Metropolitan Transportation Authority (-MTA-)

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (-MTA-) is a transit group founded and owned by Dopamine998. The group operates a combination of free and trained drive bus maps.

Due to the group being large, there can be a trained drive run at the same time as a free drive map being open. The group also initiated a games schedule with the many maps it operates for its free drive program, starting in July 2021. This schedule generally works into most of the community's bedtimes and school schedules, while keeping games available on weekends.

Overview
The group was founded as one of the few hybrid groups, which initially allowed anyone to drive and ride at any free drive maps on certain days of the week and attend group runs when trained drive operations are running. MTA is also heavily reliant on the WAVE Chassis which has been regularly updated through RUBI Industries. The group initially operated A-Chassis buses that were ex-NTA, however they plan to add Orion VIIs in the future, initially planned by BRUG Tech but changed to in-house.

Initially, the group operated on maps built by Dopamine998 that simulated real life services in New York City using leaked buses but then transitioned into WAVE models. Buses that are not available on WAVE use a modified version of the A-Chassis. In mid-2021, the group gained access to NTA's Myrtle bus division, converting it to a free drive and therefore acquired NTA's original bus fleet. This division has also received most of the group's fictional units as a result.

MTA also operates historic and admin buses for the benefit of bus fans, where it is possible to also get rides while the buses are in service. Sometimes, historic buses are also available to the public. Sometimes, the group will have multiple maps open to accommodate both free drive and trained drive operations, especially if an event is occurring in a group locked map.

This group was on hiatus as of August 2021, however it restarted trained drive operations on September 1, 2021. Free drive operations resumed in late September 2021 and prior to January 2022, were sometimes available to the public depending on what game is operating each day; however most days a free drive game runs to ensure the group members (and anyone who joins but cannot commit to training) a chance to drive and ride buses each week.

As of January 4, 2022, the group is testing meshed Orion VII OGs with both hybrid and CNG powertrains as admin buses, being models from OMSI (another bus simulator game). These vehicles are the first meshed models and are part of adding more vintage buses to the fleet, which comes alongside 1997-99 New Flyer C40LFs, The group later added two Orion Vs as admin buses, although they rarely see service.

As of early 2022, you must be in the group to join free drive events and runs. This likely comes as Dopamine998 also looks at restructuring the staff in the group to prevent leaks and abuse, while also preventing exploiters from having access to games. Likewise, the group has also required many of its moderators and admins to reapply to maintain their positions.

In May 2022, the group reintroduced NovaBUS LFSAs in its Bronx and Manhattan maps, alongside ex-Bee Line Orion Vs in its route Q100 map. Orion VII NGs were also added to Staten Island and Manhattan maps.

Fall Games Schedule

 * Sunday: Games close at 10 pm
 * Monday: 11 am - 11 pm
 * Tuesday: 11 am - 11 pm [GAME ROTATION]
 * Wednesday: 11 am - 11 pm
 * Thursday: 11 am - 11 pm
 * Friday: Games Re-open at 11 am, Continues into Saturday.
 * Saturday: Games will be open all day.

Controversy
Sometime in early August 2021, drama occurred within the group that had caused a major problem which had not been disclosed to the public following the shutdown of Société de transport de Summit. Following unknown accusations against Dopamine998, nextTRANSPORT and its affiliates sanctioned the group. Due to the sanctions, the group suspended all operations for a few weeks and resumed around September 2021.

According to a tweet by nextTRANSPORT around the date of temporary shutdown, the group was alleged to be using the WAVE Xcelsior and other models without permission, since the buses were generally former NTA units although they were technically made open source by the owners. However, the ironic problem was that some of the group's admin buses are nextTRANSPORT products, while the 2011-2013 New Flyer C40LF uses an A-Chassis with controls similar to nextTRANSPORT's old GUI.

Trivia

 * Although MTA has Orion VIIs in real life, they were not initially simulated in game, although they are starting to enter service as of January 2022. Currently, the group operates the OG Hybrid and OG CNG in game.