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New Bus Fleet Disappoints

Posted by
on May 16th, 2011 at 1:36 am

I am all for the MTA upgrading their equipment to help cut costs & improve the rides for their commuters. However sometimes, the wrong choices are made regardless of what benefits they provide. A great example of this is the new Nova Diesel Standards which started to hit the streets this month.

The buses have severe height & legroom issues which were highlighted by Heather Haddon for the New York Post:

This bus comes up short.

The MTA’s newest buses have New Yorkers scratching their heads at the numskull design, where riders 5-foot-2 or taller can easily hit their noggins on the low roofs.

The Nova Diesel Standards are 61.5 inches high at their lowest point along the rear windows, as compared to 69 inches in the Nova RTS buses dating from the late 1990s.

The older models don’t have interior steps leading to the back section in the rear.

“They made this bus wrong. It’s a waste of my money,” said Garvin Peters, 31, while riding a new bus on the B6 line in southern Brooklyn.

A group of eight seats in the back are also dramatically short on legroom, with 15 inches of space total. Passengers sit facing each other in these intimate quarters, leaving 7.5 inches of space per person. The old RTS buses gave 10 inches of space for riders.

The strange setup forces the long-legged to sprawl themselves into the aisle, The Post observed during a recent ride.

Click here for the complete report.

Normally I avoid buses as much as possible due to them being too slow & not really being of use to my commute. So with saying that, it should come as no surprise that I have not had the chance to ride the bus.

I have to seriously question the effectiveness of this bus. Let’s face it, most of NYC is overweight & needs all the room it can get when on public transportation. With the amount of people increasing in the city & in turn the transportation system, why waste money on buses that provide less room & carry fewer passengers to boot?

The price tag is cheap but the execution was poor. It will be interesting to see what rider reaction will be as the fleet continues to be rolled out.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Retired LIRR Worker Pads Salary With OT

Posted by
on May 15th, 2011 at 11:59 pm

Overtime abuse is a huge matter of debate within transit circles as many MTA employees have taken advantage of work rules in place to help bolster their annual salary or pension due after retirement.

The latest battle stems from recently retired LIRR engineer Dominick Masiello who earned over $175,000 last year in overtime & perks on top of his $75,389 base salary. Henrick Karoliszyn & Rich Schapiro of the New York Daily News has more:

An LIRR engineer punched his ticket on the MTA gravy train again, pocketing nearly $175,000 in overtime and other perks in 2010 – his third straight year as one of the agency’s top earners.

Though Dominick Masiello’s base salary was $75,389, he took home more than triple that amount – a staggering $250,401, payroll records show.

The monster payday was nothing new for Masiello, 57. For the past three years, the Long Island man has ranked among the top 10 highest-paid workers in terms of overtime and extras.

In 2009, he raked in $147,514 in overtime and perks on top of his $75,389 salary. The previous year, he scored $160,000 in extras to pad his $73,193 salary.

Masiello retired from the Long Island Rail Road in December, but he still managed to take home a quarter-million dollars for the year – putting him among the MTA’s top 10 best-compensated employees in 2010, records show.

He was in the same stratosphere as MTA chief Jay Walder ($349,040) and the top honchos of the LIRR, New York City Transit and Metro-North.

Masiello defended his haul, saying union work rules allowed him to rake in big bucks. For example, he made an extra day’s pay when he was moved to a different station.

“There’s nothing to hide,” he said from his modest, two-story brick home in Port Washington. “I worked hard for that money.”

Masiello added he has worked the night shift for nearly 30 years, putting in at least six days a week. “Most people say, ‘I don’t know how you did that job,'” Masiello said. “I put my life into it.”

An MTA official said Masiello’s gargantuan salary in 2010 was largely due to his retiring, which enabled him to cash out sick and vacation days.

But the official agreed Masiello has all along benefitted from arcane union work rules – and he wasn’t the only one.

Click here for the complete story.

Once again, the New York Daily News produces a piece based on sensationalist journalism with the intent of making the battle about the big guy vs little guy. My initial response is what rules did he break in earning his salaries? If none, then he legitimately earned his salary & I see no point to this story.

If people have such an issue with his salary, they should go get a job with the agency & rack up the cash which they feel is so undeserved. I hate to break it to the many jealous & misinformed, the majority of employees are not lazy, overpaid, & rude people that they are scapegoated to be.

