In mid-March, Phil Plotch published a new book called The Last Subway: The Long Wait for the Next Train in New York City. The former transit planner-turned-political science professor has penned the definitive book on the history of the Second Ave. Subway and its trials and travails. He joins me on to discuss the tortured saga behind the new subway…

Over the past week, subway ridership has dropped by 60%, and the MTA is suddenly staring into the abyss of a multi-billion-dollar hole in a budget as the COVID-19 public health crisis has put New York City on near-lockdown. As trains and buses keep running to ensure healthcare providers can reach their patients and the city girds for a prolonged qu…

By Second Ave. Sagas

By Second Ave. Sagas

Buses are in the spotlight this week as Steven Higashide, TransitCenter's direct of research, joins me to talk about the 14th St. Busway, New York City's bus redesign efforts, and the lessons from his new book Better Buses, Better Cities: How to Plan, Run, and Win the Fight for Effective Transit.By Second Ave. Sagas

Sarah Feinberg, the former head of the Federal Railroad Administration and current MTA Board member, joins me to discuss her experiences in Washington and her views on what's going right and what's going wrong with the MTA. With the $51 billion capital plan and MTA reorganization on tap, we discuss if the MTA is finally on the right track.…

Doug Gordon, the man behind @BrooklynSpoke and co-host of The War on Cars podcast, joins me to discuss how transit advocates, pedestrian safety activists and cycling proponents are all fighting the same fight against the primacy of cars in New York City transportation planning. In an age of climate change and facilitated by conversations on the Int…

OMNY arrives with a bang, as the MTA has rolled out its open-loop tap-and-go fare payment technology that will replace the MetroCard. But what exactly does this fare payment system of the future do? And when will New Yorkers get their unlimited OMNY passes? Al Putre, the executive director of the MTA's New Fare Payment Program, joins me to talk all…

Rachael Fauss, Senior Research Analyst at Reinvent Albany, discusses "Open MTA," the good governance group's call for MTA reform and accountability. Fauss discusses the report, which details how Andrew Cuomo and the state government could overhaul the way the MTA is governed and improve the reliability of transit service. New York doesn't have to r…

Aaron Gordon, author of the "Signal Problems" transit newsletter, stops by to discuss the ins and outs and ups and downs of covering the MTA as he prepares to retire the gig. We talk rumors about a rift between Andy Byford and Andy Cuomo, the challenges of covering non-transparent government agencies and whether the subways are indeed getting bette…

John Raskin, head of the Riders Alliance, discusses congestion pricing and the role his grassroots transit advocacy played in winning the 11-year fight for a traffic fee that will fund transit in New York City.By Benjamin Kabak

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson sits down as the first guest on my new podcast. We're talking about his "Let's Go" transit plan.By Benjamin Kabak