Op-ed | Transit rebound and diversity are matters of Pride for MTA
Transit ridership has been on the upswing all spring, and it’s showing no signs of slowing as summer begins.
On their best day yet (May 17), the subways carried 4.1 million riders – more people than the entire population of Los Angeles. Add in the records for buses (1.3 million on May 12), Long Island Rail Road (215,000 on May 23), Metro-North (207,000 on May 16), and Access-A-Ride Paratransit (27,000 on May 14), and that’s LA and Phoenix combined. Not bad!
We expect to see big numbers again this month as customers hop on transit to attend major events like the Subway Series and the NYC Pride Parade. New Yorkers know that taking transit is the best way to get to all of them.
That goes for summer getaways, too.
If you’re heading to the beach, LIRR is now providing additional service to the South Fork on Fridays, including LIRR Cannonball service straight from Penn Station to the Hamptons. And with the opening of Grand Central Madison, it’s easier than ever for customers in Metro-North territory to get out to Long Island, and for Long Island riders to visit the Hudson Valley. Our popular MTA Away program offers great deals and packages to make the most of every trip.
I often say the transit system is one of New York’s most sacred public spaces because it’s where we all come together and live out the world’s greatest experiment in tolerance and diversity.
Mass transit is for everyone – 365 days a year – and we’re making a special effort this month to ensure every customer across the region feels welcome.
MTA Away has a guide to all things NYC Pride. Riders are going to see Pride decals on trains – not just on subway cars, but LIRR and Metro-North cars too – along with posters and digital signage in stations. We’ve printed 50,000 special edition Pride MetroCards, which are going to be available at seven locations across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Even MTA Bridges and Tunnels vehicles will be decked out for the occasion.
We’re also hosting public events. Our partners at the New York Transit Museum are leading an historic walking tour of the West Village – the birthplace of the gay rights movement – and MTA leaders will be talking with members of the community at a special LGBTQ+-focused Transit Talk on June 20 at the Christopher Street station. We hope to see you there, and on the rails and buses all summer long.
Janno Lieber is chair and CEO of the MTA.
