MTA Under Scrutiny After Worker Deaths

Mark Molinaro, the head of Federal Transport Management, has criticized the MTA for failing to adhere to its own safety protocols after the tragic death of a worker in 2023, who was hit by a train. This incident was the second alarming event concerning worker safety that occurred within the last year.

Molinaro, a former member of the New York GOP, has called for a third safety and risk assessment, asserting that the earlier two were “flawed.” He also threatened to withhold funding unless the MTA can convincingly address the “increasing risk trends.”

He expressed concern over the MTA’s inaction following a serious incident that led to the loss of a transportation worker’s life. “Secretary [Sean] Duffy consistently emphasizes that safety is the top priority for the USDOT and insists on full accountability,” he stated.

This demand comes in light of the November 2023 fatality of 57-year-old Flagger Hilarion Joseph, who sustained life-threatening injuries while working on the Uptown D train near the 34th Avenue Herald Square Station.

Following Joseph’s death, the MTA conducted a safety review for its workers, although, it appears that after some time, the responses were inadequate.

In June 2024, yet another Flagger was struck by an F train at the Whittshermerhorn Street Station in Brooklyn but fortunately survived, albeit suffering severe head injuries.

A recent audit by the FTA indicated that New York City Transportation (NYCT), a subsidiary of the MTA managing the city’s subways and buses, encountered 38 potential safety hazards in 2023 alone, which is a significant increase from 23 in 2021.

By comparison, there were only 25 potential hazards reported between 2013 and 2020. This escalating trend puts NYC’s transit safety into a troubling perspective.

Under the Biden administration, the FTA has been pushing for the NYCT to produce a “comprehensive risk assessment” regarding the Road Worker Protection (RWP) program. The NYCT submitted its first risk assessment to the FTA in October 2024, only to have its second submission turned down in January due to numerous deficiencies.

The federal authorities found issues with the report, such as its neglect to account for near-miss incidents in 2024, and inadequacies in assessing risks posed to workers.

Molinaro highlighted the findings of an internal NYCT audit that exposed repeated violations of critical RWP safety regulations to NYCT President Demetrius Crichlow. “These violations raise serious concerns that the protocols meant to address safety risks are not being followed effectively,” he remarked.

He cautioned the NYCT about the implications of failing to produce a thorough report, warning that it might signal a “pattern or practice of serious safety violations.”

Molinaro outlined potential federal responses if safety issues are not adequately addressed, which could range from directing the NYCT to use federal funds to fix safety issues to withholding up to 25% of federal funding.

As of now, the MTA has yet to respond to requests for comments about the situation.