News Archive 2012

Know Before You Go with MTA Subway Time™ The MTA has released a test version of an app that allows riders on seven subway lines to know precisely when trains are expected to arrive at stations.

MTA Bridges And Tunnels Prepared For Winter With 9,000 tons of deicer on hand and a fleet of 98 snow and ice-fighting vehicles standing by, MTA Bridges and Tunnels is ready for the upcoming winter weather.

Holiday Service on Tap for Christmas MTA subways, buses and railroad service will operate on a Sunday or holiday schedule on Christmas.

'R' Restored Between Brooklyn and Manhattan After more than a month of around-the-clock work in one of the most storm-ravaged sections of the MTA transit system, <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/r.png" alt="R Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> trains resumed service through the Montague Tube, which connects Brooklyn Heights with Lower Manhattan on Friday morning, December 21.

MTA Chairman Resigns Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joseph J. Lhota is resigning from his positions at the MTA, effective at close of business on Dec. 31st.

MTA Adopts Fare and Toll Increases for 2013 The MTA Board has approved the agency's 2013 budget and four-year financial plan, preserving the continuing roll-out of subway, bus and railroad service increases identified last spring, and adopting a fare and toll increase that was proposed in October and amended over recent weeks in response to public comment.

MTA New York City Transit Expands FASTRACK Program for 2013 Successful Subway Maintenance Program Moves to Upper Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens

MTA Continues Offering MetroCard Advertising Don't be surprised if you get a MetroCard swathed in green this holiday season. It means your MetroCard carries one of the second crop of advertisements to appear under the MTA's new effort to raise revenue by selling ad space on MetroCards.

Free Transfer for Staten Island Veterans The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced today that, beginning Monday, December 17, it will add a free transfer to the B70 bus from the S53 to provide Staten Island veterans access to the Brooklyn VA Hospital without having to pay an additional fare.

Lost or Stolen MetroCard? File a Claim Online The MTA is making it easier to file a claim if the 30-day unlimited MetroCard^&#174; or 7-day Express Bus Plus MetroCard you purchased with a credit or debit card at an MTA vending machine is ever lost or stolen.

Take a Ride on the Holiday Nostalgia Train! It's back by popular demand! Subway customers can once again take a ride back in time between Queens and Lower Manhattan along the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/m.png" alt="M Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> line through the holiday season.

Transit Museum Holiday Train Show Transit Museum Holiday Train Show

Weekend at Work: November 16-19, 2012 <p>This weekend, we replaced concrete ties between Jamaica and Queens Village. More: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos/sets/72157632053493184/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos/sets/72157632053493184/</a></p>

MTA Boosts Employee Protection Program The MTA has launched an ad campaign promoting a new program that offers rewards of up to $2,000 to transit riders or others who offer details to police after witnessing a crime against a transit employee.

One Lane At Hugh L. Carey Tunnel Reopens To Cars One Lane At Hugh L. Carey Tunnel Reopens To Cars

Queens Midtown Tunnel Reopens to Truck Traffic Queens Midtown Tunnel Reopens to Truck Traffic

LIRR Operating Weekday Schedule LIRR Operating Weekday Schedule

MTA Restores 'L' Line Service to Manhattan The MTA restored limited <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/l.png" alt="L Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> train service between Brooklyn and Manhattan Thursday afternoon after days of difficult work dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Service Emergency Proves Digital Displays' Value The MTA's live bus tracking service, MTA Bus Time™, has expanded to all bus routes serving the Bronx.

New York City Transit's Wonder Train Car! New York City Transit's Wonder Train Car!

MTA Working to Restore Transit Service in Wake of Historic Storm

Chairman Lhota Testifies in Washington on Aid for Sandy Recovery Chairman Lhota Testifies in Washington on Aid for Sandy Recovery

Miss Subways Return via NY Transit Museum Miss Subways Return via NY Transit Museum

Ride LIRR Free & Save Money Too on Tickets to Some of the Best Holiday Shows Ride LIRR Free & Save Money Too on Tickets to Some of the Best Holiday Shows

Hugh L. Carey Tunnel Back To Normal Operation Hugh L. Carey Tunnel Back To Normal Operation

LIRR Operates Full AM & PM Rush Hour Service Starting Monday, December 10 LIRR Operates Full AM & PM Rush Hour Service Starting Monday, December 10

Cashless Tolling at the Henry Hudson Bridge Begins Cashless tolling is coming to the Henry Hudson Bridge toll plaza at 11 pm on Saturday, November 10.

