Day: July 10, 2025

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), on behalf of U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Sean P. Duffy, has formally requested more detailed information from the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) regarding the agency’s efforts to address violent crime on its transit systems, according to a press release on Monday.

The request follows a March 18 letter from Secretary Duffy to MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, asking for a comprehensive outline of the authority’s safety strategies, including steps being taken to protect passengers and transit workers, reduce incidents of crime, and enforce fare compliance across New York City Transit (NYCT) subways and buses.

In its March 30 response, MTA provided a general overview but did not directly address several specific inquiries from the Department. As a result, the FTA has issued a follow-up letter seeking clarification on several key points related to the agency’s safety protocols.

The latest inquiry asks MTA to provide detailed responses on the following:

• The criteria NYCT uses to select safety risk mitigations most likely to reduce safety risks.
• The performance metrics the agency uses to assess the effectiveness of these mitigations.
• The current operational status of security cameras and the duration for which video recordings are retained.
• Whether the agency is evaluating changes to train car design, including the potential adoption of open gangway configurations intended to reduce external access to train cars.

The request for additional information comes as transit safety remains a concern in New York. In May, the New York Post reported that assaults on the MTA system had increased by 66% compared to 2019.

The FTA continues to engage with MTA leadership and emphasizes the importance of clear and complete information to assess current safety strategies and identify areas for improvement. The Department has stated that a timely and thorough response is necessary to support public confidence in the transit system and to ensure effective federal oversight.

A copy of the FTA’s follow-up letter can be found here.

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