New York transit faces funding threat over safety violations

The U.S. Department of Transportation, through its Federal Transit Administration (FTA), has issued a stark warning to New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA): improve safety for subway track maintenance workers or risk losing up to 25% of federal transit funding.

The warning comes after repeated safety failures, including the death of a track worker in November 2023 and a serious injury in June 2024, which federal officials say highlight inadequate protections.

The FTA has demanded that the MTA submit a new, comprehensive risk assessment of its Rail Transit Roadway Worker Protection program within 30 days.

FTA Administrator Marc Molinaro stated, “We will not accept being jerked around on safety and security issues any longer,” signaling frustration with what the agency sees as slow action.

The MTA responded that it has already addressed the safety concerns and suggested the federal move is linked to tensions over New York’s new congestion pricing program, which was approved earlier this year to reduce traffic and raise billions for mass transit upgrades.

Worker unions, however, have praised the FTA’s intervention, pointing to dozens of near misses in 2023 and demanding stronger protections.