Metro-North Touts Station Enhancement Program Labor-management cooperation gets results at Bedford Hills and elsewhere as part of the railroad's new, interdepartmental effort to better maintain its stations on a regular schedule.

Metro-North Continues Repairs After Hurricane Sandy Metro-North Continues Repairs After Hurricane Sandy

QMT Will Have Three Lanes Into Manhattan For Morning Peak QMT Will Have Three Lanes Into Manhattan For Morning Peak

East Coast "Superstorm" Prompts Governor Cuomo to Direct MTA to Prepare for Service Suspensions Eyeing the possibility that Hurricane Sandy will continue on its path toward the New York City metropolitan area, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today directed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to begin planning for an orderly suspension of all subway, bus and commuter railroad service.

MTA Prepares for Hurricane Sandy Customers are urged to monitor mta.info, media outlets and call 511 for latest transportation information.

Battery Tunnel Renamed For Governor Hugh Carey MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph J. Lhota, Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, past and present elected officials and 27 members of the Carey family attended a ceremony formally renaming the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel in honor of the late Gov. Hugh L. Carey.

Weekend at Work: October 19-22, 2012 <p>This weekend, we replaced switches in Hicksville, where the LIRR's Port Jefferson Branch and Ronkonkoma Branch merge, and rehabilitated tracks on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/7.png" alt="7 Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> subway line between Grand Central and Vernon Jackson, at Court Square, and at Queensboro Plaza.</p>

MTA Announces Proposals for Fare and Toll Increases The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has unveiled proposals that would increase fares and tolls to raise additional, vitally needed revenue to support the New York region's transportation system.

MTA Announces Proposals for Fare Increases The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has unveiled proposals that would increase fares and tolls to raise additional, vitally needed revenue to support the New York region's transportation system.

FASTRACK Returning to the 1, 2 and 3 Lines

Cashless Tolling Starting At Henry Hudson Bridge

Front-Facing Advertising Debuts on MetroCards MetroCards displaying a front-facing advertisement went on sale for the first time in early October.

LIRR Station Waiting Room Hours Expanded Pilot Program Extending Hours at 41 Stations Resulted from Collaborative Effort between the Railroad and LIRR Commuters Council

LIRR Opens New High-Tech Train Wash LIRR officially opens its new $25.5 million, state-of-the-art train wash facility located in the Village of Babylon.

Metro-North is Adding 79 Trains Each Week! With the new October 14, 2012 timetable, train service on weekends and off-peak periods will get a big boost with the addition of 79 trains each week.

BW Bronx Approach Project Completed Early The $212 million Capital project to reconstruct the Bronx approach roadway at the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, providing drivers with wider 12-foot lanes and new safety shoulders, is now complete with work finishing two months ahead of schedule.

Subway Night Map 2.0

Traffic Signal Priority Pilot on M15 SBS With a goal of further improving speeds and efficiency along Select Bus Service (SBS) corridors, the MTA is launching a Traffic Signal Priority (TSP) system pilot on the M15 SBS route. MTA New York City Transit is seeking Board approval for this contract.

New Transfer Opens at Bleecker Street The new transfer between the Bleecker Street <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/6.png" alt="6 Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Station uptown platform and the Broadway-Lafayette Street <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/b.png" alt="B Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/d.png" alt="D Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/f.png" alt="F Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/m.png" alt="M Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Station is now open.

Survey: 93% of Metro-North Customers Are Satisfied Satisfaction Rebounds in 2012; Ties Highest Rating Ever

2012 Survey Shows 85 Percent Satisfied With B&T Customer satisfaction at MTA Bridges and Tunnels' seven bridges and two tunnels rose five percentage points to 85 percent in 2012 thanks to increases in safety and security, road signs and road conditions.

Weekend at Work - October 6 - 7, 2012

Sandhogs Join LIRR's New Manhattan Tunnel to Its New Queens Tunnels Sandhogs working on the East Side Access megaproject -; the largest transportation infrastructure construction project in the nation -; have broken through the final piece of reinforced concrete separating newly built tunnels in Queens from newly built tunnels in Manhattan.

