The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it could be forced to cut the Metro-North commuter rail service by up to 50 percent if it doesn’t get additional federal assistance.
Officials said ridership is down about 80 percent from this time last year. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said Metro-North faces an existential crisis due to COVID-19.
“Ridership has been dropping and money has been hemorrhaging. Even with the best management, cost-cutting is insufficient to save service on this railroad,” Blumenthal said.
The MTA said it could have to lay off up to 9,400 employees — including about 900 employees on Metro-North. The company faces a multi-billion dollar deficit.
The House of Representatives passed a federal COVID-19 package that includes $32 billion for public transit nationwide. But the package has been held up in the Senate.