🎶 Goodbye MTV, Craving the Next Engine of Communal Motion

January 2026 BOMA NY & NJ Transportation Report

We began our January 2026 BOMA NY and BOMA NJ Transportation Reports with an unexpected but fitting cultural milestone: the end of MTV as we knew it. Paramount shut down several MTV music channels at the close of 2025. MTV was a platform built on motion, machines, and the thrill of going somewhere. MTV has faded into history 📺.

Before streaming and smartphones, MTV was transportation storytelling: fast cars, down-bound trains, school buses full of crazed teens, new wave yachts, planes, and overall escape, all set to a fresh soundtrack. That sense of communal motion makes it a surprisingly apt lens through which to view what’s happening across the transportation landscape.

And there is a lot happening! 🚦

🚗 One Year of Congestion Pricing

New York leaders marked the one-year anniversary of congestion pricing as a success. Early data points to reduced traffic volumes, lower pollution, and improved business indicators, including stronger sales tax revenue and foot traffic. While debate continues, congestion pricing has clearly changed how Manhattan moves — and how commuters think about entering the central business district.

🎟️ Fare Changes, OMNY, and the End of the MetroCard

Another era has officially ended. MetroCard sales stopped on December 31, 2025, and OMNY has become the default, now accounting for roughly 94% of all trips. While many riders have adjusted, the reports highlight ongoing growing pains, including commuter benefit issues and public frustration around affordability, with subway fares now sitting at $3.

The message for 2026 is clear: OMNY is here.

🚆 Gateway Tunnel and Regional Infrastructure

On both sides of the Hudson, long-term infrastructure remains front and center. The Gateway Tunnel continues to move forward with tangible progress, including tunnel boring machine manufacturing and early construction activity, even as questions around federal funding linger. For New York and New Jersey alike, Gateway remains one of the most consequential transportation projects in the country.

🎰 Casinos, Development, and Transit Funding

All three NYC casino licenses were awarded, with the MTA counting on hundreds of millions of dollars in future revenue from the license sales and ongoing taxes. These developments are being tied directly to transit improvements, station upgrades, and pedestrian infrastructure, reinforcing how closely transportation funding and land-use decisions are now linked.

🚔 Crime Statistics and Safety Perception

New York City’s 2025 crime statistics show encouraging trends, including declines in major crime categories, reduced crime on transit, and fewer traffic fatalities. Safety perception remains a critical factor in commuting behavior and tenant decision-making across the region.

⛴️ Ferry Changes and Alternative Commuting

NYC Ferry service is rolling out new connections and expanded express options, while preserving key seasonal stops. For buildings near ferry landings, these changes may subtly shift commuting patterns as riders continue to look for alternatives to crowded rail lines.

🏗️ Port Authority Leadership and Spending

The Port Authority enters 2026 with new leadership and an ambitious $45 billion capital plan, including toll and fare increases. Major spending decisions and shifting priorities — from airports to PATH and regional crossings — will continue to shape transportation across both NY and NJ.

🔑 The Takeaway for Property Managers

Taken together, the January BOMA NY and NJ Transportation Reports reinforce a simple reality: transportation is no longer a background issue. Between congestion pricing, fare system overhauls, capital megaprojects, and evolving mobility options, how people move is directly shaping tenant expectations, building access, deliveries, and daily operations.

MTV may be gone, but the need for shared systems that move people — efficiently, safely, and reliably — remains 🎶🚇. The platforms change. The pressure doesn’t.

👉 Read the full January 2026 BOMA NY & BOMA NJ Transportation Reports to stay informed on the transportation trends shaping our region in the year ahead.