Chair and CEO since…
Karen Keogh serves as Secretary to the Governor of New York, the highest-ranking appointed position in state government. Kathryn Garcia serves as Director of State Operations and Infrastructure, where she oversees over 70 state agencies and authorities, including the MTA and Port Authority.
John (“Janno”) Lieber was confirmed as Chair and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in January 2022, following his nomination to that position by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Lieber has been serving as MTA Acting Chair and CEO since July 2021 and is the Authority’s 15th Chairperson since it was…
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Twenty-Year Needs Assessment process requires significant improvements to ensure capital investments are prioritized effectively and transparently. By providing more comprehensive data, disaggregating information, and linking needs to performance goals, the authority can better facilitate public debate and rational decision-making for future capital plans.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The MTA should include a complete accounting of the system’s current and potential future capacity needs in the Twenty-Year Needs Assessment without prematurely omitting options.
The MTA must disaggregate data to the functional group and component level to appropriately prioritize projects and inform public discussion.
The TYNA should include data on asset condition, needs, cost, and improvement timeframes for each investment category and component.
The MTA should detail all projects’ benefits and costs based on rigorous analysis, standard measures, and MTA goals to bring transparency to investment choices.
The authority should provide clear and complete data on future transportation needs based on projected economic changes and user behavior.
Kathryn Garcia serves as Director of State Operations and Infrastructure, where she oversees over 70 state agencies and authorities, including the MTA and Port Authority. Kathryn has over 14 years of government experience delivering services that New Yorkers rely on every day. Previously, she served as the Commissioner of the…
2026 is the year the MTA will likely have spent all of its one-time COVID-19 federal aid, and when the MTA will have to address the estimated $2.5 billion annual structural operating deficit which that aid is now covering. At an event with CBC Trustees, MTA Chair and CEO Janno…
John (“Janno”) Lieber was appointed Acting Chair and CEO of the MTA in July 2021. Prior to that he was MTA’s Chief Development Officer and President of Construction & Development where he was responsible for capital planning and for the development and delivery of capital projects across the MTA. From…
The MTA Open Data Act should be signed into law to increase transparency and efficiency by mandating the publication of more data. Currently, the agency has only published 76 datasets despite having an $18 billion operating budget, lagging significantly behind other state departments.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The Governor should sign A1442B (Carroll)/S4625A (Comrie), the MTA Open Data Act, into law to increase transparency and improve efficiency.
The MTA must designate a data coordinator to oversee compliance with open data requirements.
The MTA must create a schedule for release of open data in the next three years to be provided to the Legislature and the public.
Key Data
$18 billion
— The MTA's current operating budget.
76
— Number of datasets the MTA has published on the state's open data portal.
563
— Number of datasets the NYS Department of Health has published on the state's open data portal.
180 days
— Timeframe within which the MTA must create a schedule for the release of open data.
24/7 is the number of hours and days New Yorkers traditionally have had access to the subway system. In response to the pandemic the MTA suspended overnight service to clean and disinfect the subway, giving riders the confidence they need to return to the system. The pandemic decimated revenue and…
275 is the number of meetings Veronica Vanterpool has attended since she was appointed to the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. She is one of four individuals appointed by the Mayor to the 21 member board. She joined the pod to discuss her time on the board, the important…
275 is the number of meetings Veronica Vanterpool has attended since she was appointed to the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. She is one of four individuals appointed by the Mayor to the 21 member board. She joined the pod to discuss her time on the board, the important…
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's proposed $51.5 billion capital plan for 2020-2024 faces significant questions regarding its spending priorities, the security of its $6 billion in uncommitted state and city funding, and the agency's capacity to execute a project list 70 percent larger than its predecessor. Ensuring the plan's success requires a transparent needs assessment, confirmed financial commitments, and a rapid acceleration in project implementation.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The MTA must make public a comprehensive needs assessment to ensure investments are sufficient to maximize progress on bringing the system to a state of good repair.
The MTA must secure authorized funding commitments from New York State and New York City to ensure the financing plan is sound.
The MTA must accelerate the pace to execute projects to successfully implement a plan that is 70 percent greater than the previous capital plan.
Key Data
$51.5 billion
— The total investment amount proposed for the region's mass transit network in the 2020-2024 capital plan.
$3 billion
— The amount of funding assumed from New York State that has not yet been authorized.
$3 billion
— The amount of funding assumed from New York City that has not yet been authorized.
$9.8 billion
— The amount in bonds and pay-as-you-go capital that the MTA may struggle to finance given its projected operating deficits.
70 percent
— The degree to which the proposed 2020-2024 capital plan is larger than the 2015-2019 capital plan.
