As Transit Systems Brace For Cuts, the Last Recession Is a Warning
Transit agencies are already facing a grim economic outlook amid pandemic. Data from the last recession shows how some cuts were never restored.
People with and without masks ride on a crowded New York City subway car on July 25, 2020. Mayor Bill de Blasio has urged staggered work times and telecommuting to reduce crowding during the pandemic, but service cuts on transit systems across the U.S. could increase crowds for those who rely on public transportation.
Photographer: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images North AmericaAs U.S. lawmakers negotiate a new stimulus plan to counter the pandemic’s economic devastation, public transit leaders are calling for at least $32 billion in aid. With ridership losses ranging from 70% to 90% in major cities since March, bus and rail providers project gaping budget holes that will likely mean lasting consequences for riders and operators.
“We need federal assistance,” Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority general manager and Chief Executive Officer Paul Wiedefeld said in an online news conference, where multiple agency leaders convened by the American Public Transportation Association described an industry in dire straits. “The harsh reality is without additional federal funds, it leaves us with some very difficult choices to deal with this financial crisis, ones that run counter to the economic recovery we all want to see.”