How much money does the MTA make a day?

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.



The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City generates approximately $18 million to $20 million per day from farebox revenue and bridge/tunnel tolls. However, this figure fluctuates based on ridership levels, which in 2026 see about 6.5 million people using the subways, buses, and commuter rails daily. Fare revenue typically covers only about 40-50% of the total operating budget; the remainder is funded through dedicated taxes, government subsidies, and federal grants. The total annual operating budget of the MTA is roughly $19 billion, reflecting the immense cost of maintaining the 24/7 system, paying over 70,000 employees, and servicing the agency's substantial debt. While the daily "cash flow" from commuters is significant, it is insufficient on its own to sustain the complex infrastructure of North America's largest public transportation network.

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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.

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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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Half of our revenue comes from our riders in the form of farebox revenue and tolls. Various dedicated fees and taxes from both the state and local governments help fund the rest of our operations.

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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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Overall, the MTA's $19.2 billion Adopted Budget for Calendar Year 2023 is divided between Labor costs of $11.5 billion, Non-Labor costs of $4.6 billion, debt service payments of $3.1 billion, and Below- the-line Adjustments of $100 million.

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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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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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New York MTA's multi-decade state monopoly model is no longer producing good transit service. New York City's transit has been in a perpetual “summer of hell.” Media outlets coined this phrase in 2017 to describe the state of different regional services, with their maintenance backlogs and decay.

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Rising debt: The only way out By charging passengers less than the actual cost of the service, the MTA is subsidizing countless industries that rely on workers who are not able to live closer to their jobs. This is by no means unique to New York City, as most public mass-transit systems around the world make no profit.

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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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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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