The Health Of Public Transportation Systems

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Commuters wear mandatory face coverings in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus after stepping off a bus at the Sarbanes Transit Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. Chip Somodevilla/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Chip Somodevilla/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Commuters wear mandatory face coverings in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus after stepping off a bus at the Sarbanes Transit Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Chip Somodevilla/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

For many Americans, nine months of the pandemic has meant nine months without a commute on mass transit. Ridership has plummeted nationwide, forcing transit agencies to face funding shortages and an uncertain future.

But for many essential workers, life without public transportation is simply not an option.

We check in on three transit areas, Washington, D.C., New York City and that are anticipating massive service cuts if they don't get the federal aid they need—soon.

We start in New York with Pat Foye and Laura Bliss. Then, we're joined by Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) to talk about the if federal relief is possible for these troubled transportation systems.

Find our last conversation about whether public transportation should be free here.