Engineering Recommendation: Creating a New Transit System for New York City

Authors: Adam Sabri, Sushmita Chakraborty, Mariam Hassan

Date: May 2, 2021

Abstract

One thing everyone in New York City can agree on is how unreliable the MTA is, especially when it comes to the subway. From fare hikes every two years and federal funding it seems like the MTA should have all the tools to fix its problems, but they haven’t. Riders still experience issues like overcrowding, frequent breakdowns, dirty subway cars, and lengthy delays. Other countries such as South Africa and South Korea have found ways to make taking public transportation a pleasant experience for its passengers. By implementing the same systems as these countries and more, the MTA can improve their rider’s experience, and even motivate people to want to take public transportation more often.

Explanation of the Problem

After World War 2, countries like Japan and Germany invigorated their economies through federally sponsored rail construction. But the United States chose to invest in their Interstate Highway System. Beginning in the 1950s, the government paved tens of thousands of miles of the road all over the US. This road network helped encourage the popularity of automobiles, and more spread-out city planning, called “sprawl.” But the effects of city sprawl on commute times, the rising cost of gasoline and oil, and growing traffic have become a problem. The New York City transit system, which can serve up to 6 million commuters on a busy day, is known to many as unreliable and underfunded.

The MTA provided a breakdown of its funds in 2019, showing that the majority of the money they make comes from its riders. 

Figure 1: Where the MTA’s Money Comes From.

They also provided two breakdowns of how they spend these funds, revealing that they spend the most on their payroll. 

Figures 2 & 3: How the MTA Spends its Money by Category and Agency.  

Most of their payroll budget goes towards the MTA police department. In 2019 the MTA decided to increase the number of police officers they have patrolling the subways. According to the Citizens Budget Commission, or the CBC, this strategy cost the MTA a net cumulative cost of over $200 million over the MTA’s four-year financial plan. This price was not worth the financial stress the MTA is already facing, since the MTA’s crime rates in 2018, before this strategy was implemented, were down more than 13% from the crime rates in 2017. The MTA Police Department even said that the crime statistics from 2018 were the lowest in MTA Police’s 20-year history. There was no need for the MTA to waste its money on more police officers claiming to improve rider’s experience when they could’ve put that money towards lowering fare costs or improving services so trains can show up on time, doing things that riders have asked for to improve their experience.

With the coronavirus pandemic severely affecting their funds, the MTA predicts it will be in billions of dollars of debt well into 2024. Since they receive most of their funds from passengers, this will likely mean more fare hikes. Many hesitate to pay the $2.75 fare today, knowing the conditions they have to tolerate already and not even be guaranteed to get to their destination on time, but the MTA knows its passengers have no other choice but to pay expensive fares since many people use the MTA as their main source of transportation. A lot of people are starting to find alternatives to public transportation due to the subpar service, such as taking an Uber or Lyft or even carpooling. MTA ridership has dropped and if they want more riders to help fund their services, they’re going to have to find ways to emulate successful public transportation from other countries.

Proposed Solution

An example of successful transportation service is Seoul in South Korea. Its subway system is the longest in the world, with 315 miles of track. The transit stations are high-tech and modern. Free Wi-Fi, heated seats, and TV are available for riders. In many Asian and European countries, trains are almost always on time, whereas New York’s subway, for example, sticks to the schedule about 75% of the time. Part of the reason for America’s transportation deficiency is the difficulty in passing spending legislation. Republicans have been reticent to raise taxes to federally fund transit programs. And a high-speed rail could potentially cost $150 billion. But soon, legislators may have no other choice but to invest heavily in newer, better forms of public transit.

The MTA needs many improvements to make it the best that it can be because the MTA is the main transportation for many people, 5.5 million people ride the subway each day so the MTA deserves better. For example, in Rovos Rail, South Africa, the fancy Rovos Rail trains have been around since 1989 and countless people have enjoyed riding them since they were open to the public. It is a five-star experience that is guaranteed to make the passengers riding the Rovos Rail have an unforgettable experience. The MTA can take inspiration from this by adding comfortable seats for everyone, especially the elderly, this can even help the MTA make more money because more people would want to ride it because it will make the rides more comfortable and enjoyable.

The MTA can also take inspiration from the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express, Russia. The Golden Eagle has been around since 2007 and it is super fancy and super expensive to ride on. The MTA can take inspiration from this by making some trains exclusively for the rich. The MTA can add fancy tables and a mini restaurant to serve the special commuters. The MTA can also have display screens showing popular places that tourists can visit, this can help the economy because tourists would spend a lot of money. 

Another improvement that we can do to the MTA is making it faster and making it less noisy. It is important to keep the passengers comfortable as much as possible so that the MTA can have more people riding it. When we make the trains less noisy and faster, passengers can make sure they reach their destination without delays while they aren’t bothered by the very loud and annoying sound the train makes while it’s moving. For long-distance MTA riders, there can be a gym for those who want to stay fit on the go. Instead of people just sitting around doing nothing they can exercise to get rid of all that fat so when they reach their destination, they can feel confident and well.

Another major improvement we can do to the MTA is to make the train stations better. We can add escalators and elevators in every station. There can also be employees helping the handicap people so that they ride safely. Also, there should more seats and the seats should be more comfortable and clean. 

In conclusion, the MTA is one of the most important parts of NYC. The MTA is more than just a form of transportation, the MTA gives jobs for millions, it keeps NYC’s economy running, and it helps millions of people go to work, school, and all kinds of places. It decreases traffic on the streets and it keeps decreasing pollution which helps the environment. Consequently, the government needs to improve the MTA by innovating it constantly to keep the MTA a fantastic form of transportation for everyone.

References

The most luxurious train in the world. (2020, September 03). Retrieved May 02, 2021, from https://rovos.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-LOEBhDCARIsABrC0TnD-jYup7Yt2n4zv2H7OFm6YkB-iY4JL3ksHExRaz-B3m6wpobfhyEaAipeEALw_wcB 

MTA operating Budget Basics. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2021, from https://new.mta.info/budget/MTA-operating-budget-basics

MTA press releases. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2021, from https://www.mta.info/press-release/mta-headquarters/mta-police-department-announces-lowest-crime-rate-agency%E2%80%99s-history 

Our history. (n.d.). Retrieved May 02, 2021, from https://www.goldeneagleluxurytrains.com/about-us/history.php 

Subway and bus ridership for 2019. (n.d.). Retrieved May 02, 2021, from https://new.mta.info/agency/new-york-city-transit/subway-bus-ridership-2019