Days Before NYC Mayoral Election, MTA Chair Trashes Free Bus Promise
With just six days left before the mayoral election, the head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Patrick M. Lieber, has effectively doused Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani's ambitious plan to eliminate fares on all New York City buses.
Mamdani had proposed a significant overhaul of the city's public transportation system, including the elimination of bus fares, which he estimated would cost the city over $630 million annually. However, Lieber has disputed this figure, stating that it would be far more expensive, especially if more people were to ride the buses, thereby increasing demand for buses and necessitating more drivers, depots, and infrastructure.
Lieber emphasized his concern about targeting limited-income households with subsidies, asserting that Mamdani's plan might inadvertently benefit affluent riders on routes popular with commuters from affluent neighborhoods like the Upper West Side. This sentiment echoed Lieber's past criticism of a similar pilot program in one bus route, which was sponsored by Mamdani as an assemblymember.
In reality, making all city buses free would not only require substantial financial investment but also necessitate lengthy reviews and approvals from various stakeholders, including bondholders who partially repay the agency for major construction projects through transit fares. Lieber highlighted the complexity of implementing such a significant policy change, suggesting that it could be years before any fares were eliminated.
As the mayoral election between Mamdani and former Governor Andrew Cuomo heats up, MTA Chair Lieber's remarks have added another layer of tension to an already contentious campaign. The agency's chair has maintained ties to both candidates, with Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsing Mamdani, while Cuomo first hired Lieber during his tenure as governor.
The MTA board meeting on Wednesday provided no clear direction for the city's transportation future, with Lieber dismissing any suggestions that he was influencing the election outcome. The agency's stance has left Mamdani's campaign without a clear response to Lieber's comments, which have effectively torpedoed his signature policy proposal.
With just six days left before the mayoral election, the head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Patrick M. Lieber, has effectively doused Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani's ambitious plan to eliminate fares on all New York City buses.
Mamdani had proposed a significant overhaul of the city's public transportation system, including the elimination of bus fares, which he estimated would cost the city over $630 million annually. However, Lieber has disputed this figure, stating that it would be far more expensive, especially if more people were to ride the buses, thereby increasing demand for buses and necessitating more drivers, depots, and infrastructure.
Lieber emphasized his concern about targeting limited-income households with subsidies, asserting that Mamdani's plan might inadvertently benefit affluent riders on routes popular with commuters from affluent neighborhoods like the Upper West Side. This sentiment echoed Lieber's past criticism of a similar pilot program in one bus route, which was sponsored by Mamdani as an assemblymember.
In reality, making all city buses free would not only require substantial financial investment but also necessitate lengthy reviews and approvals from various stakeholders, including bondholders who partially repay the agency for major construction projects through transit fares. Lieber highlighted the complexity of implementing such a significant policy change, suggesting that it could be years before any fares were eliminated.
As the mayoral election between Mamdani and former Governor Andrew Cuomo heats up, MTA Chair Lieber's remarks have added another layer of tension to an already contentious campaign. The agency's chair has maintained ties to both candidates, with Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsing Mamdani, while Cuomo first hired Lieber during his tenure as governor.
The MTA board meeting on Wednesday provided no clear direction for the city's transportation future, with Lieber dismissing any suggestions that he was influencing the election outcome. The agency's stance has left Mamdani's campaign without a clear response to Lieber's comments, which have effectively torpedoed his signature policy proposal.
I gotta say, this whole free bus thing just got super messy 
. So now Zohran's got the MTA chair throwing shade on his plan and he can't even respond because nobody knows how to handle it 
. It's like, okay, sure, we get that the cost might be higher than $630 million, but come on, is it really worth it? 
On the other hand, Patrick Lieber's concerns about targeting low-income households with subsidies do seem legit 
. But can't we just figure out a way to make it work without alienating anyone? 
And what about the whole 'years before fares are eliminated' thing? That sounds like a major roadblock 
. Maybe they should've thought of that before planning this whole free bus revolution 
.
... like isn't the point of free bus rides for everyone in NYC? 
... and btw, how come nobody's addressing the real issue: infrastructure? 
these buses need maintenance ASAP!
. Lieber's concerns about targeting low-income households are valid too 
. Maybe they could explore other ways to support those families without making all buses free 
.
. I really liked Zohran Mamdani's idea of making all NYC buses free. It would've been a game-changer for low-income households who struggle with transportation costs. Lieber's concerns about targeting the wrong crowds kinda miss the point... I mean, it's not like people are gonna start taking up more space on those buses just because they're offered for free 
.
. I'm still hopeful that Mamdani can come up with a better plan, but it's hard to see how they'll be able to overcome this hurdle.
. Either way, I think voters deserve a more honest look at what these candidates are really proposing for our city's transportation system.
.
. It's interesting to see how the campaign is heating up now, and I'm not sure which direction Mamdani's campaign will take from here 
.
I think we need more of those kinds of changes in cities. less traffic and pollution, yay! 
anyone got the data to back him up? also what's up with targeting limited-income households, seems like a pretty condescending move 
. And Lieber's concerns about targeting low-income households just feel so unfair 
. It's disheartening to see an issue like this get derailed by someone's disagreement 
.
? And Lieber's concerns about targeting affluent riders feel kinda... petty 
like, who wouldn't want to make public transportation cheaper for everyone? It's not like he's proposing a magic solution or anything. And yeah, I'm sure the financials might be a bit wonky, but what's a few billion dollars when you're talking about saving people from traffic hell? 
Plus, Lieber's just playing politics and trying to sabotage Mamdani's campaign. Newsflash: it's not going to work 
so instead of fighting over money, can't we focus on making public transportation actually work? 
... I think we need free bus fares for low-income households, but at the same time, we gotta be realistic about the costs 
. Can't say I agree with him, tho 
... We should be thinking about the future of our city & its transportation system 
. Maybe we can find a compromise or alternative solutions? 
. Can't we just make the buses free already?! I mean, I get that it's gonna cost some cash upfront, but what's the worst that could happen? The city's already got a ton of debt from all the development projects and stuff 
It's crazy that MTA Chair Lieber is dragging his feet on this... I think he's just scared of the change 
. Can't we just move forward with something? 
! So MTA chair is just trashing Zohran Mamdani's plan for free buses and it's like totally demotivating 
Mamdani was trying to do something good for the city and now it's all being thrown out the window 
. The city needs a more practical solution that doesn't sacrifice one group of people for another 
.