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Effective Transit Alliance
@etany.org
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ETA advocates for high-quality, accessible, and forward-looking transit through internationally-inspired, technically-oriented analysis in greater New York.
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etany.org
It's been one year of congestion pricing and the results are clear:

*11% fewer cars in the congestion zone
*Faster travel speeds
*Faster busses
*No negative effects on surrounding neighborhoods.

All while raising significant funds for transit.

A huge win for NYC!

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
A graph in change of bus speeds 2024-2025, showing a 2.4% increase in local bus speed through the congestion zone (vs 0.8% citywide) and a 2% increase in express bus speeds in the zone (vs -0.4% citywide)
January 6, 2026 at 9:59 PM
etany.org
The Interborough Express has the potential to be a transformative piece of infrastructure, but to truly live up to its potential, it needs to be constructed to global standards: as an automated light metro.

ETA talked with Ben Schneider about the future and potential of the IBX:
Under the Microscope The IBX is also the first major transit project in New York to have its entire design and planning process scrutinized by a new generation of transit advocacy groups like the Effective Transit Alliance and the Transit Costs Project. Unlike older advocacy organizations, which focused on good urban planning or the needs of riders, these entities are laser-focused on the technical minutiae of transit design, construction and operations. Already, they appear to have influenced aspects of the project. For example, the MTA’s initial plans called for a short section where the train would run on the street to get around a corner of All Faiths Cemetery in Queens as a cost-saving measure. But, in a report entitled “515 Feet from Greatness,” the Effective Transit Alliance argued that this street-running section would slow down service and constrain ridership. Another reason Lorenzo and like-minded advocates fought for the tunnel is that keeping the train off surface streets creates the potential for automating the line. “Our biggest point by far is to push them towards automated light metro,” a technology similar to the JFK Airtrain, Lorenzo said. “With automated technology, you can run every 90 seconds,” said Eric Goldwyn, a professor of urban planning at New York University and the director of the Transit Costs Project. The MTA currently plans to run trains on the line at five-minute frequencies during peak times. “You could have shorter trains and smaller stations, so some of your capital costs could shrink potentially, and you could provide much more robust service,” Goldwyn said.
December 12, 2025 at 5:55 PM
etany.org
If it's your first time, keep an eye out for Blair, who will be there with a sign, nametag, and business cards.
Blair Lorenzo of ETA
December 12, 2025 at 5:49 PM
etany.org
TONIGHT come join ETA for our last TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of the year!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Tonight, Friday December 12, 2025
from 6-8pm
at Vanderbuilt Market
45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central.

All are welcome!
Tonight, Friday December 12, 2025 from 6-8pm at Vanderbuilt Market 45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central.
December 12, 2025 at 5:49 PM
etany.org
TOMORROW come join ETA for our last TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of the year!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Friday December 12, 2025
from 6-8pm
at Vanderbuilt Market
45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central.

All are welcome!
Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy! Friday December 12, 2025 from 6-8pm at Vanderbuilt Market 45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central. All are welcome!
December 11, 2025 at 6:08 PM
etany.org
Better still, these reductions seem to be compounding, with pollution declining over time.

Also worthy of note, the Cross Bronx Expressway—which some feared would see more truck traffic—has also seen reduced pollution decline after a stalled start.
Graph showing the decline of pollution both in the congestion zone and in the wider region since the implementation of congestion pricing.
December 10, 2025 at 9:35 PM
etany.org
There is no excuse for the MTA to walk slowly on this. Walk-through trains are standard for new orders across both the country and the world, and these cars will be in service for 30 years.

The MTA needs to join the 21st Century and start ordering safer, modern trains now.
"Open gangway cars have become the standard for transit systems all over the world. The MTA is paying extra to buy bespoke trains that meet out of date specifications rather than ordering off the shelf models from worldwide manufacturers. These trains will be in service for at least 30 years. There is no excuse for the MTA to live in the past and order trains that know will be out of date before they arrive. Every car should be open gangway at this point," said Lorenzo.
December 9, 2025 at 11:16 PM
etany.org
In a baffling and unacceptable move, the MTA announced that its purchase of 378 new R268 subway cars will not include walk-through open-gangway trains.

As ETA's Blair Lorenzo explained to Streetsblog, walk-through trains are the global standard for good reason.

nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/12/09/m...
"We're as confused as anyone as to the MTA's reticence to buy open-gangway cars," said Blair Lorenzo, the executive director of the Effective Transit Alliance. "Walk-through trains have long since become the standard around the world: they're safer, they're more comfortable for riders, and they increase train capacity by around 10 percent. They are an obvious win."
December 9, 2025 at 11:16 PM
etany.org
This Friday, come join ETA for our last TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of the year!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Friday December 12, 2025
from 6-8pm
at Vanderbuilt Market
45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central.