Weekend at Work: September 14-;17 2012 <p><p> In Manhattan this weekend, we repaired track north of 47-50 Sts on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/b.png" alt="B Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/d.png" alt="D Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/f.png" alt="F Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/m.png" alt="M Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Line and south of 14 St-Union Square on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/n.png" alt="N Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/q.png" alt="Q Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/r.png" alt="R Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Line. In Brooklyn, we repaired track on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/3.png" alt="3 Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Line at New Lots Av and at the Pitkin Yard where we store <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/a.png" alt="A Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> and <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/c.png" alt="C Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> trains.</p>

New Subway Transportation Chief Named Herbert E. Lambert, with more than 30 years of service in MTA New York City Transit's Department of Subways, has been named to the position of Chief Transportation Officer, Rapid Transit Operations.

MTA Staten Island Railway is looking for Conductors MTA Staten Island Railway has an exam filing for Conductor. <a href="http://www.mta.info/nyct/hr/appexam.htm">Click here to learn more</a>

Damaged on 9/11, NYC Transit Bus a Restored Phoenix of Red, White and Blue MTA New York City Transit express coach 2185 is a living tribute to 9/11 responders and the MTA's determination to rebuild in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

Another Round of 'FASTRACK' Completed on the Lexington Ave. Line <p> An army of maintenance workers wrapped up yet another successful <em>FASTRACK </em>effort completing an ambitious schedule of work.</p> <p>Click <a href="http://www.mta.info/nyct/service/fastrack/456_index.html">here</a> for more information.</p>

LIRR & Metro-North Extend Ticket Validity & Refund Periods Effective September 4, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority extended the validity of one-way and round-trip tickets on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad from 14 days to 60 days.

IND Subway Line Turns 80 If you wanted to catch the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/a.png" alt="A Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> train on September 9th, 1932, you would have been out of luck. It started running a day later. That's right, the Eighth Avenue Subway, at times also known as the Independent, IND or Municipal Subway, celebrates 80 years of operation on September 10th.

Weekend at Work: Aug. 31-;Sept. 4, 2012 <p>This Labor Day weekend, we replaced track panels on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/2.png" alt="2 Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/5.png" alt="5 Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Line in the Bronx and repaired tracks and switches on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/f.png" alt="F Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Line in Queens and on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/n.png" alt="N Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/q.png" alt="Q Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/r.png" alt="R Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> at Union Square.</p>

Select Bus Service Coming to Staten Island New Select Bus Service will bring dedicated bus lanes to Hylan Boulevard's S79 line as well as other bus routes along the boulevard.

LIRR's eTicket Sales Test a Big Hit With Customers Online Test Conducted with L.I. Tech Firm CooCoo Shows Customers Like Mobile Ticketing Option

Trash Can Free Station Pilot Expands Due to positive results shown over the past several months, MTA New York City Transit is expanding the pilot program to remove trash cans from stations.

Payroll Mobility Tax Vital to Region's Economy

LIRR Offers Frequent Service to U.S. Open Tennis Tennis, anyone? The LIRR is providing frequent service to the U.S. Open Tennis with trains stopping at Mets-Willets Point Station, which is just a short walk to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Payroll Mobility Tax Vital to Region's Economy

Initial Findings Released in 2nd Ave Subway Explosion Investigation While the MTA continues its rigorous investigation, here are some preliminary findings:

Knickerbocker Avenue M Station to Close for Rehab MTA New York City Transit announces the renewal of five stations on the Myrtle Avenue <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/m.png" alt="M Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> line set to begin with Knickerbocker Avenue.

LIRR's Extra Service is Easiest Way to See Barclays PGA TOUR Go Green to the Black at Bethpage State Park August 21-26 on the LIRR.

MTA Storm Preparations In preparation for the possibility of heavy rains and high winds this weekend, the MTA is making the following preparations:

Henry Hudson Bridge Navigation Lights Shine

The red and green "Star Wars" looking lights emanating from beneath the Henry Hudson Bridge may seem like an attempt to reach out to other-worldly beings but they are actually navigation lights required by the U.S. Coast Guard to help guide maritime traffic.

A New Option Continues for Access-A-Ride Customers MTA New York City Transit's Paratransit Division has extended its pilot program for Access-A-Ride (AAR) customers to use a pre-paid Chase Visa Card to pay for yellow taxi service on regularly scheduled, pre-planned trips.

Photographer O. Winston Link Part of B&T History Famed photographer O. Winston Link may be better known for his 1950's black and white photographs of steam powered railroad cars but he also played an important role at Bridges and Tunnels, chronicling its bridges throughout the 1960s.

