Category: Assignments

My father has been here since 1987 and my mother was here since 1993. So I’ve asked them, what was the subway like back then? I remember them telling me that instead of swiping, they paid with tokens, and instead of paying $2.75, they paid approximately $1. My father said that around 1987 he paid $1 per ride but by the time my mother had arrived in 1993, the fare had gone up. It gradually rose by 10 cents, then 15 cents, and then when it rose to $1.50 they introduced and replaced tokens with metrocards. Arguably, around this time period, the MTA was stated to be at its most dangerous point due to the peak of crack usage and crime being out of control. Subway stations and train carts were full of panhandlers and thieves praying for their next victim. Though there had been a makeover at one point to deep clean all the dirty trains and stations, these conditions do not sound much different than the ones we see today. Over time, poor capital planning led to the underfunding of the MTA which led to worsening conditions. This only makes subway fare inflation inevitable. Likewise, it is said that the MTA will plan for another fare hike some time in 2023 and possibly another one in 2025. One might wonder, why are we paying more for the same, if not, even worse conditions of this transit system?

To the current reader of this paper, it is likely that you reside in New York and regularly take the subway or bus for your daily commute to school or work. If not, it is probable that you have still experienced riding the train at least once in your life. But I think we can all agree that these aren’t the conditions we would like to keep seeing on a daily basis. For those like me, who solely rely on the MTA to commute to school and work everyday, it is clear that the MTA is in a crisis and is in need of additional funding. This is not even limited to the aesthetic aspects but growing up taking the bus and subway everywhere from as  young as I can remember, there have been constant delays and hiccups in the system preventing me from getting to the places I need to be on a timely manner. The ongoing delays and unremitting overcrowding would drive any individual furious. It is not always possible to foresee the next subway delay, malfunction, or failure, leaving one with a sense of uncertainty as if they were to take a gamble each time they swipe the card. Just speaking from personal experience, with my current commute to school, I would have to take the bus 15 minutes to Union Square and debate if the weather is bad enough to take the train 1 stop to 23rd street. Sometimes I take the risk of swiping in, just to be met with a delay of 8 or more minutes which would have been half of my commute time from Union Square to school. In the event of a recurring pattern of tardiness, individuals may have to face disciplinary actions or even termination in the workplace. Similarly, students who arrive late to school may experience negative academic consequences from missing out on lectures or it can also leave a bad record and impact on their educational progress. Being a New Yorker, means there is a general expectation from everyone that we should all factor in an extra 10-15 minutes to ensure punctuality. 

We are looking at a daily average of 5,437,587 riders every week (MTA). Despite having 472 stations, 36 rail lines, and 6418 cars as compared to Boston which only has 133 stations and 4 rail lines, the environment of the subway trains and stations differ greatly (Boddupalli et al. 192). The MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) has more consistent timing and organized scheduling due to their persistent and frequent checkups. Meanwhile, the MTA fails to accommodate their riders with the bare minimum of punctuality. There is clearly a lack of stability in the system. The MBTA stands out for its consistency with timing and organized scheduling, thanks to their regular checkups. The frequent maintenance and diligent monitoring of their system allows for smoother operations and increased reliability. On the other hand, the MTA is constantly criticized for failing to face their issues of aging infrastructure, high passenger volumes, and limited resources for maintenance and upgrades. This effort requires a continuous and large strategic investment plannings to ensure stability.

As a part of the 2020-2024 capital plan, the MTA will invest $54.8 billion to improve the transportation systems (MTA). Part of the plan amendment will replace “remaining 80-plus-year-old signal equipment and mechanical interlockings, prioritizing lines that serve essential workers in communities that rely on transit most” (Worrell). This comprehensive plan includes prioritizing replacing unreliable and problematic equipment on the lines that cater to essential worker and busier communities. The emphasis on upgrading signal equipment is an important step towards improving the overall efficiency, reliability, and safety of the system. 