All are welcome!
This Friday, come join ETA for our last TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks of the year! Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy! Friday December 12, 2025 from 6-8pm at Vanderbuilt Market 45th & Vanderbilt behind Grand Central. All are welcome!
December 9, 2025 at 6:53 PM
etany.org
Particularly difficult are "reverse branches," where services that share a central trunk split, and then meet with branches from other trunks.

Reverse branches quickly become delay factories with ripple effects that can impact riders boroughs away.
A diagram of reverse branching, where two trunks split into three branches, but the middle branches from each truck join into a single branch.
December 8, 2025 at 6:11 PM
etany.org
The New York City Subway is famously complex, with many lines intersecting and sharing tracks with others. This makes it incredibly difficult if not impossible to schedule so that trains arrive at merges at different times. It also allows delays to cascade across the system.
Many of New York’s subway lines are interconnected through delicate acts of interlining, allowing delays to spread. This graph shows all B Division services that share tracks with at least one other service. Services that share tracks after the F/M swap are connected by a line.
December 8, 2025 at 6:11 PM
etany.org
While NY is considering mandating two-person trains, the DC Metro not only already operates with one person, but recently reactivated its automatic train operation system.

Now, continuing to follow best practices, Metro has announced plans to move towards driverless trains.

tinyurl.com/yft73mru
Metro slide: "Investigation modernization elements directly addresses Metro's key challenges" Metro slide: "Components of fully automated rail transit" Metro slide: "Modernization allows Metro to deliver more service at lower cost" Metro slide: "Platform screen doors provie stand-alone benefits and enable automated operations"
November 26, 2025 at 6:40 PM
etany.org
This Thursday, Hudson County Complete Streets and the Port Authority are hosting a Q&A on PATH and these service improvements.

It will be streamed; questions must be submitted in advance.

forms.office.com/pages/respon...
Public Q&A On Thursday, November 20, 2025, join Port Authority and PATH Leadership and Hudson County Complete Streets to discuss the conclusion of the PATH Forward program, review PATH’s new budget and capital plans, and to discuss PATH’s future in Hudson County. Thursday, November 20, 2025 6 – 8 PM Hudson County Community College 161 Newkirk Street Culinary Conference Center Scott Ring Room, 2nd Floor
November 19, 2025 at 2:19 AM
etany.org
ETA is thrilled to see that, following years of demands by transit advocates & major investments, the Port Authority has committed to better headways on PATH. These major improvements, including four line service on weekends, will restore service to levels not seen in 25 years.

