MTA Board Member’s Proposal Sparks Fury in Staten Island Over New Train Cars

A controversial suggestion by an MTA board member, Norman Brown, at a board meeting has ignited a fierce debate over allocating new train cars to Staten Island. 

Brown proposed redirecting the promised state-of-the-art R211S train cars from the Staten Island Railway (SIR) to other subway lines, citing the borough’s opposition to the now-paused congestion pricing program.

The proposal came during a last-week discussion about plans to begin testing the new Kawasaki-manufactured cars on the SIR in August. 

Brown, a non-voting Metro-North labor representative, questioned whether the cars could be used on the A-line instead, given Staten Island representatives’ lack of support for the MTA’s capital plan.

MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer promptly dismissed the idea, emphasizing the importance of the SIR to the region’s mass transit system. 

“The SIR is an important part of the mass transit system in the region and we’re working to protect safe and reliable service across the entire MTA system,” Torres-Springer stated.

The suggestion drew sharp criticism from Staten Island officials and residents. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, who had previously filed a lawsuit against the congestion pricing program, expressed his dismay: “Rather than asking questions about how we can improve the commute for people on Staten Island. . .their mindset is, ‘How are we gonna punish them and make it worse?’”

Staten Island Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo also expressed his disappointment over Brown’s suggestion and called for his removal from his position at the MTA.

In a letter addressed to Governor Hochul, Pirozzolo noted, “The complete contempt Mr. Brown exhibited for Staten Islanders was a masterclass in bureaucratic ignorance. It not only disqualifies Mr. Brown from serving the customers of the MTA but highlights the larger issue Staten Islanders have with the MTA and its board. They do not get it and seemingly do not care to.”

He added, “All of New York State, especially those in transit deserts such as Staten Island, deserve accessible, reliable, convenient, and affordable public transportation options. That cannot happen until there is change at the MTA, including a full audit, and a swift transition to leadership that empathizes with those who voice their concerns and can manage an agency capable of successfully addressing them.”

Brown later clarified his position, stating that his suggestion was based on efficiency rather than retribution. 

“When it comes down to efficiency, giving Staten Island the brand new cars doesn’t make sense to me,” he explained, emphasizing the need to prioritize more heavily populated subway lines.

The letter addressed to Governor Hochul was signed by several Staten Island officials including Assemblyman Pirozzolo, Assemblyman Michael Tannousis, Assemblyman Michael Reilly, State Senator Andrew Lanza, Staten Island Borough President Fossella, City Councilman David Carr, and City Councilman Joseph Borelli.

They stated, “Staten Islanders get the short end of the stick when it comes to public transit in every scenario. Our local and express bus routes and vehicles are limited, often delayed or canceled, and plagued with mechanical issues. Additionally, the MTA is planning to shutter the Meredith Avenue Bus Depot in 2025, regardless of the widespread chaos it would cause to our already overcrowded and under-resourced Express Bus depots, inevitably leading to more service disruptions.”

The officials also stressed that the current Staten Island Rail has not been updated since the 1970’s, and that the MTA consistently cuts resources to the borough whenever there is a shortfall within the company, including when MTA Chief of Operations Planning, Christopher Pangilinan, suggested, in a memo on July 16th, cutting the recently added weekday express bus trips on Staten Island, in the wake of the congestion pricing plan being stalled. 

Last week, the MTA board members voted in favor of Governor Hochul’s decision to postpone the pioneering tolling program, which will severely impact the agency’s funding for future projects. 

According to MTA officials, this resolution will delay critical initiatives, such as the extension of the Second Avenue Subway and upgrades to the signaling system.