Social Issue: MTA Delays/Reliability

Why is this social issue a problem?

MTA delays have cause serious uproar in the City of New York. This is a major social problem because the MTA has proven several times that it isn’t a reliable form of transportation and that the MTA agency does not value New Yorker’s time or money.It is a social issue because MTA delays causes many people to be late to work, school or any important event, not matter how early they leave to reach their destination. This can jeopardize peoples job status and academic studies by missing lectures, doctor appointments, losing money to things they may be late too. Using MTA may be many people’s only source of transportation because of where they may live, cheaper alternative and it’s convenience. MTA has an extremely poor and aged system which does not seem to be changing any time soon.  “For instance, it lacks funds to rapidly replace aging subway cars or upgrade its tracks and 13,000 signals, those century-old devices that turn track lights red to stop trains.”(Erik Engquist. 2017) On top of MTA’s delays, and unreliability, the riding fares keep increasing and making it impossible for the people who ride the MTA to afford. MTA effects how New Yorker’s commute, it impacts their quality of life by making hem miserable in a train to get to their next destination. It isn’t worth its money unfortunately.

What are some of the causes and effects of this issue?

Causes of this issue: MTA has stated that the causes of major delays is because of sick passengers holding up commuters, lack of maintenance, garbage on the track, and lack of funding.

Effects of this issue: This makes people late to jobs, school and any sort of event/appointment, the long delays can make people sick especially when trains are packed and hot, train delays can effect a person’s day and attitude (especially in the morning), extensive train delays can soon make people stop using MTA. MTA has an impact/effect on all commuters’s lives.

Who does this issue impact?

This social issue impacts all commuters, MTA Authorities, employers, students, anyone that funds MTA and it’s projects.

Relevant Keywords: MTA,MTA Delays, nyc transit delays, (and refined the year to 2017-2018)

Citations:

(I used NYCCT Library website to find my resources by typing in those keywords, as well as narrowing the year so I would have a current data on this social issue, although I saw articles dated back to 2010 with the same type of MTA delays/issues. The reason I chose these two articles because I believe Crains’ New York Business and The New York Times to be credible sources that I am familiar with. Also, because it is current and addresses the social issue I chose to research on which is subway delays. Both articles touched upon the causes of the delays as well as possible solutions proposed by the MTA. )

Erik Engquist. (2017). MTA acts on subway delays, but pessimism persists; Transit agency’s plan and funding are dogged by doubt. Crain’s New York Business, 33(21), 0007.

Fitzsimmons, E. (2018). Floods, Rats, Delays. Yet, M.T.A. Says, the Subway Is Getting Better. The New York Times, p. A25.