65 percent
— The portion of the 2015-2019 capital plan that the MTA had committed as of June 2019.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the State Legislature must increase transparency regarding the distribution of transit funds, specifically the $50 million annual Outer Borough Transit Account and 'set-aside' funds within the 2020-2024 Capital Program. These entities should publicly disclose detailed project information in open data formats and ensure that the Capital Program Review Board adheres to the Open Meetings Law when approving fund designations.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The State Legislature should publish in an open data format on the Senate and Assembly websites a list of funds “set-aside” for the State Legislature from the forthcoming 2020-2024 Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Capital Program.
The MTA or Capital Program Review Board (CPRB) should publish in an open data format a list of funds being distributed from the Outer Borough Transit Account, or the State Legislature should publish such a list if the MTA or CPRB fails to do so.
Disclosures for transit funds should include detailed information regarding the project or program, including its purpose, location, the requesting member, the responsible agency, the total amount, and relevant dates.
The Capital Program Review Board (CPRB) should conduct the approval of the designation of Outer Borough Transit Funds publicly in an open meeting, in accordance with the Open Meetings Law.
Key Data
$50 million
— The annual funding amount distributed through the Outer Borough Transit Account.
2020-2024
— The period covered by the forthcoming Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Capital Program.
2015-2019
— The period of the previous Capital Plan during which the Capital Program Review Board failed to abide by the Open Meetings Law.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority should modify its proposed mandatory debarment rule to allow for administrative discretion, as rigid penalties may increase costs and reduce the pool of available vendors. Instead of relying solely on punitive measures, the agency should implement incentive-based procurement reforms to encourage efficient contractor performance.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The MTA should grant the MTA discretion whether to debar a contractor when debarment would disadvantage the MTA.
The MTA should incorporate a debarment remedy as part of an overall reform to the MTA procurement process.
The MTA should introduce incentive-based measures to award the best performing contractors alongside discretionary debarment for the worst performing contractors.
Key Data
40 percent
— The portion of an unused contingency account that the contractor was entitled to as an incentive payment when building the AirTrain to JFK airport.
$12 million
— The value of the incentive payment awarded to the contractor for the AirTrain to JFK airport project.
10 percent
— The threshold of contract cost or time overruns that triggers mandatory debarment under the proposed rule.
five years
— The duration of the debarment period that would apply to the MTA and all other state agencies and authorities under the proposed rule.
202 is the number traffic related fatalities in NYC in 2018, a record low. NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg joined the podcast to discuss the success of Vision Zero, her approach to managing city transit, and her role on the MTA Board.
The New York State Senate is urged to conduct public confirmation hearings for all appointees to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to ensure robust legislative oversight. These hearings should evaluate candidates' qualifications, potential conflicts of interest, and commitments to transparency, accountability, and diversity.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The State Senate should conduct confirmation processes for appointees to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority through public hearings.
The State Senate should follow the example of the 2009 public hearing for the appointment of Jay Walder in consideration of any forthcoming appointees for the MTA.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority requires fare and toll increases to maintain fiscal health and fund service improvements, as current revenues fail to keep pace with rising costs. The board must ensure adequate funding and rigorous management oversight to avoid future performance declines and larger, more sporadic fare hikes.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The MTA board should ensure both that the authority is adequately funded and that management is pursuing — and achieving — adequate standards of service.
The MTA must be leaner and must right-size service as it restores the transit system from the depths of its state of emergency.
The board must approve this planned fare and toll increase since without it, New Yorkers risk more performance declines and a return to a fare policy often characterized by larger, sporadic and politically fraught jolts.
A renewed board effort for stricter oversight of MTA performance could benefit the system and its users.
Key Data
44%
— Fares cover only 44% of the cost to run the transit system.
$1.93
— Most riders pay on average $1.93 per trip due to unlimited MetroCards, pay-per-ride volume discounts, and free transfers.
$250 million
— Without the resources from fare and toll increases, the MTA will have to cut $250 million from its 2019 budget.
$1 billion
— Cash deficits are expected to grow to nearly $1 billion in 2022.
$40 billion
— The Fast Forward program is a $40 billion, 10-year program to restore and modernize the transit system.
The Authorities Budget Office requires a funding increase to $3.105 million to effectively oversee 578 state and local authorities, including the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which currently operate with limited accountability. This additional funding would allow the office to address its staffing shortages and fulfill its statutory duties, which are currently hindered by a lack of resources.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The state should increase funding for the Authorities Budget Office to $3.105 million so it may adequately fulfill its statutory duties, including the oversight of major entities like the Metropolitan Transit Authority.
