CBS: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is blasting the MTA over its handling of subway crime.
“MTA giving USDOT the runaround when New York City grapples with a dramatic uptick in subway assaults is unacceptable,” Duffy said.
It’s not the first time Duffy has gone after the MTA over subway crime. MTA Chief Janno Lieber said the agency already gave the DOT what it was looking for months ago.
“Three months ago they asked us for information on security. We sent them 20 pages of information on the good news that crime is down in every significant way, and we talked about all the MTA efforts – cameras, otherwise, more police presence,” Lieber said Tuesday. “The bottom line, as we said yesterday, crime is way down, ridership is up, and congestion pricing is an amazing success. Everybody recognizes it. Eventually they’ll figure it out in Washington.”
The Federal Transit Administration now wants the MTA to answer the following questions:
What criteria have NYCT established to select safety risk mitigations that have the highest probability of reducing safety risk?
What metrics has the agency established to measure effectiveness of safety risk mitigations once they have been implemented?
What percentage of cameras are in working order and how long recordings are maintained?
Whether the agency is considering revising rolling stock design requirements to require all new train cars to be equipped with open gangways that prevent access to the outside of train cars
The letter comes as Duffy and the MTA have been engaged in a lengthy back-and-forth over the fate of congestion pricing. Duffy has insisted the program must be shut down since he has rescinded its permission. The MTA won an injunction to keep the cameras on. Duffy has previously warned New York faced consequences if it did not shut congestion pricing down.
