My promise to straphangers

Each weekday, a small miracle unfolds in New York City. More than 8 million people leave their homes and families, and board a subway or a bus. They go to work, go to school, visit friends and loved ones. And at the end of their day or night, they enter that system and return home safely.

I’m one of those 8 million people. I know firsthand that this miracle is not without its frustrations and imperfections. And starting today, it is my responsibility as interim president of New York City Transit to advocate for every one of those 8 million people, and to lead the more than 51,000 hardworking men and women who deliver for this city every day, keeping our 100-year-old system moving.

I know as well as anyone it’s been a tough couple of years for commuters in New York. But the MTA has made tremendous progress thanks to the heroic efforts of the New York City Transit workforce, the patience of our riders and the unprecedented investments that were made possible by the Subway Action Plan.

We are now at seven straight months at better than 80% on-time performance, and we’re defying national trends when it comes to ridership, with eight straight months of increases. These gains were not easy to come by, and they won’t be easy to maintain. My priority is to continue improving subway performance, reducing delays and safely speeding up trains.

We’ll also continue to invest in strategies that are working, like the borough-by-borough bus network redesigns. Some of New York’s bus routes haven’t been updated in more than 100 years. I know these can be challenging projects — because change is always hard. But I believe we can improve commute times and service.

We also need to improve the reliability and safety of our system, all while operating under greater pressure.

Gains in performance are all for naught if riders and employees don’t feel safe. Recently, we’ve seen a disturbing uptick in crime in the system, and assaults on transit workers. That is completely unacceptable. I am a strong supporter of the decision to hire additional officers for the MTA Police Department. All New Yorkers deserve to feel safe while riding with us.

Keeping people safe also means protecting their health. Last week, I got an early start on the job, helping to develop the MTA’s response to the novel coronavirus. We’ve implemented new sanitizing procedures, and we’ll continue to do everything we can to combat this issue.

New York is the greatest city in the world because everyone is welcomed here no matter who they are or where they come from. But our transit system does not reflect that attitude. If you are a person with a disability, or even a parent with a small child in a stroller, too much of the system says you aren’t welcome. The 70 new accessible stations outlined in the new Capital Plan are a great start, but it’s not nearly enough. Accessibility will be a priority at every turn under my tenure.

I have said many times that I believe the New York City transit system can be the world-class system that is the envy of the globe. That won’t be easy, and we have a long way to go. But I want New Yorkers to know they can count on me to always be honest and transparent about the challenges we face, and what it will take to overcome them — even when the facts are hard to swallow.

In the coming years, the need for safe, efficient, reliable transportation will only increase. But I’m excited at the opportunity and committed to earning the public’s trust as we diligently work to continue improving our world-class mass transit system.

Feinberg is the interim president of New York City Transit.