Starting on Mother’s Day 2017, it might be a little bit easier for pregnant, disabled, and senior riders to get seats on the MTA’s transit network.
The agency is shipping free “Baby on Board” and “Please Offer Me a Seat” buttons to riders who fill out an online form. The effort is aimed at encouraging more riders to give up their seats to those who need them most, which is already required by the MTA Code of Conduct. Several public officials, including New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker, and private transit advocacy groups such as UP-STAND, have applauded the effort, and the creation of the pilot program. The initiative is based on Transport for London’s similar program, which began in 2005.