New York, Boston Transit Agencies Back Off Proposed Cuts

"The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is backing off from approving the so-called 'doomsday budget' that would have seen major cuts to subway and bus service in the city," according to an article by Spectrum News.

The MTA previously announced a proposed budget that would have cut 40 percent of weekday subway service and laid off more than 9,000 employees.

The positive news for the MTA's budget comes as reports from Washington, D.C. indicate that Congress seems to have cleared the logjam regarding a stimulus package that would include funding for public transit agencies. According to the Spectrum News, the MTA is expecting $4 billion as part of the package being negotiated now.

As of this writing, Congress seems poised to approve a $900 billion stimulus package, as reported by Politico and The New York Times.

In similar news from the Boston region, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has also scaled back promised service cuts, keeping some of the T routes that it proposed shutting down in November. The MBTA is still running a reduced service schedule to deal with COVID illnesses among system workers. Although the MBTA scaled back cuts, "riders will face longer waits between buses and trains, and 20 bus routes are still slated for elimination," according to an article by Christian MilNeil that updates the MBTA's service plans.