The MTA and the Yankees Honor Bus Operator Steve St. Bernard Nothing against Yankees centerfielder Curtis Granderson, but on Monday, July 16th, it was New York City Transit Bus Operator Stephen St. Bernard who made the catch of a lifetime.

Rehabilitation of Seven West End D Line Stations in Brooklyn Now Complete This week, the MTA marked the completion of work to rehabilitate seven stations along the West End <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/d.png" alt="D Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Line in Brooklyn with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Bay Parkway Station.

MTA Seeks Proposals to Manage 65,000 Sq. Ft. of Retail Space at Fulton Center The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is seeking proposals from experienced developers and retail operators for the long-term master leasing of the Fulton Center.

'FASTRACK' Wraps Up Week on 6th Avenue Line <p> <em>FASTRACK</em>, wrapped up a weeklong stint along the Sixth Avenue <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/b.png" alt="B Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/d.png" alt="D Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/f.png" alt="F Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/m.png" alt="M Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> lines in stations and tunnels between 59th Street-Columbus Circle and West 4th Street.</p> <p>Once again, hundreds of Transit workers inspected, repaired, maintained, cleaned and painted subway infrastructure in stations and tunnels between 59th Street-Columbus Circle and West 4th Street.</p>

Transit Bureau Beefs up Patrols Responding to an increase in subway crimes, specifically robbery, the NYPD Transit Bureau is stepping up enforcement by placing uniformed officers on board trains during overnight hours.

MTA Budget Remains Balanced, But Long-Term Challenges Persist The MTA has released its 2013 Preliminary Budget and July Financial Plan for 2013-2016. The budget remains balanced, but long-term challenges persist.

'FASTRACK' Returning to B D F M Lines <p>New York City Transit is bringing FASTRACK back to the 6th Ave. Line on Monday, July 23. The <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/b.png" alt="B Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/d.png" alt="D Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/f.png" alt="F Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/m.png" alt="M Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> lines will be shut down from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m., suspending service between 59th Street-Columbus Circle and West 4th Street in Manhattan in both directions for four consecutive weeknights.</p> <p> Click <a href="http://www.mta.info/nyct/service/fastrack_BDFM.htm">here</a> for more information.</p>

LIRR Announces Service Investments The LIRR announced a series of service enhancements that will provide increased off-peak Ronkonkoma Branch service, added rush hour trains on the Montauk, Long Beach and Port Jefferson Branches, extension of late-night Atlantic Terminal service, and added evening service on the Montauk Branch.

Want to Reach a Big Audience? Advertise on MetroCards We are relaunching our program that allows advertisers to <a href="http://mta.info/nyct/AdvertiseonMetroCard.html">buy space on MetroCard^&#174;</a>.

MTA Mobile Website Now Faster, Easier and More Clear We've enhanced the functionality and clarified the design of <a href="http://m.mta.info/">m.mta.info</a> our website for customers using mobile devices.

MTA Metro-North Railroad To Test Smartphone Ticketing This Summer Images on screens of iPhones, Androids and Blackberries will let people buy their train tickets anywhere, anytime and never have to hold a piece of paper!

All Metro-North peak hour trains now have a Quiet Car! The LAST car on all AM peak trains and the FIRST car on all PM peak trains are for customers who don’t want to hear cell phones, loud conversations, beeps, buzzes or oddball ringtones.

Doing the Right Thing: Bus Operator Returns Lost Wallet to Customer When Elisabeth Ponsot left her wallet aboard a QM6 earlier this week, she thought she would never see it again. Luckily, she regularly rides a bus operated by Paul Liguori.

Swipe Your MetroCard^&#174; and Enjoy Randall's Island Swipe your MetroCard^&#174; and hop on a <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/4.png" alt="4 Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/5.png" alt="5 Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/6.png" alt="6 Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> train to 125th Street and transfer for the M35 to Randall's Island.

'FASTRACK' Returning to the Eighth Avenue Line Beginning Monday July 9 and running for four consecutive weeknights, the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/a.png" alt="A Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/c.png" alt="C Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/e.png" alt="E Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Lines will be affected from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m., suspending Eighth Avenue service between 59th Street-Columbus Circle and Jay Street-MetroTech in both directions.

