Metropolitan Transportation Authority facts for kids

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is a special company created by the government of New York State. It helps people get around by running public transportation.

The MTA operates buses and trains in 12 counties in southeastern New York. It also serves two counties in southwestern Connecticut. Every weekday, about 11 million people use MTA buses and trains. Also, over 800,000 vehicles cross its seven tolled bridges and two tunnels each day.

How the MTA Started

The MTA was created by the New York state government in 1965. At first, it was called the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority (MCTA). Governor Nelson Rockefeller started the MCTA. His goal was to buy and operate the Long Island Rail Road, which was having money problems.

The MCTA changed its name to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in 1968. In that year, it also took over the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA). These are now known as MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) and MTA Bridges and Tunnels (B&T).

The MTA also managed the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven commuter rail lines. These lines belonged to Penn Central Transportation. The MTA ran them until 1976. In 1976, another company called Conrail took over Penn Central. The MTA did not fully run these commuter rail lines by itself until 1983. In 1983, it created the Metro-North Commuter Railroad from these lines.

MTA Bridges and Tunnels: Connecting Places

MTA Bridges and Tunnels is the biggest agency in the United States that collects tolls for bridges and tunnels. A toll is a fee you pay to use a road, bridge, or tunnel. More than a million people use its bridges and tunnels every day. This agency collects about $900 million from tolls each year.

Major Bridges Operated by MTA

The MTA operates seven important bridges:

• Triborough Bridge: This bridge connects Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Randalls and Wards Islands.
• Bronx-Whitestone Bridge: It connects the Bronx and Queens.
• Verrazano-Narrows Bridge: This bridge links Brooklyn and Staten Island.
• Throgs Neck Bridge: It connects the Bronx and Queens.
• Henry Hudson Bridge: This bridge links Manhattan and the Bronx.
• Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge: It connects Brooklyn and the Rockaways in Queens.
• Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge: This bridge connects Broad Channel to the Rockaways in Queens.

Important Tunnels Operated by MTA

The MTA also operates two tunnels:

• Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel: This tunnel connects Brooklyn and Manhattan.
• Queens-Midtown Tunnel: It links Queens and Manhattan.

New York City Transit Authority: Moving Millions

The New York City Transit Authority helps about 7 million people travel every day. That's over 2 billion riders each year!

The NYCTA runs several major transportation systems:

• The New York City Subway: This is a large underground train system. It serves Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens.
• The Staten Island Railway: This is a subway line located on Staten Island.
• The New York City Bus: This is a wide network of buses. It covers all five boroughs of New York City.

Images for kids

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  Current MTA headquarters, 2 Broadway

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  MTA Bus Time app on an iPhone.

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  OMNY Payment System for Subway Trains

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  An MTA employee performs maintenance on a B Train after a brake problem.

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  Stairs in the Times Square–42nd Street station with a safety slogan.

See also

In Spanish: Autoridad Metropolitana del Transporte para niños