tinyurl.com/3254253m
For Immediate Release: Nov. 14, 2025 Contact: Emmanuelle Morgen, emmanuelle@hudcostreets.org Hudson County Complete Streets Celebrates PATH Improvements and Announces Nov. 20 Public Q&A with Port Authority Jersey City, NJ - Hudson County Complete Streets (HCCS) would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Port Authority for their November 13 statement with their commitment to major improvements in PATH service, including more trains on weekends, and direct weekend service to New York from both Hoboken and Jersey City on all four lines. With these improvements, the Port Authority will restore levels of service on PATH that have not been seen in nearly 25 years. Q&A with PATH / November 20, 6pm To answer any questions the public may have about these planned improvements or other PATH topics, Hudson County Complete Streets invites the public to attend a Q&A Session with PATH leadership on Thursday, November 20, 2025, 6PM–8PM, in Journal Square, at the Hudson County Community College – Culinary Conference Center, Scott Ring Room – 2nd Floor, 161 Newkirk Street, Jersey City, NJ 07306. To submit questions directly to the Port Authority ahead of time, click here. Leadership in Advocacy Launched by Hudson County Complete Streets in 2024 with the mobilization of volunteers gathering thousands of signatures, the Better PATH Campaign led the advocacy efforts for critical improvements to PATH service with a campaign that made two requests: 1. 5-minute off-peak PATH service on nights and weekends 2. A direct PATH extension to Newark Airport (EWR) The improvements on both the World Trade Center and 33rd St lines and a return to direct service to 33rd St without the detour to Hoboken represent a significant step in the right direction, with more than double the number of trains on weekends. PATH serves more than 200,000 riders per weekday and 100,000 per weekend day–the region’s gold star in sustainable transportation. Increased service means increased rider… The Work Continues We will continue to advocate for a PATH extension to Newark Airport and look forward to seeing it incorporated in future plans. To sign up to canvass, volunteers can visit https://hudcostreets.org/panynj/volunteer. Additionally, save the date and stay tuned for our upcoming North Jersey Transit Forum, Saturday, April 25th, 2026, in Jersey City! QUOTES “When we launched the Better PATH campaign in 2024, we knew that as a region, we deserve fast, frequent, effective, efficient, and reliable transit options. We are grateful the Port Authority agrees. We thank the dedicated volunteers who canvassed tirelessly for a better PATH, our elected officials who wrote support letters and attended Port Authority board meetings, the nonprofit advocacy organizations that contributed to the campaign, including the Effective Transit Alliance, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, and Regional Plan Association; and our partners, sponsors, and supporters.” –Emmanuelle Morgen, Executive Director, Hudson County Complete Streets “After years of diminished reliability and mounting frustration for New Jersey commuters, the Port Authority's announcement is a long-awaited step in the right direction. I applaud the Port Authority's leadership for committing to these major service increases in 2026 after completion of the PATH Forward rehabilitation program, and I’m thankful for the riders and advocates whose relentless voices made clear that the status quo was unacceptable. These long overdue improvements demonstrate that our advocacy was not falling on deaf ears; nevertheless, we still have much work ahead to ensure PATH riders no longer feel like an afterthought in our regional transit network. But it’s good to see light at the end of the (PATH) tunnel.” -Senator Raj Mukherji (NJ-32), Vice Chair, Senate Transportation Committee “Hats off to the incredible team at Hudson County Complete Streets in organizing this campaign and coalition, of which Tri-State Transportation Campai… Timeline of weekend/off-peak service changes: · March 2026: Service on the Journal Square-33 St via Hoboken line will double on weekends between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m., with trains every 10 minutes instead of every 20 minutes. · May 2026: Dedicated Hoboken service to World Trade Center and 33 St will resume on weekends for the first time since 2001, streamlining travel for Hoboken riders and eliminating an extra stop on the Journal Square-33 St line for Jersey City riders. The Journal Square-33 St and Hoboken-33 St lines will operate every 10 minutes and Hoboken-WTC will operate every 20 mins from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. · May 2026: Enhanced late-night Friday service, with trains every 20 minutes instead of every 40 minutes between 11:30 p.m. Friday and 2 a.m. Saturday on all lines. · March 2027: Increased weekend service on the Newark-World Trade Center and Hoboken-World Trade Center lines from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with trains running every 10-15 minutes. Weekday service changes: · March 2026: Hoboken-World Trade Center line frequency will improve to every six minutes during morning rush hour, a 33 percent service increase to 10 trains per hour. · March 2027: Newark-World Trade Center line frequency will improve to every four minutes during morning and evening rush hours, a 25 percent service increase delivering 15 trains per hour.
November 19, 2025 at 2:12 AM
etany.org
Around both the world and the US, one-person train operation is standard—with many places looking to move to more frequent automated systems.

Given this ubiquity, there's no serious argument for requiring two-person trains.

This bill would lock NY in the past.

www.nydailynews.com/2025/11/17/v...
Daily News Opinion piece: Veto this subway featherbedding: Hochul must stop Legislature’s effort to force the use of two-person crews New York is already out of step with the rest of the country and the rest of the world by using two-person crews. Writing this wrong into law would be a huge step backwards.
November 18, 2025 at 6:35 PM
etany.org
Since the MTA's new signal technology, CBTC, uses the same technology as 5G wireless, it's smart and rider-friendly to provide cell service alongside signal upgrades.

Future installations, however, should not lock riders into a single service provider.

www.instagram.com/p/DQ96XMyEQo...
An Instagram mpost by nycsubwaylife showing a new R211 G train and proclaiming that there is 5G service on the G, and that "You can now enjoy AT&T service in the tunnel between Court Square and Bedford-Nostrand Ave
November 17, 2025 at 10:59 PM
etany.org
By learning from other countries and adopting international best practices, California High Speed Rail was able to cut its costs by $14 billion and cut 70% of tunnels.

