The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is a New York State agency that (among other duties) operates New York City’s subways and buses. The MTA is known for starting big projects (such a the Second Avenue Subway) and quickly running out of cash. The MTA is also known for what many critics believe are generous pay packages to executives and other workers.
 
The MTA nickname “Money Taking Agency” was posted on Twitter on March 19, 2009. The nickname was popularized by Guardian Angels founder and radio talk show host Curtis Sliwa.
 
The MTA has also been nicknamed “More Trouble Ahead” (cited in print since at least 1995),  “Money Thrown Away” (cited in print since at least 1996), “Might Take Awhile” (cited in print since at least 2007), “May Take Awhile” (cited in print since at least 2008), “Many Trains Absent” (entered in the Urban Dictionary in 2008), “Motherfuckers Touching my Ass” (from lyrics to a 2012 song) and “More Than Awful” (January 31, 2019 New York Daily News front page).
   
   
Wikipedia: Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S. state of New York, serving 12 counties in Downstate New York, along with two counties in southwestern Connecticut under contract to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, carrying over 11 million passengers on an average weekday systemwide, and over 800,000 vehicles on its seven toll bridges and two tunnels per weekday. MTA is the largest public transit authority in the United States.
 
Founding
Chartered by the New York State Legislature in 1965 as the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority (MCTA), it was initially created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller to purchase and operate the bankrupt Long Island Rail Road. The MCTA dropped the word “Commuter” from its name and became the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on March 1, 1968 when it took over operations of the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) (now MTA New York City Transit (NYCT)) and Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA) (now MTA Bridges and Tunnels (B&T)). The construction of two bridges over the Long Island Sound was put under the jurisdiction of the MTA.
 
Twitter
Reinaldo(Ray)Himself‏
@core_APPLER
MTA = Money Taking Agency
11:34 AM - 19 Mar 2009
 
Twitter
Reinaldo(Ray)Himself‏
@core_APPLER
MTA = MONEY TAKING AGENCY. SON OF A BITCH RT @MTAfailNYC: Doomsday: MTA Approves Big Fare Hikes, Service Cuts http://tinyurl.com/cnfdsr
11:17 AM - 25 Mar 2009
 
Twitter
Reinaldo(Ray)Himself‏
@core_APPLER
#nyc #MTA *money taking agency* (courtesy of Curtis Sliwa, Guardian Angels)
9:04 PM - 15 Dec 2010
 
Twitter
Jay‏
@BLUEKOii
TO ALL MY NYC MASS TRANSIT RIDERS ,MTA= MONEY TAKING AGENCY
10:13 PM - 9 Oct 2011
 
Twitter
☢ Sarah №1‏
@Sarahbelle_1
Signal problems on the F line. This train ain’t movin’. All that money we hand over to the MTA (Money Taking Agency) and no improvement #NYC
8:12 AM - 25 Nov 2013
 
Twitter
Christine A.‏
@oreoputtles
Christine A. Retweeted 🙋🏽 🙅🏽 💁🏽 🤦🏽‍♀️
Not a fan of the MTA .. As the cab drivers call them money taking agency!Christine A. added,
🙋🏽 🙅🏽 💁🏽 🤦🏽‍♀️ @MrsFreudPrefect
@NYCTSubway Trains are messed up. Not a good way to celebrate the subway’s 112th anniversary!
5:46 AM - 28 Oct 2016 from Queens, NY
 
Twitter
TONY‏
@xshopstu
Replying to @NY1 @NYGovCuomo
MTA = Money Taking Agency
12:54 PM - 23 Jun 2017