Coronavirus News: Brooklyn borough president calls for free MTA fares for essential workers

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Brooklyn borough president and a member of the city council are calling for free subway and bus fares for essential workers in the city.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, chair of the Committee on Transportation, held a press conference outside the Jay Street-MetroTech subway station in Downtown Brooklyn on Monday morning.

They say essential workers should receive free fares for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MTA data shows that ridership has plummeted, but Adams and Rodriguez pointed out that 70% of essential workers are people of color, and they are in many cases continuing to rely on mass transit.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 COVERAGE

COVID-19 Help, Information and Resources

UPDATES
[Ads /]
Grieving the lost: Tri-State residents who have died
New York state
New Jersey
Connecticut
Long Island


[Ads /]
RELATED INFORMATION
[Ads /]
Share your coronavirus story with Eyewitness News
Stimulus check scams and other coronavirus hoaxes
Coronavirus prevention: how clean are your hands?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus
Total count of NYC COVID-19 cases based on patient address