In light of the recent fare and toll increases instituted by the MTA on buses, subways, bridges and tunnels, Councilman David G. Greenfield questioned MTA officials at a recent City Council hearing over the poor level of service along the F train in southern Brooklyn, and the inequity between the burden being shouldered by drivers compared with straphangers in recent years.

During the City Council Transportation Committee, Councilman Greenfield told MTA officials that the F train is the subject of frequent complaints to his office and on social media, especially regarding constant issues with malfunctioning signals. He questioned whether a lack of adequate funding for that specific line was at cause, and asked the MTA to bring express service back to the F line now that a major rehabilitation of the Culver Viaduct is nearing completion.

“Barely a day goes by without yet another delay along the F train, which is a vital link to Manhattan for many residents of southern Brooklyn. I am pleased that the MTA agreed to review my request to restore express service along this critical line, and I am hopeful that the promised review of the F train will lead to significant service improvements in the near future,” said Councilman Greenfield.

In addition, Councilman Greenfield asked about the formula the MTA uses to determine how much to raise bus and subway fare versus how much to raise tolls on bridges and tunnels, since he believes that car owners are unfairly bearing the brunt of recent price hikes where tolls have increased much more than the MetroCard fare.

“It seems like recent fare increases have disproportionally fallen on the backs of drivers who now face extremely high tolls on many local bridges and tunnels. It’s $15 to cross the Verrazano and $7.50 to use the Battery Tunnel. That’s a lot of money for most New Yorkers. The MTA needs to realize that many Brooklyn residents rely on their car to get to work or to run errands, especially in areas not served by public transportation, so it is imperative that the MTA institute these hikes in a fair and even manner,” said Councilman Greenfield.

Councilman Greenfield will continue working closely with MTA officials to investigate the feasibility of reinstituting express F train service upon completion of the Culver Viaduct project later this year, and on improving service along the entire line based on the findings of the MTA’s comprehensive line review that is currently taking place. “Residents deserve better service, especially now that they are paying even more to get around the city. I will continue to push the MTA to make necessary service improvements to ensure that my constituents get their money’s worth while riding buses and trains or crossing bridges and tunnels,” he added.

(YWN Desk – NYC)