With the help of additional funding sources, the estimated revenue will be enough to support and satisfy our initial plan to renovate and improve outdated materials. A few possible sources could be Congestion pricing, Millionaire’s tax, Commuter tax, Carbon tax, or Corporate taxes. Congestion pricing as proposed by NBC, “would charge drivers for entering zones where there is heavy traffic, such as Manhattan south of Harlem during business hours” (NBC) and bring a revenue of $1.1 billion per year. This strategy aims to discourage private vehicle usage during rush hours and incentivize alternative modes of transportation. It essentially benefits both the transit system and the ecosystem as it is a more sustainable way of going around the city. Millionaire’s tax would help by “taxing individuals with incomes over $500,000 and couples with incomes over $1 million, the tax proposal is aimed at raising as much as $800 million annually…” (NYC GOV). This tax measure aims to generate significant revenue by targeting higher income earners so that it ensures those who are able to benefit the most financially, will contribute a fair share to the funding of public services. Implementing Millionaire’s tax could help alleviate some of the financial burdens the MTA have to face, thus allowing for more investments towards infrastructure. Next, the Commuter tax “taxed nonresidents who worked in the city 0.45 percent to 0.65 percent of their income” (IBO) and would initially bring in an additional $922 million per year. This tax plan implementation would generate a great amount of revenue and would be a financial boost for the MTA. It is on the fair side as some people have complained about the equity of these taxes. I believe that this tax rate is fair as those who commute and use the MTA service despite not living in the city should also contribute to the bettering of the public service. Following, “A carbon tax would increase the price of burning fossil fuels and any resulting goods and services” (Bloomberg) which could possibly contribute $7 billion per year. By imposing this tax, there would be greater investments directed towards finding sustainable transportation initiatives. This includes but is not limited to investing in renewable energy sources and promoting environmentally friendly practices within the transportation industry. Furthermore, the carbon tax would not only benefit the MTA by providing a financial resource but it would also help mitigate the environmental impact of transportation and play a role in the shift towards a more sustainable future. Finally, another proposed funding plan is through corporate taxes which would bring in a revenue of $9.6 billion per year. This focuses on the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Mobility Tax (MCTMT) which only applies to certain employers conducting business in the metropolitan commuter transportation district. This district includes New York City, as well as Nassau, Dutchess, Suffolk, Rockland, Orange, Westchester counties, and Putnam. These funds generated from this tax implementation can be utilized towards various projects and initiatives aimed towards improving the overall experience for riders and residents. 

Yet, a lot of these tax plans have received backlash from people, whether it be a concern about the fairness and equity of the taxes, perceived inefficiency, or alternative solutions. Like Mayor Eric Adams opposing Governor Hochul’s proposal. Adams fears that the proposal will be a burden to city taxpayers as they are already facing a number of financial challenges. One of the main reasons is lack of fairness, as the MTA serves not only New York City residents but those in surrounding areas as well. Placing the burden mainly onto city taxpayers would be seen as inequitable. Another point was made that individuals are already frustrated with the current state of the MTA’s infrastructure and services. Aforementioned, the unreliability and unpleasant conditions with such crowded trains, broken escalators, and dirty train cars, people question why they should be asked to pay more than what they have to if their expectations are not met already. Others have brought up the idea of rezoning as an alternative solution, which would be a form of land value capture as developers who are allowed to, “build high-density apartment buildings in once-low density areas, and leverages the additional profits raised from that to require (relatively) affordable housing units be built within them” (Surico). This could be seen in Brooklyn’s Gowanus neighborhood where upzoning is taken into consideration. Developers would be able to build 22 story buildings in the area and in theory, those funds could be utilized to enhance the systems nearby like the F and G lines. Similarly, another excellent exemplification of this case could be the Grand Central Terminal. When the de Blasio administration rezoned the Midtown East area for the building of One Vanderbilt Avenue, more attention was placed on the older stations surrounding the area. The developer paid, “$220 million to the MTA, two-thirds of which will go to improve the issue of overcrowding in and around the main terminal” (Surico). One advantage of this idea would be the fact that these improvements are made possible from private investments as the city’s public funds are insufficient due to the high demand of the city. 

Ultimately, with all the possible funding sources, we can anticipate a better and more trustworthy MTA transportation system. What New Yorkers could look forward to is a faster, more accessible, and reliable transportation network. There entails more frequent service and reduced crowding, quicker travel times, expanded network capacity which would reach a broader range of communities across the region, and lastly, increased environmental sustainability and resiliency.

