Manhattan judge blocks MTA plan to leave subway booths unstaffed

A Manhattan judge has blocked a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) plan to leave subway station token booths unstaffed during certain shifts. The policy, introduced in early 2026, intended to allow booths to remain closed for eight-hour periods if a station agent was absent due to illness or vacation.

The Transport Workers Union Local 100 filed a lawsuit against the measure, arguing it constituted an illegal restriction on subway access. The lawsuit was supported by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and the Center for Independent Living of New York. Plaintiffs argued that unstaffed booths discriminate against passengers with disabilities who rely on station agents for assistance.

Judge Nicholas Moyne of the Manhattan Supreme Court ruled that the policy created an illegal discriminatory impact, depriving users with mobility and visual impairments of equitable access to public transportation. The judge also noted that the MTA failed to hold the mandatory public hearings required before implementing such a measure.