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The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will hold eight public hearings in early March to solicit input on proposed service changes needed to help address a $400 million budget gap.

In December, MTA’s board “needed to act quickly to pass a balanced budget as required,” and stipulated service reductions that were proposed in 2008, but never implemented, MTA officials said in a prepared statement. During the past month, the authority has reviewed and revised the proposals to ensure they limit impacts on riders.

The proposed changes at MTA New York City Transit include reducing Saturday and Sunday service frequency on eight lines from every eight minutes to every 10 minutes; reducing weekend service frequency on four line; and reducing midday and evening service frequency on four lines.

At MTA Metro-North Railroad, changes include reducing train lengths where possible for east of Hudson electric peak service; discontinuing or combining 13 trains for east of Hudson service; and discontinuing four trains for west of Hudson service.

And at MTA Long Island Rail Road, changes include combining four peak trains into two peak trains on the Babylon Branch; reducing the length of two trains by two cars each on the Ronkonkoma and Hempstead branches; canceling one peak train on several branches; and discontinuing late night service to Brooklyn on the Atlantic Branch.

Following the public hearings, MTA’s board will make a final decision on service changes.