The state should provide sufficient resources to enable the Authorities Budget Office to monitor authorities’ compliance with the Freedom of Information and Open Meetings Laws, and authorities’ ethics guidelines and Public Authorities conflicts of interest laws.
The state should increase funding to allow the Authorities Budget Office to make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature on debt limits for public authorities or board member compensation and term limits.
The state should provide sufficient funding to enable the Authorities Budget Office to modernize the Public Authorities Reporting and Information System (PARIS) database to include state authority data or ensure accuracy of information reported.
The state should increase funding to allow the Authorities Budget Office to ensure compliance with authority procurement guidelines.
Key Data
$3.105 million
— Proposed annual funding for the Authorities Budget Office to ensure adequate oversight of entities like the Metropolitan Transit Authority.
$1.169 million
— The amount of the funding increase over the Governor’s Executive Budget.
578
— The number of state and local authorities, including the Metropolitan Transit Authority, overseen by the Authorities Budget Office.
$51 billion
— The amount of money collectively spent annually by the authorities overseen by the Authorities Budget Office.
$270 billion
— The amount of public debt held by the authorities overseen by the Authorities Budget Office.
11
— The number of full-time employees currently staffing the Authorities Budget Office.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority lacks a transparent, comprehensive assessment of its infrastructure needs, which prevents the public and lawmakers from making informed decisions about funding and system repairs. To address this, the state should mandate that the agency produce and regularly update an annual report detailing the condition, replacement costs, and maintenance schedules of all capital assets.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The MTA should produce and make public a full accounting of the mass transit system's condition and the costs needed to achieve a full state of good repair.
The governor's agenda for the coming legislative session should include mandating that an AIMS report be prepared and regularly updated by the MTA.
Key Data
$1 billion
— Annual revenue target for congestion pricing proposals floated by transit advocacy groups.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority faces significant challenges, including declining subway and bus performance, increased train cancellations, and a massive backlog of uncommitted capital projects. To address these issues, leadership must prioritize cost-effective investments, accelerate capital spending, and improve transparency to ensure accountability for the distribution of limited funds.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The MTA will need to work with regional partners to ensure the riding public is spared as much inconvenience as possible and ensure scheduled trains run on time.
Leaders should prioritize those investments needed to restore the system and enhance capacity in the most cost-effective manner.
A more transparent process should be pursued so that the public may hold the board responsible for distributing limited capital dollars wisely.
To modernize the system, these investments should be accelerated to the maximum extent possible.
Key Data
$110 billion
— Total approved capital investments across the 2015-2019 plan and three previous plans as of March 2017.
$33 billion
— Amount of capital investments that have been authorized but remain uncommitted as of March 2017.
119,090 miles
— The 12-month rolling average for the mean-distance-between-failure of subway cars as of March 2017.
197
— The 12-month rolling average of trains canceled and partially canceled per month on the LIRR as of May 2017.
New York City's Access-A-Ride paratransit program is the most expensive in the nation, costing $461 million in 2015, with costs projected to reach $646 million by 2020. To improve efficiency and reduce the heavy reliance on internal MTA cross-subsidies, the agency should implement strategies such as shifting ambulatory trips to lower-cost broker car services, increasing fares, and securing Medicaid reimbursement for non-emergency medical transportation.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The MTA could shift ambulatory trips to its broker car service (BCS) program, which uses a for-hire vehicle broker to complete trips using black cars and liveries, potentially saving up to $126 million annually.
The MTA could establish a subsidy program for AAR trips completed by taxicabs and other for-hire vehicles, allowing registrants to hail a cab or secure a black car without reserving the trip in advance.
The MTA should offer feeder service, which connects users with accessible fixed-route stops rather than door-to-door service, in a greater number of appropriate situations.
The MTA should revisit the policy of doubling paratransit fares to discourage excessive use of the service.
The MTA should seek to secure payments from the joint federal-state Medicaid program that finances medical care for low-income residents for eligible non-emergency medical transportation trips.
Key Data
$461 million
— The total cost of the Access-A-Ride paratransit program in 2015.
$71
— The cost per trip for the Access-A-Ride program in 2014, the highest among 29 cities with similar programs.
$126 million
— The potential annual savings from shifting all ambulatory customers to the broker car service (BCS) program.
$184 million
— The potential annual savings from doubling paratransit fares.
$14 million
— The potential annual revenue from Medicaid reimbursement for non-emergency medical transportation.
$646 million
— The projected total program expenses for Access-A-Ride in 2020.
