The current LIRR strike centers on thoroughly outdated work rules that form a significant impediment to long-term service increases and increased event service.

A fire in the East River tunnels has shut down almost all LIRR service into and out of Penn Station.

While disasters like this are thankfully rare, they highlight the value of an emergency operations plan—especially for a railroad with as many terminals as the LIRR.

A phased plan for through-running service at Penn Station using Metro-North's Penn Station Access as a launching pad. Prepared in 2025.

Reasonably-priced monthly passes are an international best practice for a reason: they are one of the strongest ways to encourage transit ridership, reduce fare evasion, and make proof-of-payment fare collection far easier.

ETA joins other New York area civic organizations to implore the legislature not to mandate two-person train operation.

One-person—and increasingly, fully automated—train operation is the standard around the country and the world. It is safe, and it allows more service at a lower cost.

Victory on the All Faiths Tunnel was just the start. Now we’re pushing for:

* Automated light metro standards

* High-frequency service

* Seamless in-system transfers

Read ETA's official recommendations for the IBX environmental review, submitted last November.

Deinterlining simplifies subway operations, allowing for more trains to travel more quickly, and prevents delays from spreading. It's the correct solution for both riders and operations.

Vital infrastructure is far too important to be used for political games.

New York’s bill banning One-Person Train Operation (OPTO) goes against best practices both across the country and the world, and would leave New York’s transit system far behind its peers

The MTA is planning to replace 40 year old trains—but the new cars it's ordering don't include provisions for regional travel and new electrification.

There have been innumerable proposals to replace Penn Station in New York. Few of these, however, address the station's major issue: capacity, the number of trains and people that can move through the space every hour.

Learn more about Penn in this webinar with ETA’s executive director Blair Lorenzo and the High Speed Rail Alliance!

Andy Byford has been selected to take over the reconstruction of Penn Station. An expert of the first tier, he is well versed with through-running has spoken of its importance for Penn before. Still, the project faces many challenges.

Read ETA’s statement.

ETA is proud to be giving a webinar with the High Speed Rail Alliance. You can learn about the future of New York’s Penn Station through this conversation between HSRA executive director Rick Harnish and Blair Lorenzo, the leader of the Effective Transit Alliance.
Friday June 6, 2025 at Noon EDT, Register and More Information Here!

Expensive, experimental, slow battery locomotives have no place on already electrified rails

Through-running at Penn Station would transform regional rail in NYC, and we have the infrastructure to do it.

However, in a recent report, Amtrak made fundamentally flawed arguments pushing its unnecessary and expensive Penn Expansion project. We demonstrate that through-running is possible, and it needn’t cost billions of dollars.

Congestion pricing is huge victory for NYC, and it's about more than money. It will improve bus service, public health, the climate, safety, and more.

The future of urban rail is electric.

Unfortunately, NYC has near-sighted plans for its commuter system that could hinder electrification for decades.

It’s time to move past the status quo & lay groundwork for progress.

The MTA has a cost control problem, but now it is preparing to order what might be the most expensive subway train in the world. It shouldn't be this way. After decades of overly conservative procurement, the MTA needs to rethink its approach.

Over the past month, the Northeast Corridor has seen unacceptable failure after failure in normal heat, stranding thousands. The cause? Outdated catenary and power systems.

Read ETA's report: If It Can’t Stand the Heat, You Need to Upgrade the Kitchen

Congestion pricing is vital, and ETA is proud to be a part of the coalition aiming to ensure that it begins as originally planned in NYC.

Congestion pricing is the law of the land, and ETA will do everything we can to ensure it begins as planned.