As of now, we shall all continue doing our parts of paying the $2.75 fare because it is mandatory. However, if it is burdensome to low-income families, there is the reduced fare metrocard assistance to help alleviate the financial strain. Families can visit the Fair Fares website to get approved and shipped the half fare metrocard. Furthermore, we can all be good samaritans and collectively take a role to reduce waste in our environment, which will make traveling a more enjoyable experience for everyone.

Through the collective cooperation and efforts to support the community, we can eventually flip the system to our desirable goal of a comfortable transit system.

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Works Cited

Bigger, Patrick, and Nate Millington. “Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space.” Getting soaked? Climate crisis, adaptation finance, and racialized austerity, vol. 3, no. 3, 2019, pp. 601-623. Sagepub, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2514848619876539?casa_token=MqqRuTPKwn0AAAAA:TYs9SaR1UnGvP98-Se7M4ckw97gaursfdHOkdGc8l465lFZtAHxzHOiBxMHBZaqoBLKFbouH4sip.

Boddupalli, Sreekar Shashank, et al. “Transportation Research Record.” Maintrainenance: Keeping Heavy Rail Maintenance on Track, vol. 2673, no. 7, 2019, pp. 192-203. Sagepub, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0361198119827533?journalCode=trra.

Fair Fares NYC. “Fair Fares NYC.” NYC.gov, 2019, https://www.nyc.gov/site/fairfares/index.page. Accessed 19 May 2023.

Independence Budget Office of the City of New York. “Budget Options for New York City – Revenue: Adjusting the Personal Income Tax.” Independent Budget Office, 2019, https://ibo.nyc.ny.us/iboreports/budgetoptions-2023-adjusting-the-personal-income-tax.html. Accessed 18 May 2023.

MTA. “Subway and bus ridership for 2021 – New York City Transit.” MTA, -, https://new.mta.info/agency/new-york-city-transit/subway-bus-ridership-2021. Accessed 15 May 2023.

MTA. “2020-2024 MTA Capital Program.” MTA, 2022, https://new.mta.info/capital/2020CapitalProgram. Accessed 18 May 2023.

NYC GOV. “Mayor de Blasio Proposes “Fair Fix” Tax on Wealthiest New Yorkers to Modernize Subways and Buses.” NYC.gov, 7 August 2017, https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/539-17/mayor-de-blasio-proposes-fair-fix-tax-wealthiest-new-yorkers-modernize-subways-buses-#/0. Accessed 20 May 2023.

Siff, Andrew, and Tracie Strahan. “NYC Congestion Pricing: Tolling Plan Offers Deep Driver Discounts.” NBC New York, 12 May 2023, https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-congestion-pricing-plan-includes-toll-cuts-for-taxis-night-drivers/4328327/. Accessed 20 May 2023.

Surico, John. “5 Ways to Help Fund the MTA’s New York City Subway Fix.” Bloomberg.com, 2 January 2019, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-02/5-ways-to-help-fund-the-mta-s-new-york-city-subway-fix. Accessed 20 May 2023.

Tankus, Nathan. “John Jay’s Finest.” The Declining Quality Of The New York City Subway, vol. 34, no. 1, 2019, pp. 38-40. John Jay, http://jjay.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/contentgroups/office_studentresearch_creativity/34th_jj_finest_2019_0.pdf#page=44.

Woodhouse, Skylar. “New York’s MTA Looks to Cut Carbon Footprint 85% by 2040.” Bloomberg.com, 20 April 2023, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-20/new-york-s-mta-looks-to-cut-carbon-emissions-footprint-85-by-2040#xj4y7vzkg. Accessed 19 May 2023.

Worrell, Carolina. “NY MTA Proposes Amendment to 2020-24 Capital Program.” Railway Age, 26 July 2022, https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/ny-mta-proposes-amendment-to-2020-24-capital-program/. Accessed 20 May 2023.

