MTA addresses homelessness on subways, buses in virtual meeting

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority addressed homelessness in subways and buses during a virtual meeting on Wednesday.

News 12 Staff

Sep 23, 2020, 9:50 PM

Updated 1,524 days ago

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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority addressed homelessness in subways and buses during a virtual meeting on Wednesday.
The MTA made it clear that it is "not OK" to defecate on subways and buses.
While the act had already been banned as an unsanitary condition, the MTA Board has officially added defecating to its list of prohibited activities.
Other additions include that during a disaster emergency relating to public health, no one can remain on a train after passengers have been instructed to leave.
Also, people can't carry or bring any wheeled cart greater than 30 inches onto a train, and customers also can't remain in the paid-fare zone for non-transit uses for more than one hour.
In response to some of these changes, a representative with the Coalition For The Homeless tells News 12 in part, " The rules being voted on today are nothing more than an extension of the other counterproductive NIMBY responses we've seen that are focused on making homelessness invisible, rather than providing real help to those in the greatest need."
However, the MTA chairman and CEO say it shouldn't be up to the MTA to provide shelter. They added that these changes are about keeping New Yorkers safe.