Weekend at Work: June 29-July 2 2012 <p>This weekend, we replaced panels of track in Brooklyn, on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/b.png" alt="B Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/q.png" alt="Q Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Line, and near Central Av on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/m.png" alt="M Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Line.</p>

Nearly 65,000 Sold! That's E-ZPass 'On-the-Go' Tags, Not Burgers In the year since the program to sell E-ZPass^&#174; 'On-the-Go' tags in cash lane began, nearly 65,000 tags have been sold, with most sold in just the last three months after the program was expanded to include all nine MTA crossings.

MTA Bus Time<sup style="font-size:70%;">&#174;</sup> Coming to the B61 Beginning July 1st, MTA Bus Time<sup style="font-size:70%;">&#174;</sup> will be available to customers who ride the B61 in Brooklyn.

LIRR Employees Reunite Customer with Lost Engagement Ring The quick action and team work of two MTA Long Island Rail Road employees resulted in a customer being reunited with her two-carat, sapphire and diamond engagement ring that was lost on a morning rush hour train.

The Rockaways Whimsical Little Bridge Turns 75 The Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge, which sparked the growth of the Rockaways and turned an isolated area into a recreational destination, is turning 75 on July 3rd.

'FASTRACK' Back on the 1 2 3 Lines The Broadway/Seventh Avenue corridor is next up for 'FASTRACK'. For four consecutive weeknights beginning Monday, June 25th, more than 800 maintenance workers will replace, inspect, repair, paint and clean subway infrastructure on the line segment between 34th Street-Penn Station and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center.

New Series of Posters Warn Customers to Stay Back from the Platform Edge The posters (car cards) have begun appearing in subway cars this week, rotating through three different themes.

MTA Seeking Company to Manage Columbus Circle Retail In a move to more effectively manage its real estate portfolio, the MTA is accepting proposals from real estate companies seeking to master lease the 13-store retail concourse at the recently renovated 59 St-Columbus Circle subway complex.

MetroCard^&#174; and Baseball: Perfect Together Minor league baseball is back as the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Staten Island Yankees are back in action. Use your MetroCard to get to the ballpark for affordable minor league baseball and some breathtaking ocean views.

Real Time Travel Signs Are a Hit With Customers Motorists appreciate real time travel and traffic information.

Great One-Day LI Getaways The LIRR is introducing four new Long Island Getaways to its lineup of over 20 escorted sightseeing tours, travel packages and deals available through the summer offering discounts galore.

MTA LIRR Gets You to the Puerto Rican Day Parade Sunday June 10 Alcoholic Beverages Prohibited at Stations, Platforms and Trains.

Air Quality Data for Second Avenue Subway Construction Now Posted Online Metropolitan Transportation Authority Capital Construction has posted additional Second Avenue Subway air quality monitoring data on the MTA website.

Assemblywoman Sandy Galef and colleagues Honor Metro-North for the outstanding achievements of being the first American railroad to win the coveted International Brunel Award.

LIRR Running Extra Trains to See Triple Crown Bid at Belmont The MTA Long Island Rail Road has your ticket to see history in the making as Triple Crown contender "I'll Have Another" makes his run for the 144th Belmont Stakes this coming Saturday, June 9.

East Side Access Completes Third Queens Tunnel Ahead of Schedule Third Tunnel of Four Underneath Sunnyside Yard Completed in Nine Weeks

MetroCard Bus/Van at a Location Near You MTA New York City Transit wants customers to know that there are two kinds of traveling MetroCard Service Centers: the MetroCard Bus and the MetroCard Van. Both vehicles make regularly scheduled stops in all five boroughs each month.

Paint Project Underway On Bronx Side of Throgs Neck Have you seen the oversized white cocoon enveloping the Throgs Neck Bridge near Ferry Point in the Bronx?

LIRR Getaways to World-Class Beaches on LI The LIRR offers money-saving special Beach Getaways to 12 of Long Island's finest beaches -; including Jones Beach State Park, Long Beach and an assortment of Fire Island beaches to suit everyone's tastes.

Two Officers Who Saved the Lives of Three The MTA honored two police officers for saving the lives of three Long Islanders in April.

Subway Elevator and Escalator Reliability Continues to Improve Elevator reliability is at 98.1 percent during the first quarter in 2012, up from 96.7 percent in 2010. Escalator reliability is at 96.2 percent, up from 91.6 percent in 2010.

MTA's Eagle Team This week, New York City Transit's Eagle Team members were presented with a 2011 Unit Citation for the excellent work they performed throughout the year.

MTA Holds 25th Annual Auditions for Music Under New York The sound of harmonious voices and musical instruments from across the globe echoed into the granite halls of Grand Central today as the MTA held its 25th annual auditions for its Music Under New York program.

