Thank the FTA

Dear Editor,
How disappointing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) forgot to acknowledge the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for providing the funding to pay for the new subway cars purchased on behalf of New York City Transit during a recent ceremony held in Brooklyn marking delivery of the first five cars.
A series of FTA grants to the MTA over several years will pay for most of the base bid of $1.44 billion awarded to Kawasaki to purchase 535 new state-of-the-art R211 subway cars.
They will primarily replace a similar number of subway cars currently operating on the A & C lines that have reached their useful life.
There are also option clauses to the contract that afford the MTA opportunities to purchase up to 1,077 additional cars at a cost of $3.7 billion. FTA funding will also pay for many of these cars, as well.
Sincerely,
Larry Penner
Great Neck