Federal officials warn of funding cuts to MTA due to safety concerns for NYC subway track workers.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has issued a stern warning to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) regarding potential funding cuts if the agency fails to submit a revised risk assessment for track workers within 30 days. This ultimatum was outlined in a letter sent on Tuesday, highlighting the FTA’s concerns about worker safety amid a series of incidents within the transit system.

Joe DeLorenzo, the FTA Chief Safety Officer, criticized the New York City Transit (NYCT) for what he described as a lack of transparency about the risks faced by track workers, asserting that the agency has consistently downplayed the urgency for updated safety measures. Should the MTA not comply, it may risk losing up to 25% of federal funding, a significant financial blow considering the scale of transit operations in New York.

The current situation marks a continuation of heightened scrutiny over the MTA’s safety protocols, especially in light of previous fatalities involving track workers. Recently, two tragic incidents—one involving the death of Hilarion Joseph after being struck by a subway train in November 2023, and another where a worker sustained severe head trauma from a passing train—have drawn attention to the agency’s safety practices.

DeLorenzo emphasized that the MTA’s previous assessments did not adequately reflect the risks track workers face. He cited a dramatic increase in incident rates, noting that events from 2021 to 2023 represented a nearly 3.4-fold rise compared to prior years. This alarming trend has prompted the federal agency to require a comprehensive update that integrates more recent data pertaining to worker safety.

In response to the FTA’s latest letter, MTA officials have expressed frustration. John McCarthy, MTA’s chief of policy and external relations, criticized the federal agency for employing safety concerns as a means to threaten funding while asserting that discussions about worker safety should have been prioritized earlier. He underscored the MTA’s commitment to improving safety measures, citing ongoing collaboration with federal officials and labor unions.

Contrastingly, John Chiarello, president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, supported the federal position, articulating the need for improved safety assessments and emphasizing the dangers inherent in track work. The union has highlighted the increasing frequency of near-miss incidents, which purportedly rose by 58% from the previous year.

This unfolding situation occurs against a backdrop of strained relations between the MTA and federal authorities, with recent threats regarding funding linked to unrelated issues such as crime perceptions on the subway and New York’s congestion pricing program. These tensions signal a complex intersection of safety, regulation, and political dynamics within the transit infrastructure, as federal oversight continues to challenge the MTA’s operational strategies in maintaining worker safety and public confidence.

As the deadline approaches, all eyes will be on the MTA to see how it responds to the federal ultimatum and whether it can effectively navigate the pressures from both the FTA and its own workforce.

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