FASTRACK Returns to the Sixth Avenue Line MTA New York City Transit is bringing FASTRACK back to the Sixth Avenue Line. Beginning Monday, May 14, the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/b.png" alt="B Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/d.png" alt="D Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/f.png" alt="F Subway Line Symbol" border="0"><img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/m.png" alt="M Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Lines will be shut down from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m.

Six B&T Employees Honored As Heroes For Saving Two Lives Six Verrazano-Narrows employees were honored for their heroic acts in saving the lives of two people in separate suicide attempts at the bridge.

Cross Bay Turns 42? Or Is It 73? Or 122? The Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge is turning 42 this Memorial Day or is it really 73? Maybe, it's 122? It's all a matter of perspective.

Rails Being Delivered for the 7 Extension The <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/7.png" alt="7 Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> Extension Project, now 65 percent complete, has just received its first set of rails.

Protecting Our Transit Workers One of the MTA's top priorities is keeping its workers safe.

Take LIRR to Tall Ships Spectacular in Greenport MTA Long Island Rail Road will provide extra train service between Ronkonkoma and Greenport on Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27 when the beautiful seaside village of Greenport plays proud host to a breathtaking array of sailing ships participating in the annual Tall Ships Challenge.

Weekend at Work: May 4-7, 2012 This weekend, track workers poured concrete around newly laid track just north of the Atlantic Av-Pacific St station on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/d.png" alt="D Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/n.png" alt="N Subway Line Symbol" border="0"> lines.

MTA New York City Transit Takes Delivery of New Diesel-Electric Locomotive Work equipment plays a vital role in maintaining safe, reliable service across the entire subway system.

Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel Celebrating 62 Years On May 25th, the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel celebrates its 62nd anniversary, but did you know that if Robert Moses had his way, the tunnel wouldn't have been built at all?

Upgrades to Grand Central Terminal To Cut Energy Consumption 30% MTA's largest energy efficiency project with New York Power Authority ever will save $3 million a year.

Another Successful Round of FASTRACK on the A C E MTA New York City Transit wrapped up yet another successful FASTRACK line segment closure completing an ambitious schedule of work on the Eighth Avenue Line.

The Results are in: New York has the Top-Ranked Transit System in the Country Walk Score, a group that tells you how easy it is to get places from your home on foot, now ranks which U.S cities have the best transit. Guess who came out on top?

Saying Farewell to an Old Friend An historic agreement was reached this week among the City, the MTA, and academic institutions to transform NYC Transit's former headquarters into the NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress.

LIRR Achieves Record On-Time Performance The LIRR has recorded its best first quarter On-Time Performance (OTP) ever -; with 96.17 percent of all trains system-wide running on schedule during the first three months of 2012.

Weekend at Work: April 20-23, 2012 This weekend, we renewed tracks and switches on the <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/2.png" alt="2 Line Subway Icon"> <img src="/siteimages/subwaybullets/3.png" alt="3 Line Subway Icon">, the Sea Beach Line and the Staten Island Railway.

Throgs Neck Bridge LED Necklace Light Project Finished Just in time for Earth Day 2012, Bridges and Tunnels crews finished replacing 142 old mercury vapor lights with new high-efficiency LED lights at the Throgs Neck Bridge.

All MTA Crossings Now Selling E-ZPass ON-THE-GO Tags It's official. No matter what bridge or tunnel you use, you can now pick up an E-ZPass On-the-Go tag in any cash lane at all nine MTA crossings.

Buses Replace Trains Speonk to Montauk April 24-27 LIRR train service between Speonk and Montauk will be replaced by buses for 72 hours Tuesday through Friday, April 24-27 - as the Railroad carries out the next phase of the $22.4 million rehabilitation of three East End bridges.

Another Successful Round of FASTRACK on the 1 2 3 MTA New York City Transit wrapped up yet another successful FASTRACK line segment closure completing an ambitious schedule of work on the Seventh Avenue Line.

Check out 2011 Ridership Data! The NYC Transit ridership pages on www.mta.info have been updated to include 2011 ridership for both buses and subways.

Four Metro-North Employees Honored as Heroes by Red Cross A trespasser who climbed a power pole on the New Haven Line and was seriously injured by 13,000 volts of electricity was safely evacuated thanks to Metro-North employees.

