Transit

Riders of Westchester County's "Bee Line" bus service are still waiting for bus tracking apps, but maybe not for long.

Every day, the streets of American cities are more clogged and polluted at rush hour because the federal government pays people to drive to work.

The NYC transit system is what connects residents to their city, but for many low-income New Yorkers, it simply costs too much to ride. Fordham political science professor Christina Greer thinks policy makers can help address that -- if they're willing to get creative.

It's been clear since Donald Trump was elected and Republicans hung on to majorities in Congress that federal transit funding is at risk. But a phone call to your representative could protect transit in the current round of budget negotiations.

Transit capacity across the Hudson is at a breaking point.

It makes perfect sense to provide bulk transit passes, which often lead to higher ridership. But these fare structures pose a problem for people who aren't in a position to scrape together the cash for a pass and pay for a whole month of transit rides one fare at a time. They may end up paying more than wealthier riders for the same amount of service, even though they can least afford it. Now Portland's transit agencies -- Trimet, C-Tran, and the city's streetcars -- are showing the way to a fairer system.

Compared to its international peers, the MTA's capital construction costs are nothing short of outrageous. So with Governor Cuomo asking for more money from New York City to fix the subways, it's understandable that City Council members want to know whether they'll be getting good bang for their buck. But at a hearing earlier today, MTA Managing Director Ronnie Hakim couldn't explain the MTA's cost problem, let alone how to fix it.

Back in March, the Trump administration released a budget proposal that included draconian cuts to transit. Now budget bills are moving through the GOP-controlled House and Senate, and while the threat to transit isn't as severe as what the administration was calling for, it's still alarming.

For commuter rail to work in urban neighborhoods, transit agencies have to rethink fares, schedules, and integration with local transit. The MBTA still has work to do to get all these elements right on the Fairmount Line.