MTA seeks innovations to keep rail safe during the pandemic

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Transit Innovation Partnership last week launched a "COVID-19 Response Challenge" calling for the private tech industry to submit innovative solutions that could make public transit safer during the pandemic. 

The challenge calls for companies to submit proposals by July 30 that address critical pandemic-related health and safety objectives for New York City's regional mass transit network. 

Specifically, MTA is seeking solutions to safely reduce or eliminate contaminated aerosols. Other areas of interest include thermal monitoring tools, cleaning equipment and technology, and tools to measure and mitigate crowding. 

Companies that submit proposals deemed promising by the challenge’s panel of transit, tech and health sector evaluators may have the opportunity to implement their technology with the regional transit systems, MTA officials said in a press release.

New Jersey Transit, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the New York City Department of Transportation also are participating in the challenge.