The U.S. Department of Transport has threatened withholding up to 25% of federal transport funds from the Metropolitan Transportation Agency (MTA) in New York City, rather than safety risks to maintenance workers.
On Tuesday, the federal office issued a final warning to city officials, calling on local governments to conduct a third risk assessment and take steps to remediate the government.
“We’re a surge in the world,” said Mark Molinaro, head of the Federal Transport Director (FTA) under President Donald Trump:
The warning was the latest speed between the Trump administration and state and local officials over public transport funding.
It also marked another example of the White House trying to leverage federal funds to ensure policy priorities.
A good issue in safety
However, federal complaints date back to President Joe Biden’s management.
In August 2024, the Transportation Bureau issued a special order (PDF) calling the country’s largest transportation system, the MTA, to take action to address the escalating patterns of safety accidents involving workers.
The order followed the death of MTA truck worker Hilarion Joseph in November 2023.
Another MTA worker was seriously injured in June 2024.
Federal officials previously raised concerns about the sharp rise in “near misses” in the New York City transport system, which increased 58% between 2022 and 2023.
Tuesday’s Final Warning (PDF) gave the MTA a 30-day deadline to submit a new comprehensive risk assessment for the Road Workers Protection Program.
Failure to meet deadlines could result in the Trump administration being issued “limits or bans” to address workers’ safety, withholding 25% of the MTA’s federal funds.
“The New York MTA has a decades-old pattern that exposes workers to the path of harm,” John Samuelsen, International President of the Transport Workers Union, said in a government news release.
“It’s important that the Federal Transport Agency holds MTA accountable for its failures. Life is balanced.”
Tensions between Trump and New York
Truck safety issues are not the only point of tension between the Trump administration and New York City and state officials.
The Trump White House previously threatened to redirect or cancel federal funds from the MTA over accusations that the system was exposed to crime.
In March, for example, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy issued a statement describing “trends in violent crime, homelessness and other threats to public safety against one of our country’s most prominent metro systems.”
He called on New York City officials to provide details on plans to “clean up” the transport system and reduce crime.
“We will continue to fight to ensure their federal taxes are heading for a crime-free commute,” Duffy said.
Washington officials also highlight incidents of violence in the MTA system. This includes the incident in which a woman in a subway car began to burn at the end of last year.
However, MTA data shows that crime in the transport system was the second-lowest level in 27 years, falling more than 18% in the first quarter of 2025.
The Trump administration also clashed with local officials over plans to implement “congestion pricing.” It is a toll system to reduce traffic on frequently blocked roads in Manhattan.
Earlier this year, Trump promised to use the Department of Transport to “kill” new tolls, urging Democrat New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to blame his actions as a federal overreach.
“New York has not worked under the King for over 250 years. I am sure hell will not begin now,” Hochul said in February.
By May, federal judges had stepped in to temporarily stop the Trump administration from taking action against congestion pricing.
Election battlefield
But New York remains an important battlefield for Trump and his Republicans. Especially as they face a heated midterm election in 2026.
Several parts of the state are considered “swing” districts where either Republicans or Democrats can tilt.
This November, the city will also be competing in a high-profile mayoral race as the future of the MTA depends on balance.
Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani has made the cornerstone of his campaign a free bus based on a pilot program he defended in the New York State Legislature, which was temporarily introduced in certain areas from 2023 to 2024.
Mamdani currently leads his closest rival, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, 19 points, according to the Siena College poll (PDF), released on August 12th.
Cuomo proposed restructuring the MTA by moving it from the state to urban management. This is a move that claims he will give the mayor’s office greater surveillance of the passing operations.