This is a big lesson for transit projects both in NY & around the US: start by learning from other countries.

tinyurl.com/mvsmfxa2
Ian Choudri: Yes. When I came on board, like we looked at six or seven different areas of improvements and one of that was engineering of how we are building it comparable to the European and Japanese systems. And came to realize that as engineers, all the folks that were in the team being very conservative. They were going, "Let’s build it not that steep." And so we are going to do it as flat as we can. While that’s fun if you are in the desert, if you are going through Tehachapi or Pacheco Pass, you quickly realize you can't stay flat. So the decision was made to make it a little higher, because Europe is doing it, Japan has been doing it. Let’s not reinvent. That eliminated about 70 percent of the tunnels that we had to do. And that’s billions of dollars. Ian Choudri: I don’t blame anyone. These were not intentional mistakes. This was a lack of checking because we don’t have another high speed rail in this country. So we were using highway bridges or freight rail design concepts, which is all we know. And so we fixed it. It took us four months to realize that this is a big mistake and improve the cost structure. When we put our plan out, we said we saved $14 billion by optimizing cost by changing design standards and criteria, bringing them up to par with the European and the Japanese.
November 11, 2025 at 10:29 PM
etany.org
Mamdami-style sign reading "Through-Running for Penn Station"
November 9, 2025 at 5:56 PM
etany.org
If it's your first time, keep an eye out for Blair who will be there with a sign and nametag.
Blair Lorenzo in front of the Manhattan Bridge
November 7, 2025 at 5:31 PM
etany.org
TONIGHT, come join ETA for TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks, November!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Tonight, Friday November 7, 2025 from
6-8pm at
The Irish Exit
Moynihan Food Hall
Penn Station

All are welcome!
November 7, 2025 at 5:30 PM
etany.org
This Friday, come join ETA for TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks, November!

Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy!

Friday November 7, 2025 from
6-8pm at
The Irish Exit
Moynihan Food Hall
Penn Station

All are welcome!
November 5, 2025 at 6:46 PM
etany.org
In a welcome move, NYC is planning to invest $40M over the next ten years, seeking to build seats at 875 bus stops every year.

Seating is a vital part of transit that not only makes it more accessible, but improves usability by reducing perceived waiting time.

www.nyc.gov/mayors-offic...
Mayor Adams Invests $40 Million for Universal Seating, Installing Seating at Every Bus Stop in New York City October 30, 2025 NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced a $40 million investment to expand seating at the approximately 8,750 eligible bus stops — those on public property with sufficient sidewalk or island space — across the five boroughs that currently lack seating. Bus stop seating makes transportation more accessible for all New Yorkers, especially older adults, parents with young children, and people with disabilities. Beginning in November, seating will be installed, where feasible, at 875 bus stops every year over the next 10 years, while maintaining existing seating, to deliver monumental upgrades to bus stops across the five boroughs and provide universal bus stop seating to New Yorkers.
November 3, 2025 at 11:15 PM
etany.org
Walk-through open gangway trains have numerous advantages: they prevent subway surfing, improve capacity, and allow passengers to redistribute themselves along a train.

They've been successful and popular everywhere they've been implemented, including on the G train.
A walkthrough prototype R211 train on the subway, image courtesy of ETA, Khyber Sen
October 30, 2025 at 5:58 PM
etany.org
The MTA is installing experimental anti-subway surfing barriers on the 7 train.

While this is a good interim step, the real solution is to ensure that all new subway cars are walk-through (known as open gangway), as has been common practice across the world for years.

pix11.com/news/transit...
A protoype anti-subway-surfing barrier.
October 30, 2025 at 5:58 PM
etany.org
It's good to see MTA Chair Janno Lieber contemplating all-door bus boarding, an easy win for bus service.

All-door boarding and proof-of-payment enforcement speed bus service significantly. What's more, the agency is ready to go having already installed back door OMNY readers on all its buses.
Janno Lieber There was. There was all-door boarding. But let me just say this: All-door boarding is accomplishable in a paid model. We’ve been reluctant because we felt to get there, because I wanted to get fare evasion down to reestablish the position that the patterns of behavior that we lost during COVID, which is you get on the bus, you know, hopefully you say good morning to the bus driver, and you do something to pay. We can do all-door boarding in part because once we have OMNY — you know, true tap-and-ride, universal — and we can have fare enforcement agents, not armed, go up to people and say [to] anybody, “show me your OMNY card. Show me your phone, show me that you paid.” Josh Greenman But why not do it now and allow all-door boarding? Janno Lieber Right now, it’s associated with the avoidance of payment and I think we need an enforcement model that starts to, that says, wherever you got on, you’re going to be subject— because right now, somebody can get on the back and say, “I paid.” If they’re ever asked by an Eagle Team member, one of our fare enforcement people, let’s say, “I paid at the front, by coin, on the bus. You can’t validate every rider the same way you can a 100% tap and ride system. I want to get there. And then you have, universal, which is like what they have in Europe, where you can go up to anybody and say, “Please show me your fare payment.” So that’s what I think we’re waiting for to move towards all-door boarding, which I think is a positive if we can get there, once we get to OMNY.
October 29, 2025 at 8:47 PM