In the throes of the economic uncertainty and fiscal turbulence caused by the COVID crisis, legislation was enacted as part of the SFY 2021-22 budget authorizing the use of State-supported bonding with final maturities up to 50 years for capital purposes for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. This legislation has been reauthorized and proposed again in the State Fiscal Year 2024-25 Executive Budget.

In October 2023, the MTA issued its latest 20 Year Needs Assessment (TYNA), which provides an unrestrained view of the capital needs of the system. This report from the Comptroller’s office examines the TYNA, reviews the depth of work needed to upgrade New York’s regional transit and highlights the urgent need for the MTA to state its priorities and funding plans as early as it can.

Costs for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) program to provide transportation services for people with disabilities have declined in recent years, in part due to the MTA’s move to alternative transit services that provided $102.7 million in savings in 2022. Still, some measures of customer satisfaction initially deteriorated as a result of the move to “broker services” and must be monitored to ensure quality service.

In a turnaround from the fiscal crisis it faced a year ago, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today stands on firmer financial ground, largely because the State budget provided dedicated sources of revenue to close projected budget gaps. With this improved financial picture, the burden is now on the MTA to improve the region’s transit system and win riders back, while keeping its budget balanced.

This report examines comparative data for 10 rural counties in New York to identify challenges faced by these communities and others like them, as well as opportunities. Population, employment, housing and other trends were considered, and these findings can be used as a baseline from which future trends can be measured. The median age of people living in these 10 rural counties increased at nearly twice the rate of the State between 2011 and 2021 while simultaneously population numbers declined.

Escalating debt service costs have long been a source of financial pressure at the MTA. The pandemic exacerbated these pressures causing ridership to drop and tax revenues to dry up. However, new sources of recurring revenue in the enacted State budget and other aid give the MTA an opportunity to ease the pressure that growing debt places on its operations and to stabilize its future finances.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) continues to make progress on bringing back riders, but  ridership remains well below pre-pandemic levels, putting a major strain on its budget. The report highlights key areas of transit service — safety, reliability and frequency — where the MTA can take steps to improve riders’ experience and encourage their return, to effectively fulfil its mission and stabilize its fiscal position.

Last year the New York State Thruway Authority proposed a multi-year schedule of toll increases to begin in 2024. This report provides a summary of the Thruway Authority’s current and forecasted revenue and expenses, factors that have impacted its finances over the past several years, the toll increase proposal, and considerations to help guide the assessment of the proposal.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has long faced difficulties closing projected budget gaps, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic, necessitating an unprecedented level of federal funding to maintain service operations. The MTA had been previously encouraged to examine cost and revenue efficiencies but those alone are unlikely to close the more than $2.5 billion annual gap that will remain when federal pandemic relief is exhausted in 2025, forcing the MTA to lay out savings and revenue options for its stakeholders to consider.

Ten years ago, Superstorm Sandy made landfall in New York, causing catastrophic devastation to Long Island and New York City. One of the key organizations involved in the recovery and the planning of responses to future climate events is the MTA, whose assets were substantially impacted by the storm. This analysis tracks MTA’s progress on projects focused on rebuilding and strengthening elements affected by Superstorm Sandy and discusses what more can be done to better protect the system from new disasters.