MTA Vows NYC Transit Will Run Despite Major Storm

New York City is bracing for what could be its biggest snowstorm in years, but transit officials are adamant: the subways and buses will keep moving. With forecasts predicting at least 10 inches of snow starting late Saturday night and stretching into Monday, January 26, 2026, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has rolled out a robust response plan to keep the city’s lifelines open.

During a Friday press conference, MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber assured New Yorkers that the agency is well-prepared for the storm. “We have detailed plans in place for storms like this to protect the network, to protect our riders, to protect our employees. We pre-position a ton of equipment and personnel,” Lieber said, as reported by Patch. He was quick to thank the workforce in advance, emphasizing the MTA’s readiness and experience. “This is not our first rodeo,” Lieber quipped, a refrain he’d repeat throughout the day.

The MTA’s preparations are nothing short of extensive. The agency oversees 220 miles of outdoor subway tracks—sections especially vulnerable to snow and ice. To combat the elements, snow-fighting trains equipped with de-icing systems are set to run both before and during the storm. These trains, including some repurposed from the iconic “Redbird” fleet, will spray de-icer liquid on the third rail while scraping away accumulating ice. According to The City, these de-icer cars, six for the subway and one for the Staten Island Railway, each carry 11 barrels of fluid—totaling 605 gallons per car—ready to keep the power-supplying rails clear.

“We try to send the de-icer trains normally before precipitation because we want to treat the rails and get some of the fluid onto the rails so we stop freezing,” explained Ravi Ganpat, a general superintendent for the MTA’s Maintenance of Way division. “And then during the storm, we keep going, following the passenger trains and treating the rails as the storm goes by.”

Beyond the specialized de-icer cars, the MTA’s winter arsenal includes 55 diesel locomotives, 39 rider cars to transport crews, and 10 snow-thrower units stationed at various subway yards. With 665 miles of total track—222 miles of which are exposed to the elements—the importance of this equipment can’t be overstated. The agency has also staged refurbished work cars in Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx, ready to roll out as conditions demand.

On the bus side, the MTA boasts 35 snow-clearing vehicles designed to rapidly clear blocked streets. All buses in service will have chains fitted to their tires, a precaution that’s become standard during severe winter weather. For safety reasons, the MTA will pull its 1,161 long, articulated buses—those familiar, accordion-like coaches—off the roads. “The bus system picks up the slack, we know how to prepare for these events—how to get our equipment in place, how to get our people in place,” Lieber told The City. He described buses as the “major workhorses” of winter storms, noting that even if rail service faces challenges, the buses will keep running. “Every time we find out that they are the workhorses of major storms like this, they’ll all be chained and ready to go,” he said, as cited by amNewYork.

To further bolster its response, the MTA has amassed over 9,000 tons of roadway de-icer and more than 100 pieces of equipment ready to be deployed. The agency has also received 1.1 million pounds of salt since the start of January, ensuring that bridges and tunnels—critical connectors across the city—remain operational. Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free added that the agency will field a crew of 1,800 workers overnight on Sunday to ensure everything is in place for Monday morning’s commute. “We start preparing for the winter in the summer,” Free said, emphasizing the year-round nature of these preparations.

Still, the MTA isn’t taking anything for granted. Lieber stressed that the agency will make real-time adjustments as the storm unfolds, relying on the expertise of its professionals. “The professionals know how to make determinations about when service starts to be impacted,” he said. Free noted that operations on the Long Island Rail Road will be closely watched once 10 inches of snow accumulate, factoring in not just depth but snow type and wind conditions.

While the MTA is determined to keep New York moving, officials are urging caution. Lieber encouraged residents to stay indoors unless travel is absolutely necessary. “If you don’t have to travel, stay home and enjoy a football game or just bake some cookies,” he advised during a press conference at the LIRR Laurelton station, as reported by amNewYork. The non-profit Riders Alliance echoed this sentiment, but added that if travel is essential, public transit is the safest bet: “New York’s subway was built for snowstorms. Sunday’s forecast is an opportunity for the system to shine. While roads may be slippery and slushy, rails are the place to be.”

Service updates will be available in real time on the MTA app and website, allowing riders to stay informed as conditions evolve. This transparency is a direct response to past storms, such as the December 2010 blizzard that stranded nearly 500 people overnight on snow-stalled subway cars—a scenario the MTA is determined to avoid. In more recent years, the agency has sometimes suspended outdoor service in anticipation of major storms, but Lieber indicated that such drastic measures aren’t currently on the table. “Per the governor’s instruction, the MTA will be running service come hell or high water,” he said. “Whether it’s seven inches or 13 inches or whatever, we’re going to be ready—this is not our first rodeo.”

Other regional transit agencies are taking precautions as well. NJ Transit, for instance, has warned of possible temporary service suspensions and is urging customers to travel only if necessary. “With the winter storm approaching, we are keeping safety as our top priority,” said Kris Kolluri, NJ Transit president and CEO. The agency has checked heating systems and ventilation on trains, prepped snow blowers, and stockpiled salt, with cross-honoring in effect for the entire system Sunday and Monday.

For many New Yorkers, the resilience of the transit system is a point of pride—and a necessity. Denny Espinoza, a cook who relies on the subway to get to work in Times Square, summed up the city’s spirit as he waited for his train: “I’ll just bundle up, just hopefully not freeze too much and make it to work on time. I’ll definitely need extra time to bundle up and get to work.”

As the city hunkers down for a potentially historic storm, the MTA’s message is clear: snow or shine, New York will keep moving—with a little help from some old Redbirds, a lot of salt, and the tireless efforts of its transit workers.