A transcript of the interview appears below. 

Steve Scott: For now at least, the MTA has put off a decision on bus and train toll increases, fare increases. What will the future bring?  Let’s go live to the news line, MTA Chairman Pat Foye is with us this morning. Mr. Foye, good morning. When will the decision be made on fare hikes and toll increases? 

Patrick J. Foye: Steve, morning. The answer, good news is we've deferred the toll, fare increases rather for the time being. The board will consider toll increases at the February meeting. The fare increases will be deferred for several months. Hopefully we'll begin to see signs of recovery in the economy and increasing numbers of New Yorkers getting vaccinations, including MTA workers. In the last week, we vaccinated 1300 MTA workers and we're vaccinating more every day. But the good news is that in the short term at least there'll be no fare increase. 

Scott: No fare increases but still looking at toll hikes. Why leaning toward one as opposed to the other? 

Foye: Well, a couple of things. One is volumes on our bridges and tunnels passenger cars and trucks have come back strong as they have around the country and around the world following the pandemic. We're at approximately 90% of pre-pandemic volumes, one. Two is revenues from bridge and tunnels subsidizes public transit, subways, buses, the commuter rails and always have. Three is right now our customers on subways and buses are essential workers, first responders and people who don't have the option of working remotely or getting in their car to drive. Many of them, low income, low income customers or living and or living in communities of color. We’re respectful with that. And then lastly, increasing the tolls is likely to cause some of our bridge and tunnel customers to move to mass transit, which will reduce congestion, will improve air quality and be better for the entire region. 

Scott: How much of a toll hike would we be talking about at the bridges and tunnels? 

Foye: I think the public notice that we put out Steve was from a range of four to eight percent increase over, you know, we haven't adjusted tolls or fares in the last couple of years, and that'll be a board discussion item in February. 

Scott: Now the MTA will get around $4 billion dollars in the latest Covid stimulus package. Is that enough for you to hold off on layoffs and service cuts? 

Foye: In 2021, it is. The passage and Senator Schumer came up huge on this and we all, all New Yorkers owe him a debt of gratitude and frankly now that he's in the majority leader position he's going to play an even increasing role in the national and in New York recovery. There'll be no service reductions that we have talked about up to 40% on subways and buses, up to 50% of the commuter rails, and laying off thousands of our colleagues, that is not going to be on the agenda for 2021. That's great news. Having said that, we, and we're incredibly optimistic with the election of the new president who is obviously not only a supporter but his past has been a regular user of public transit, that's really encouraging. And the administration is pledged to providing additional support to mass transit agencies around the country, especially. For the MTA for 2021, we're out of the woods. 

Scott: And before we let you go, Dr. Anthony Fauci has put out a video calling specifically on MTA employees to take the COVID vaccine. What are you hearing from your frontline workers? Why won't some of them get the shots? 

Foye: Well, look, we vaccinated 1,300 of our employees in the last week or so. Right now, demand across the city, across the state far exceeds supply. That's a federal government problem that the Biden administration is committed to solving. We will, demand for vaccines and transit workers is at a very high level if we had more, if we were provided more doses through the state by the federal government, we'd be able to vaccinate more employees. I called Dr. Fauci and asked him to make that video. He was incredibly gracious and accommodating. He described his high school subway commute and he urged all MTA workers to get vaccinated. That's our goal. I expect there will be a high level of acceptance in transit workers and our employees are smart, they want to get vaccinated. 

Scott: If a frontline worker, one who has contact with customers refuses the vaccine, will you pull them off the front lines? 

Foye: Steve, I don't expect that is going to be a significant problem. As I mentioned transit workers are smart. Obviously, New York in the Spring was the epicenter of the pandemic. The MTA was especially hard hit, along with other city agencies. Our employees are smart, they want to get vaccinated. We're going to do everything we can and obviously supplies up to the federal government. We're going to do everything we can to get every transit worker vaccinated. 

Scott: MTA Chairman, Pat Foye.  Mr. Foye as always, thank you for talking with us. 

Foye:  Steve, thank you.