The MTA must put its riders first

The intense spotlight on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority during state budget negotiations illuminated both the MTA's significant needs and the importance of public transit throughout the region.

But even as state lawmakers reached an agreement that shores up the authority's finances for now, the MTA still has issues to address, from planned fare increases to schedule changes to labor contracts.

The thread running through everything the MTA touches remains its riders, and the ongoing effort to lure them back. Constantly evaluating rider needs, becoming more responsive and nimble, and understanding still-shifting commuting patterns are key to improving the rider experience, which should be the overarching goal as the MTA looks beyond the budget battles.

• Communication: The MTA's decision to stop posting service alerts on Twitter made sense at first, due to the platform's recent unreliability and its initial plan to charge the authority an outlandish $50,000 a month for the interface. Twitter has since changed that policy to eliminate the fee, so the MTA should reevaluate its choice. Without Twitter, riders must rely on email and text alerts or mobile apps, like the Long Island Rail Road's TrainTime. The MTA's alerts must be flexible and reliable, to reach commuters in multiple ways and accommodate their changing schedules, especially since many no longer take the same train at the same time every day.
• Electric bicycles: The MTA's decision to permit electric bicycles and scooters on LIRR trains will assist commuters in their travels before and after train trips, providing a more environmentally sound alternative to driving. But these machines come with risks. They take up space and their lithium ion batteries can catch fire if damaged. The MTA must tightly limit size and onboard charging and prepare to reassess the policy if adverse impacts on riders and conductors arise.
• Commuter benefits: Some pre-pandemic LIRR riders have no plans to return to the rails. But some still have funds stuck in pretax commuter benefit accounts. Internal Revenue Service rules don't allow the money to be withdrawn, or spent on something else. The MTA doesn't have access to the funds. And federal legislation to undo the mess has gone nowhere. There should be a simple fix: Give people new ways to spend the money, perhaps on remote work, job searches or other work-related costs. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand introduced legislation to allow for one-time taxable distributions to fix the situation. Our new House members should join them in finding a solution that will reunite Long Islanders with their money.

All this will require the MTA's ongoing attention, to put riders first.