FASTRACK is Back on the 7th Avenue Line FASTRACK returns to the 1, 2 and 3 Lines this week. It remains clear that FASTRACK is a safer and more efficient way to maintain a 24/7 system.

MTA Bus Time<sup style="font-size:70%;">&#174;</sup> has arrived on M34/34A SBS Crosstown MTA New York City Transit reminds customers that, effective Sunday, April 8; MTA Bus Time<sup style="font-size:70%;">&#174;</sup> will be phased into the M34/M34A Select Bus Service crosstown bus route.

Bronx-Whitestone Celebrates 73 Years Of Service On April 29, the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge turns 73 years old.

Court Square on the No.7 Line Re-Opens No. 7 trains have resumed making station stops at the Court Square station in Long Island City.

There's Never Been a Better Time to Try Metro-North's Trains to Yankee Stadium! The Yankees return to the Bronx on Friday, April 13, for the 2012 home opener against the Los Angeles Angels. And Metro-North Railroad is back for its fourth year of train service to Yankee Stadium!

Digital "Urban Panels" Debut at Manhattan Subway Entrances Another creative way the MTA is maximizing the revenue it receives from its real estate assets.

Governor Cuomo Announces $600 Million MTA Investment in Upstate Manufacturing MTA chooses Bombardier for $600 million order for 300 subway cars resulting in more than 500 jobs

Poetry in Motion Is Back Back by popular demand, poems are returning to the subway after a four-year hiatus. We have joined with the Poetry Society of America to restore Poetry in Motion, the popular program that brought thought-provoking poems and poetry excerpts to the subway between 1992 and 2008.

MTA Bus Time<sup style="font-size:70%;">&#174;</sup> Coming to the M34/M34A SBS Crosstown MTA New York City Transit announced today that, effective April 8, 2012; MTA Bus Time<sup style="font-size:70%;">&#174;</sup> will be phased into the M34/M34A Select Bus Service crosstown bus route.

Bleecker Street Platform Shifts As part of the project to build a free transfer between the uptown 6 train and the B, D, F and M Lines, the Bleecker Street platform on the 6 Line has moved south 300 feet!

Take LIRR & Metro-North to Auto Show April 6-15 & Save If your destination is the 2012 New York International Auto Show during the week of April 6-15, then the MTA is an easy and cost saving way to get there.

100th Street Depot Now Renamed as the Tuskegee Airmen Bus Depot MTA's 100th Street Bus Depot has been renamed The Tuskegee Airmen Bus Depot in honor of the World War II African-American military pilots and support personnel.

New York's Largest Art Museum, In Your Pocket Our new mobile app allows users to browse through more than 200 works of contemporary art found throughout the New York City Subway, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, and MTA Bridges and Tunnels.

Weekend at Work: March 9-12 This weekend, we replaced track panels on the 7 Line and rehabilitated track at High Street.

Henry Hudson Bridge Moves To Next Phase Ahead Of Schedule A new construction work zone will be in place beginning Tuesday, March 13th.

LIRR Employee Triumphs at APTA ‘Call Center Challenge' Gabrielle Rodriguez, Manager of Long Island Rail Road's Travel Information Center is winner of the national Call Center Challenge competition sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

Weekend at Work: March 2-5, 2012 This weekend, we rehabilitated the 7 Line's tunnel under the East River, and 7 Line stations at Court Square and Hunters Point Av.

Take the LIRR and Save on Some Great Deals Are you looking to jazz up your winter weekends? Then MTA Long Island Rail Road is your ticket for a ride out to Long Island Wine Country where you can uncork the best at a popular vineyard as well as the very best in jazz music.

LIRR & Metro-North Discount Packages to 2 Shows at Javits The LIRR and Metro-North are offering discount rail and admission packages with savings of up to 30% to The New York Times Travel Show (March 3-4) and the Original GLBT Expo (March 17-18) at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.

Subway Ridership at Highest Levels Since 1950! In 2011, customers swiped their MetroCards 1.64 billion times, the highest annual subway ridership since 1950.

4th Avenue East Side Station House Reopens MTA New York City Transit has reopened the 4th Avenue-9th Street station house on the F/G line at the east side of 4th Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets.

Multiple Daily Lifts At Marine Parkway Extended Multiple daily bridge lifts at the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge will continue through mid-April as a result of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers marsh islands restoration project in Jamaica Bay.

