Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislators last week agreed to a $212 billion budget for the new fiscal year that includes $300 million for the MTA.

MTA Chair Janno Lieber on Monday told "Mornings On 1" that the conceptual agreement addresses the agency's deficit for four years.

"When I got confirmed 15 months ago, the MTA was under 50% ridership, and we were starting to realize we were looking at a $2 billion-a-year deficit. And I started to go out and educate the public about it. And you know what, the governor got it. She stepped up, she put a proposal on the table that solved the whole deficit problem for four years," he said.

He said the funding will help the MTA increase weekend and post-rush hour service and add more subway trains to improve rider experience.

As part of the budget agreement, the next fare hike would be limited to $2.86 per ride - up from the current $2.75 - and one bus route in each borough will become free. However, the MTA will still be tasked with finding $400 million in savings in the next year.

"We actually proposed that ourselves because we do think there are ways that the MTA has got to become more efficient without impacting our service or cutting personnel," Lieber said.

One way the MTA plans to increase efficiency is by working with their workforce and unions to increase the number of hours that employees work per week, as they had been reduced during the pandemic and have yet to be restored.

"We're going to work with our workforce and with our unions to try to get those days back. That means that we don't have to pay as much overtime or hire extra workers."