 The MTA has been operating with a significant deficit over the years due to reduced government funding with persistent problems like hiccups in their services and overwhelming conditions impacting riders. I find this topic interesting because I remember writing about this in highschool and still think about the writing till today. Not just because I need to think of something to write for this project but because of how I still feel the same about the MTA. Service is still kind of  shitty and there hasn’t been much of a difference made to the system. Besides the introduction of OMNY and the added police to look out for fare evaders, I still go through the same struggles of delays from a day to day basis. I plan on supporting my research with scholarly articles or statistics on ridership and funding. There are a bunch of resources online about allocation of funds and changes in future services. I think some obstacles could be finding credible sources because I have thought about this topic before and looked through some sources that would mention things in the far future that might not happen / feel exaggerated. But once that “far future” became the present, the outcome was not the same. I think that my readers should care about this topic because as new yorkers, we all have had our fair share of delayed trains and inconveniences so I think this is a pretty good topic to talk about. Infrastructure investment should be more focused on, along with maintenance, because it would make a drastic difference towards lessening service disruptions. Thus, helping all of us new yorkers get to school, work, or any event on time!

Poetry Exercise

Step 1: capture a moment (optional: take the photo) 

• Describe the moment – what is in the foreground, background  
• List associated nouns and verbs 

Step 2: Impressions

• What memories, ideas, images are evoked?  
• Create symbols: list associated nouns and verbs 

Writing from steps 1 & 2 combined: 

I sat down at a random area of Madison Square Park and felt my hair getting hotter and hotter from absorbing the sun’s heat. Confused about what I should write about, I thought back to the few times I have actually visited this park. Recalling that one day after a 11AM to 9PM shift when I sat waiting to meet up with my friend to give them the drinks I made near closing. I was sweating while I was writing this, constantly readjusting the grip of my pencil because of the moisture building up. Today was oddly warm compared to the 30 degree weather this past week. Every now and then, a gust of wind would pick up and blow a bunch of sand and debris around. When the first gust hit, it flipped through the pages of my notebook. Then, a girl approached and asked, “May I take these two empty chairs in front of you?” to which I responded, “yeah sure!” Her coffee breath was so strong and made me think about the Starbucks I was at earlier. Now it was just me, my backpack, and this one pigeon that circled around waiting for some crumbs to drop on the floor for it to eat. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any snacks with me so it eventually roamed off towards the other strangers eating lunch at the park. Bark! Bark! I was disrupted by a group of 6 dogs barking and dragging their walker along. They were huge and almost the size of the dog walker! A white, fluffy husky decided to take a squat, then proceeded to poop while his buddies were just tugging the walker, signaling their desire to go. I watched as the walker struggled to pick up the poop while trying to hold onto the colorful leashes of the dogs.

Step 3: Blend step 1 & 2 -> Write poem

Sitting in Madison Park

With my hair all dark

Absorbing the sun’s heat

Listening to the birds tweet

I take a while

To let out a smile

As I see a dog

And type for my blog

What is emotional attachment? Emotional attachment “refers to the feelings of closeness and affection that help sustain meaningful relationships over time” (healthline). Certain early experiences and the way our caregivers raise us growing up evidently play an important part in emotional development. It can shape the future attachments we make with others, thus the attachment style we develop may either help or hurt us. Some may not have experienced a strong and secure bond with their primary caregiver growing up which leads to unhealthy attachment styles. They might lose their sense of self and rely too much on others, either for approval or just to function.

When I was little, I received a lot of stuffed animals. My favorites were pink bear and blue bear. They were twins and I always carried them with me. If I’m eating, they also eat. If I’m watching tv, they’re watching with me. If I’m sleeping, they’re tucked in next to me. One time my mom found them stuffed in my shirt because I wanted to keep them warm at night. I was so emotionally attached to these two inanimate objects and would even wake up in the middle of the night flipping the entire bed to find them. When we decluttered the room and I had to get rid of some of my stuffed animals, I always chose to hold on to them. I never let go of them and till this day, I still keep them with me in bed. They were not going anywhere as per my demand. I soon found out this was how some of my relationships with certain people were. I was emotionally attached to my best friend Madelyn. She was my pink bear. 

