MTA Announces Virtual Public Hearings On Fare And Toll Policy To Begin Dec. 1

Press release from Manhattan Community Board 5:

November 23 2020

From the Municipal Transit Authority:

"The MTA has scheduled six Virtual Public Hearings and two Virtual Satellite Hearings to solicit public comments on our 2020 Fare and Toll proposals. In keeping with Covid-19 pandemic safety protocols, all hearings will be held virtually via a Zoom webinar format and will also be streamed live on our YouTube Channel. If you wish to speak at any of these hearings, you must register to do so during the time allotted.

Press Release: https://www.mta.info/press-release/mta-headquarters/mta-announces-virtual-public-hearings-fare-and-toll-policy-begin-dec

Schedule:

1. Tues Dec 1: 5:30 PM- 8:30 PM
   1. Satellite: Wed, Dec 2: 5:30 AM – 8:30 PM
2. Thurs, Dec 3: 10 AM - 1 PM
3. Mon Dec 7: 5:30 PM - 8: 30 PM
   1. Satellite: Tues, Dec 8: 10 AM - 1 PM
4. Wed Dec 9: 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
5. Mon Dec 14: 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
6. Mon Dec 21: 10 AM- 1 PM

Registering to Speak

• Public Speakers MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE TO TESTIFY. There will be no exceptions.
• Information on how to register is available here: https://new.mta.info/transparency/fares-and-tolls-2020,
  • Registration will begin Monday, 11/23 at 10 AM
  • Registration for each hearing will end promptly at 5 PM on the day before each hearing date.
    • For example, registration for the first hearing (Tues, Dec 1) will end at 5 PM on Monday, Nov 30. Registration for the second hearing (Thurs, Nov 3) will end at 5 PM, Wed Nov 2.

Please let us know if you plan to register to speak, and follow the open registration procedure outlined above.

Hearing Procedures

• Speakers will be allotted two minutes to comment
• Registrants will receive a block of time to be available to speak, during which they will be called to comment.
• Public comments can only be delivered via the Zoom Webinar. YouTube will stream each hearing simultaneously, however, there will not be any option to comment or offer testimony via YouTube. YouTube will be for viewing only.
• MTA subject matter experts will be available during the hearings to answer written questions relevant to the proposals being considered. To submit questions during the hearings, you must join the hearing through the Zoom online platform.

Additional Ways to Comment or Request Information

To submit comments or for additional information, you may contact us at https://new.mta.info/transparency/fares-and-tolls-2020, call the Public Hearing Hotline at (646) 252-6777, or send a letter to MTA Government & Community Relations, Re: Fares & Crossing Charges Virtual Public Hearing, 2 Broadway, New York, NY 10004. Telephone agents are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Accessibility and Language Assistance Services

• At the virtual public and satellite hearings, CART Captioning and American Sign Language services will be available.
• Members of the public who are deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred relay service or the free 711 relay service, and then ask to be connected to the Public Hearing Hotline at (646) 252-6777 to speak with an agent.
• Members of the public who are blind or have low vision can request accommodations on or before December 14, 2020, by submitting a request online at new.mta.info/2020hearings or by calling the Public Hearing Hotline at (646) 252-6777.
• Members of the public who do not have access to a computer or who do not have access to the Internet can listen to each of the hearings by calling the Zoom meeting at 1-877-853-5247 (toll-free).Then enter Webinar ID 841 1593 1743, followed by the pound (#) sign.
• If language assistance or any other accommodations are required, please submit a request at least three business days before the scheduled hearing date in one of the following ways: online at https://new.mta.info/transparency/fares-and-tolls-2020, by calling the Public Hearing Hotline at (646) 252-6777, or by sending a letter to MTA Government & Community Relations, Re: Fares & Crossing Charges Virtual Public Hearing, 2 Broadway, New York, NY 10004. For those who timely request language assistance, the MTA will provide translated information on the hearing process and ensure that any public comments received in a language other than English are translated, included in the hearing transcript, and summarized for the MTA Board."

This press release was produced by Manhattan Community Board 5. The views expressed here are the author’s own.