Transit officials are bringing service back to pre-pandemic levels on two subway lines after the union sued to reverse the year-old cuts.
The C and F lines — which have been running on reduced schedules since the start of COVID-19 — will soon resume “full” pre-pandemic service levels, Interim Transit President Sarah Feinberg said during a video conference on Tuesday.
“We’re going to bring back full service,” Feinberg said of the two routes.
“That’s the right thing to do to make sure that all of our C and F riders are getting as much service as they possibly can and as much social distance as possible.”
Subway ridership is hovering around 30 to 40 percent pre-COVID levels, MTA stats show. Feinberg said officials contemplated “right-sizing” service to better match demand — but ultimately decided to provide as many trains as possible.
“We’ve sort of taken that debate off the table for now,” she said — promising the resumption of higher service levels in the next “several weeks.”
F train frequencies will increase by early May, the MTA said — from every eight minutes to every four minutes between trains during rush hour. The resumption of full C line service “may take longer,” an agency rep said.
TWU Local 100 had sued the agency over its move to enshrine the schedules, which the union claimed constituted a “long-term reduction in service.”
Union officials are “very satisfied” by the decision, Local 100 President Tony Utano said.
“New York needs more subway service, not less,” Utano said in a statement.
The MTA raked in $15 billion from three federal relief bills passed since the pandemic hit.
“After we won $15 billion in federal aid to save public transit, service cuts are no way to thank essential workers and rebuild ridership,” said Riders Alliance organizer Stephanie Burgos-Veras.
“By restoring frequent service on the C and F subway lines, the MTA is delivering for today’s riders and helping bring New Yorkers back to transit.”
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