I met Madelyn in middle school. Madelyn and I had all the same classes so we did everything together. We saw each other everyday, during school, after school, and on the weekends. Madelyn was my best friend, nothing less than a sister and we became inseparable. The first day we met, we clicked so quickly as if we were childhood friends. She never judged me and always made me feel happy. Even after graduating middle school, we ended up in the same highschool and friend group. With the same interests and hobbies, there was never a dull moment. We always shared laughs over stupid things that others would not usually find funny. She just gets me. I could already envision us being at each other’s weddings and our kids being best friends. 

Madelyn was a little boy crazy. When she had her first boyfriend, I felt somewhat disappointed with how she prioritized him over me. In sophomore year of highschool, she liked a guy that didn’t exactly treat her that well. I would be jealous that he was able to get her undivided attention so effortlessly while I would constantly repeat myself or wait till she stopped talking to him. I would point out to her certain problematic things about him but she would shrug it off or manipulate herself into thinking it wasn’t that bad. I third wheeled every lunch time and even after school because I didn’t want her to leave and I catered to her needs. Whether that be physical or emotional needs like changing our hangout plans to help her see him or justifying her ignoring my texts or calls due to the fact that she would rather call and text him. I felt let down but I wasn’t able to do anything about it. I was too scared to bring up my feelings, fearing it would make her choose him even more over me. But soon, when the guy left for summer camp he ended things with her and she came back to me like nothing happened and I let it go. Sometimes love can be blinding.

Covid came and during quarantine, she was talking to another guy that was also not treating her well. It was the same pattern and I got a bit annoyed. I cared for her and only wanted what was best but she would not listen to me about the advice I told her. When she complained about him and felt worthless, I was upset she could not see the red flags that were so apparent. Everything I said went in one ear and out the other. The guy she talked to ended up having a girlfriend the whole time. He only kept her around for attention so she got even more hurt when she found out. For a week straight, Madelyn projected her feelings towards me. Any time I would try to be there for her, she didn’t make me feel appreciated because she was angry. It was so draining trying to comfort someone that wanted to be left alone. I did not know what to do without her so I persisted. Yet, more and more I felt disrespected and eventually we had our first argument. The fact that it wasn’t even one on one was frustrating. She did not want to face her problems and tended to ignore it, knowing she’s in the wrong so another one of our friends became the mediator. All I could say was I told you so. After a few weeks of the argument, we both talked seriously and reasoned with each other. But from then, our connection lost its spark and we weren’t the same as we were before. We would still hangout and be in the same friend group but something always felt off.

Halfway through senior year, Madelyn and a guy in our friend group, Brayden, started dating and became exclusive. All the prior problems and feelings I had, had resurfaced again. I had never felt more alone until now. On my birthday, I took the effort to plan and spend the day with them since they were my closest friends. We grabbed food in brooklyn, walked around, and went back to manhattan to get dessert and chill. I felt invisible the entire time and kept over thinking if they even cared about me. I’ve already brought up my feelings about being left out before and they continued to neglect me. Tears rolled down my face while I ate my dessert in silence, scrolling through my phone. They were too busy talking to each other to notice until I got up for the bathroom and didn’t come out for a while. After I grabbed my stuff and left, they chased and stopped me to talk. I told them what was happening and they apologized but it was clear that they didn’t genuinely care because a couple days after that situation, those feelings reemerged. 

The rest of senior year was rough for the reason that they wanted more time together so I spent most days alone. Inevitably, I distanced myself from them and even then during graduation, they didn’t ask for pictures with me until I did at the last minute. The sadness continued to grow and carried on through the summer and first semester of college. I felt depressed not having anyone to lean on every day, to study with, or try new foods with. The blunt transition from being with someone everyday to harsh independence felt quite lonely and monotonous. I did initially meet a bunch of people but now in my second semester of college, the supposed friend group already fell apart and I haven’t really talked to any of the people I met. It feels like a cycle that doesn’t get better because I honestly just want to meet another Madelyn. Someone that I can hangout with every day and continue to make memories with, growing up and adulting together. But I doubt that would happen. I am slowly learning to enjoy my own company and not rely on others for my happiness but it’s hard. Days go by so slowly and there isn’t much I look forward to now despite having more free time in college. Part of me reminisces on those bittersweet memories but another part of me is grateful for the start of my new journey towards self love.