The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“MTA”) New York City Transit, will hold a public hearing for a change to Customer Booth Service at Stations and coverage during agent meal breaks. Booth service will be replaced with more effective and enhanced customer service outside of the booths.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has reached a landmark agreement with Transit Workers United 100 on the future of the station agent role in the subway system which will enable agents to support customer service needs more effectively in subway stations. In recognition of the changing environment at subway stations, station agents will shift from working within booths to performing customer service functions throughout the station outside of booths, including at turnstiles, fare media vending machines, and on platforms.
The role of the “booth-oriented” station agent dates to the era of tokens, and this change represents a modernization of the role, bringing agents out of booths to better serve the needs of customers in a 21st Century station environment. Rather than sitting in booths and conducting MetroCard transactions, the new station agent role will provide customer support out-of-booth. Station agents would return to the fare array area as necessary to assist customers who are not able to use the turnstiles or the AutoGate.
Each station currently staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week will continue to be staffed during those times, except during the station agent’s meal break. Information would be provided in stations about obtaining assistance during the meal break period, such as by using a Help Point intercom. Today when permanently assigned station agents take meal breaks, relief station agents temporarily staff the station booth. This relief coverage will be discontinued under the new customer service model.
In connection with these changes. a public hearing must be held regarding the change to customer booth service and the elimination of relief coverage during meal breaks.
Public hearing details
When: Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 6 p.m.
Where: The hearing will be available both in person and virtually.
- In person: 2 Broadway, 20th floor, New York, NY 10004
- Zoom: Webinar ID: 868 0977 6902 Passcode: 6763366941
- Phone: 1-877-853-5247 Webinar ID: 868 0977 6902 # then #
- Livestream: YouTube
Registration details
Those wishing to pre-register to be heard at the Public Hearing must register on the website, verbal comments will be limited to three (3) minutes. You may present verbal testimony or submit written statements in lieu of or to supplement oral testimony concerning the proposed project.
Written comments will be accepted online. Comments may also be submitted via postal mail to: MTA Government & Community Relations, Attn: Elimination of Station Booth Service, 2 Broadway, B20.81, New York, NY 10004
All written and online comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. February 1, 2023. Comments received after this date and time will not be considered.
To register to speak at the meeting, click here.
To provide written comments, click here.
Accessibility and Language Assistance Services
At the hybrid public hearing, 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 submit an accommodation request online before January 25, 2023, or call the public hearing hotline at 646-252-6777 before January 25. Representatives are available on the hotline from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Members of the public who do not have access to a computer or who do not have access to the internet may listen to the hearing by calling the 1-877-853 5247 (toll-free) then entering Webinar ID: 868 0977 6902, followed by the pound (#) sign, followed again by the pound (#) sign.
If language assistance or any other accommodation is required, please submit a request at least five business days before the scheduled hearing date in one of the following ways: online, by calling the public hearing hotline at 646-252-6777, or by sending a letter to: MTA Government & Community Relations, Attn: Elimination of Station Booth Service, 2 Broadway, B20.81, New York, NY 10004. For those who make a timely request for language assistance, the MTA will provide interpretation or translation.