The state budget should expand the authority to enter into complex public-private partnerships, currently granted to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to all state agencies and the City of New York to improve project efficiency. This approach leverages successful design-build models to better manage maintenance and operations for large-scale infrastructure projects.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The authority to pursue complex contracting arrangements known as public-private partnerships (PPPs) should be extended to all State agencies and the City of New York.
The MTA's 2015-2019 capital plan fails to adequately prioritize essential infrastructure repairs and lacks a transparent, evidence-based process for selecting expansion projects. The agency should adopt more ambitious goals for signal modernization and establish clear, explicit criteria for evaluating the benefits and costs of new transit investments.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The MTA should revise its capital plan to make sufficient progress in bringing aged infrastructure to a state of good repair.
The MTA should embrace a more ambitious schedule for Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) installation and provide the necessary funding in the 2015-2019 plan.
The MTA should establish explicit criteria for selecting priority projects and consider evidence regarding how well potential investments meet these criteria.
The MTA should postpone commitment to new expansion projects until an improved planning process is established and used to assess multiple potential projects.
The MTA should rethink the management of large-scale projects, especially those for expansion and signal improvements, to promote more effective implementation.
Key Data
$32 billion
— The total amount of investments called for in the MTA's 2015-2019 capital plan.
$15.2 billion
— The amount of the proposed capital plan that remains unfunded.
$5.4 billion
— The total shortfall between the identified needs assessment and the Board-approved plan.
$5.5 billion
— The amount allocated in the adopted plan for expansion projects.
$10.8 billion
— The current estimated cost of the East Side Access project, which was originally approved in 2000 at a cost of $6.3 billion.
87 percent
— The share of total spending recommended in the needs assessment for 2015-2019 comprised by NYCT, LIRR, and MNR.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority faces significant fiscal instability due to cash-based budgeting, mounting long-term debt, and unfunded employee benefit obligations. To ensure future viability, the agency must adopt GAAP-based accounting, reform labor relations, accelerate infrastructure repairs and technology upgrades, and improve regional coordination for critical transit projects.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
A reinvented MTA should balance its budget on a GAAP basis to address long-term fiscal problems.
A reinvented MTA would have a legal framework for labor relations that permits all its employees to bargain under the same set of rules, effectively prohibiting strikes and providing timely binding arbitration.
A reinvented MTA would have a timely plan for bringing its assets to a state of good repair and would give highest priority in its capital investments to achieving that goal.
A reinvented MTA would make the financial investment and operational changes necessary for far speedier conversion to Communication Based Train Control (CBTC).
A reinvented MTA would quickly initiate planning and deployment of a new fare collection system that reduces collection costs, permits flexibility in future fares, and speeds passenger flow.
A reinvented MTA would take the lead in working with other major regional transportation agencies to develop a plan for expanded trans-Hudson rail capacity including new tunnels and greater platform capacity.
Key Data
$33 billion
— The amount of the MTA's long-term debt outstanding in 2013.
$10 billion
— The amount of the MTA's unfunded OPEB liability at the end of 2013.
$115 billion
— The total amount of capital investments made system-wide since 1982.
$106 billion
— The amount of planned investment by the MTA over the next 20 years.
15 percent
— The estimated cost of the current fare collection system.
$1.3 billion
— The amount of the MTA's unfunded OPEB liability when first reported in 2007.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority faces a deepening financial crisis characterized by significant long-term debt and reliance on cash-basis accounting that obscures billions of dollars in annual deficits. To achieve fiscal stability, the agency must move toward a '50-25-25' funding model that balances fare revenue, tax subsidies, and auto-user fees while aggressively pursuing cost-reduction measures.
Recommendations related to MTA Governance
The MTA should adopt the '50-25-25' funding solution, where fares cover 50 percent of full operating costs, a tax subsidy covers 25 percent, and a cross-subsidy from auto users covers 25 percent.
The MTA should continue moderate but regular fare increases to ensure revenues cover operating costs.
The MTA should enact new forms of auto-cross subsidy, such as higher bridge and tunnel tolls, increased motor vehicle registration fees, or congestion pricing, to secure major new funding.
The MTA should put renewed energy into cost reduction efforts to achieve meaningful annual savings.
Key Data
$1.9 billion
— New resources identified by the MTA since February 2013.
$240 million
— The cumulative total of the MTA's out-year budget gaps.
$26.6 billion
— Estimated core capital needs for state-of-good-repair and rolling stock replacement from 2015-2019.
$2.8 billion
— The MTA's deficit for the current year when calculated using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
$3.0 billion to $3.4 billion
— The range of annual deficits projected for each of the next four years using GAAP.
$67 million
— The amount of annual savings generated by cost-reduction initiatives outside of the paratransit program by 2017.
