The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the largest transportation network in the United States.. The public benefit corporation service serves 12 southeastern New York counties as well as two counties in the southwestern area of Connecticut.
There are multiple modes of transport the MTA utilizes to accommodate the transportation needs of those in its service area. These include the following:
The New York City Subway system is owned by the City of New York, but is leased to a subsidiary agency of the MTA. It is stated to be the world’s largest rapid transit system in terms of its number of stations. With 232 miles of routes, it is also the oldest of the public transportation systems in operation across the globe. Ridership of the subway system has reached more than six million people per year.
New York City Bus
The Regional Bus Operations surface transit division of the MTA was formed in 2008 as a consolidation of all of the authority’s bus operations. The MTA New York City Bus and MTA Bus are the names used to reference the public brands of the RBO. Through the bus system, Access-A-Ride services are also made available and operated by multiple independent contractors who utilize MTA owned vehicles.
Staten Island Railway
The only rapid transit line that services Staten Island is the Staten Island Railway. The rail line provides service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is one of only six mass-transit rail lines in the country to offer continual ride access 24 hours daily. The railway is operated by the Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority, which is a part of the MTA. The SIR is included on the New York City Subway maps and commuters can reach Manhattan from the borough by way of the Staten Island Ferry accessible from connecting trains.
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road is a commuter rail system that stretches from Manhattan to Long Island. Known to be North America’s busiest commuter railroad, carrying more than 330,000 passengers each day, it is one of the limited number of the world’s commuter systems that remains in operation year round, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The rail line stretches for more than 700 miles and has 124 stations.
Metro-North Rail Road
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad is stated to be the busiest commuter railroad in the U.S. when measuring the number of riders that utilize the service on a monthly basis. The rail line runs between New York City and its New York and Connecticut based northern suburbs. In operation of 124 stations, the Metro-North has five active lines and stretches for over 775 miles of track.
Bridges and Tunnels
Overseeing the operation of seven bridges and two tunnels in NYC, the MTA Bridges and Tunnels agency, which is legally named the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, is an affiliate of the MTA. The system services over a million people daily, and generates annual revenue of approximately $900 million. It is the most trafficked bridge and toll tunnel agency in the U.S. The seven bridges operated by the agency include:
- Triborough Bridge (Robert F. Kennedy Bridge)
- Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge
- Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
- Henry Hudson Bridge
- Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge
- Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
- Throgs Neck Bridge
The tunnels are:
- Queens-Midtown Tunnel
- Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel
For each mode of transportation, detailed information about schedules, fares, accessibility, and other features is provided on the MTA website.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority MTA Injuries & Accidents
An estimated four of every five New York City central business district commuters rely on transit services offered by the MTA during rush hour. On an average weekday, more than 11 million passengers are transported by the system in a 5,000 square mile radius. Over 800,000 MTA vehicles are in operation per weekday, traveling the network’s two tunnels and seven toll bridges.
According to statistics, 2.69 billion trips are made annually transporting New Yorkers via MTA subways, buses, and railroads to and from home, school, work, shopping, and leisure activities. This is stated to be the equivalent of approximately one in three people who utilize mass transit services in the U.S. as well as two-thirds of those who ride rail services in the nation.
With so many people depending on the MTA for their daily commute, and a high number of transportation systems in place, it is not unusual for accidents to occur that leave commuters injured. In fact, statistics show that hundreds of MTA commuters become injured each year as a result of an accident caused by driver and/or train engineer negligence or mechanical failure due to poor maintenance.
When one does become involved in an MTA bus or rail accident, there are often legal challenges to getting compensated for medical expenses or other damages incurred. The MTA is a self-insured entity, and a written notice of a claim must be filed within 90 days of an accident with the authority for those who have grounds for a case. Failing to meet the deadline or obtaining judicial permission to file such a notice late may result in the loss of the right to forge ahead with a claim for compensation, even if it is a valid one.
Individuals who have been injured in an accident involving MTA transport can contact an attorney who has experience in cases involving MTA accident injury claims for direction in these matters. However, not all personal injury lawyers in New York who handle bus or train accident claims in the state take on these types of cases due to the complexities involved in challenging the large transportation authority. The Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC is one firm that will. The law firm operates on a contingency fee basis and can help injured commuters fully assess their legal rights if they have been hurt while riding on a MTA bus or train, or on the New York City Subway.
Those who have questions about their legal options in the event they have become injured during MTA operated transport can contact New York MTA injury attorney Jonathan C. Reiter today for more information.