How much does the MTA make in revenue?

The largest share of MTA revenue — $7.222 billion — comes from dedicated taxes and subsidies the Authority receives from the cities and states that we serve. Another $6.870 billion comes from fares and tolls. Federal COVID-related aid, which the MTA received in 2020 and 2021, adds up to $2.877 billion.



The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is one of the largest financial entities in the public sector, with an annual operating budget of approximately $19.9 billion for 2025-2026. However, "revenue" comes from several different buckets. Farebox and Toll revenue (money from swipes and bridge/tunnel crossings) typically accounts for only about 40% to 50% of the total budget—roughly $7 billion to $8 billion. The remainder is made up of dedicated taxes (like the Payroll Mobility Tax), state and city subsidies, and advertising revenue. Interestingly, the MTA's Bridges and Tunnels division is often a "profit center" that helps subsidize the subway and bus operations, which traditionally operate at a loss. Despite the billions in revenue, the agency frequently faces "budget gaps" due to high labor costs, massive debt service for capital projects, and the ongoing challenge of maintaining century-old infrastructure.

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About the report on MTA Fare and Toll Evasion Losses to the MTA's operating budget are staggering, with nearly $700 million in revenue not collected in 2022 alone. This includes $315 million lost in bus fares, $285 million in subway fares, $46 million in bridge and tunnel tolls, and $44 million in railroad fares.

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The report also found that the MTA lost $690 million to fare evasion in 2022. Joana Flores, an MTA spokesperson, said the AI system doesn't flag fare evaders to New York police, but she declined to comment on whether that policy could change.

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As a public-benefit corporation, the MTA operates on a loss to provide an economic value that is critical to the infrastructure of New York City.

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This daily revenue is from the following sources: * US$19.8 million from dedicated taxes, local taxes and state taxes. * US$17.5 million from passenger ticket sales for public transport use. * US$ 5.5 million from bridge and tunnel tolls.

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Over the past five years, 4,592 MTA injury cases have been resolved, forcing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority payouts of over $431 Million in MTA lawsuit settlements.

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For the last 40 years, the MTA has taken out loans to help pay for new tracks, stations, trains and buses — and maintain the ones it already owns. Money from fares, tolls and taxes pays back the lenders, plus interest. That business model worked until the pandemic sent ridership plummeting.

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The authority was facing a potential budget gap of nearly $3 billion by 2025. The Covid-19 emergency plunged the system into crisis as riders abandoned it, depleting fare revenue it had critically depended on.

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MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber Appoints Catherine Sheridan to Serve as President of MTA Bridges and Tunnels. Updated August 16, 2023 1:30 p.m. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chair and CEO Janno Lieber today announced he has appointed Catherine Sheridan to serve as President of MTA Bridges and Tunnels.

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The New York MTA is a state-run agency with a unionized workforce and an incredible culture of waste. A bombshell 2017 New York Times report found MTA construction costs were 5 times the international average, due to over-payment and duplication from labor unions and private contractors.

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A variety of factors drive MTA's cost structure, including the age and size of the system, 24/7 operation, and the difficulty maintaining so many different — and older — models of train cars and other equipment, said MTA Communications Director Tim Minton.

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  • The most crowded line at peak appears to be the 2/3 Uptown. ( 4.38 passengers standing per meter squared)
  • The highest throughput individual train is the L (23,987 passengers)
  • The highest throughput line is the B/D/N/Q section through midtown ( 43,550 passengers)


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Nicholas Avenue and 191st Street in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, it is served by the 1 train at all times. It is the deepest station in the New York City Subway system at about 173 feet (53 m) below street level.

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The current crisis: MTA is projecting a $2.6B annual funding gap in the near future. After debt restructuring and operating efficiencies are implemented, they still expect the gap to be $1.2B. The table below illustrates the 2019 actual and 2023 expected revenue.

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The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system in the New York City boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. It is owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

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