New Cortlandt Station Expansion Is Complete On Feb. 15, MTA, local and state officials celebrated the completion of a major project to improve and renovate the Cortlandt Station.

FASTRACK on the 1, 2, and 3 FASTRACK moved to the 1, 2 and 3 Lines this week and with the first night completed, it remains clear that FASTRACK is a safer and more efficient way to maintain a 24/7 system.

'FASTRACK' Coming to the 1, 2, and 3 Lines MTA New York City Transit is bringing 'FASTRACK' to the Seventh Avenue Line this month following its successful implementation on the Lexington Avenue Line in January.

Weekend at Work: February 3-6 This weekend, we renewed tracks at 168th Street on the A line.

Heroic B&T Officer Honored By Brooklyn Beep MTA Bridges and Tunnels Officer Anthony Presley was recently honored for his heroic actions taken during an armed robbery last April.

'Embark NYC,' Multi-Purpose Navigation App, Wins MTA App Quest The judges judged. You, the public, voted. And the results are in.

Last Of The Decommissioned VN Toll Booths Torn Down Just a few swings of the giant demolition claw, and it was all over. The last three decommissioned toll booths at the Verrazano-Narrows Brooklyn-bound toll plaza were torn down overnight on Feb. 1-2.

Limited Quantities Available of our First Late Night Map We've released the first-ever map showing the scheduled overnight service of the subway system, when three subway lines don't run, three lines become shuttle trains,

MTA Customers Can Now Refill Unlimited-Ride MetroCards Compounding the already impressive convenience of MetroCard, customers can now refill their 7-day and 30-day unlimited-ride cards.

VNB Toll Plaza Improvement Project Rolls On The next phase of work on the Verrazano-Narrows toll plaza improvement project, which includes removing the last three unused Brooklyn-bound toll booths, is set to begin.

LIRR Improves Train Performance in 2011 The LIRR's train performance improved in 2011, with 93.71 percent of our trains operating on time. This represents nearly a full percentage point increase over 2010, when on-time performance (OTP) was 92.76 percent.

Metro-North & Long Island Rail Road Unveil "Pledge to Customers" MTA Long Island Rail Road and MTA Metro-North Railroad have each unveiled a formal "Pledge to Customers" promising to provide safe and reliable service and putting it in writing for the first time.

New Access-A-Ride Vehicle Debuts The MTA has purchased 30 new MV-1 vans for use by the Paratransit Division in order to determine their suitability as replacement vehicles for older Access-A-Ride vans.

Stay Alert The MTA has posted an informative public service announcement produced by the NYPD, warning customers to "Stay Alert" and safeguard their personal electronic devices when riding the subway.

Weekend at Work: January 13-16, 2012 This weekend, workers rehabilitated the trackbed at Atlantic Av on the B/Q Line.

MTA Storm Wrap-Up The MTA continues to monitor operations following Saturday's storm. At this time there are no significant weather-related delays. Personnel have been deployed, snow-fighting equipment has been put into service to keep rails free of ice and snow, and bus tires have been chained for additional traction.

MTA Completes FASTRACK It's the MTA's new, innovative way to keep the subway system in a state of good repair.

MTA Bus Time^&#174; Arrives on Staten Island For bus riders who have ever wondered: "Where is my bus and when will it get here?" The answer has arrived: <strong>MTA Bus Time</strong>^&#174;!

Hop on Metro-North for Skiing at Thunder Ridge Can't quite make it to Killington, Vail, or Gstaad to ski? Try Patterson, New York - less than two hours from Grand Central Terminal. Metro-North makes it easy to get away for a day of winter fun and savings, too!

Weekend at Work: January 6-9, 2012 This weekend, workers repaired and replaced tracks at 8 St and 28 St on the N/R/Q Line, 14 St on the 1/2/3 Line, Jackson Av on the 2/5 Line, and 161 St on the B/D Line.

FASTRACK Coming to the Lexington Avenue 4, 5, 6 Line It's a faster, less disruptive way to do subway work.

Let the LIRR Take You to the Boat Show, Motorcycle Show and NYC Restaurant Week It's January, which means it's time for three great events in NYC: the New York Boat Show, the Progressive International Motorcycle Show, and NYC Restaurant Week!

Metro-North Sets Record for On-time Performance in December: 98.6% December 2011 was the best month of 2011 and the best December in the 29-year history of Metro-North Railroad in terms of on-time performance - with 98.6% of all trains operating on time.