New York City Subway May Try Reservations System

The New York Daily News reports:

“Your subway pole reservation awaits.” That could be the new reality for straphangers as life in New York inches back to some kind of normal during the coronavirus pandemic. Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman Pat Foye said Thursday the agency is considering a form of “Ticketmaster technology” that would require riders to book a slot on subway trains to ensure there’s enough space to social distance underground.

Transit honchos have for months grappled with what subway commutes will look like as the city’s economy reopens during the ongoing health crisis. How reservations would be enforced is also unclear. The MTA last year estimated more than 150,000 riders evaded the subway fare every day, a factor that could undermine a reservation requirement. Still, the grim reality of the pandemic has required officials to rethink how how people use the city’s normally crowded subway.