The agency has many hard workers who do jobs that most would not want to bother with & put in hours most would refuse. So if they legally pad their salary due to rules put in place, so be it. It is the ones who fraudulently do it that I will never support. However if they put in the time, pay them & move on.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions 05-12-11

Posted by
on May 12th, 2011 at 5:30 pm

I have just updated the Service Diversions with the latest planned work for the upcoming weekend, next week, & beyond.

As always, I suggest printing out a copy before heading to your destination. If you have an internet capable handheld device, use it to access Transit Blogger’s mobile site.

The next update will be at 5:01 AM Monday when all weekend work will be removed.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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LIRR Continues To Run Reduced PM Rush Service

Posted by
on May 12th, 2011 at 3:13 pm

As has been par for the course the last few days, the Long Island Rail Road continues to operate reduced PM rush hour service due to Sunday’s Amtrak derailment in the East River Tunnel. Here are the details courtesy of a press release:

Amtrak crews are continuing around the clock repair work from Sunday’s Amtrak derailment to return the East River tunnel back to service in time for Friday’s morning rush hour. The MTA Long Island Rail Road continues to closely monitor the progress of Amtrak’s repair work in the East River tunnel stemming from Sunday’s Amtrak derailment.

As a result of the on-going repair work in the tunnel, the LIRR will again operate a significantly reduced PM rush schedule of trains from Penn Station today. Of the 87 trains normally operated out of Penn Station during the PM rush, a total of 20 will be canceled and combined with other trains. This represents the same service plan that was used during Wednesday evening’s rush. As a result of the cancellations, some trains will be more crowded.

Once again, westbound service to Penn Station will terminate at Jamaica and on the Port Washington Branch will terminate at Woodside beginning at approximately 4:30 PM and continuing through 8 PM. NYC Transit will be honoring LIRR tickets at Jamaica for the E line and at Woodside for the No. 7 line to New York. For a less crowded and more comfortable ride, customers heading to lower Manhattan are encouraged to use the J and Z lines rather than the E from Jamaica. Additionally, once again, all eastbound PM Rush train service to Far Rockaway will originate out of Atlantic Terminal tonight.

Customers should allow extra travel time and expect 10 to 20 minute delays during the PM rush. Stopping patterns on some trains have been changed – please listen for announcements or consult station signage.

The LIRR expects to operate regular AM rush hour service on Friday. However, the LIRR’s ability to restore full peak service on Friday morning is directly dependent on the progress of Amtrak’s repairs. So far, Amtrak crews have Amtrak crews replaced all 282 damaged track ties.

Since last night and throughout the day today, Amtrak crews are replacing stone ballast in the track bed. Once track and signal repairs are completed, testing must also be performed before the tunnel can be restored for train service.

PM Peak Train Cancellations:

The following westbound PM rush hour trains will be canceled

Babylon Branch:

• The 4:04 PM train from Penn Station due in Babylon at 5:05 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 4:12 PM train from Penn Station to Massapequa Park, which will be extended to Babylon.

• The 4:34 PM train from Penn Station due in Babylon at 5:39 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 4:37 PM train from Penn Station due in Babylon at 5:52 PM, which will make all combined stops.

• The 4:52 PM train from New York due in Babylon at 5:55 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:03 PM train from New York to Wantagh, which will be extended to Babylon.

• The 5:19 PM train from New York due in Wantagh at 6:06 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:24 PM train from New York to Freeport, which will be extended to Wantagh.

• The 5:40 PM train from New York due in Seaford at 6:30 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:47 PM from New York to Freeport, which will be extended to Seaford.

• The 6:05 PM from Penn Station due in Wantagh at 6:51 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 6:10 PM to Freeport, which will be extended to Wantagh.

• The 6:33 PM from Penn Station due in Babylon at 7:35 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 6:36 PM to Wantagh, which will be extended to Babylon.

Port Washington Branch:

• The 4:22 PM train from New York due in Port Washington at 4:58 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 4:25 PM train from New York to Great Neck, which will be extended to Port Washington.

• The 4:43 PM train from Penn Station due in Port Washington at 5:21 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 4:46 PM train from Penn Station to Great Neck, which will be extended to Port Washington.

• The 5:11 PM train from Penn Station due in Port Washington at 5:47 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:14 PM from Penn Station to Great Neck, which will be extended to Port Washington.

• The 5:26 PM train from Penn Station due in Port Washington at 6:04 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:29 PM to Great Neck, which will be extended to Port Washington.

• The 5:50 PM train from Penn Station due in Great Neck at 6:19 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:56 PM train from Penn Station to Great Neck, which will make all combined stops.

• The 6:11 PM train from Penn Station due in Port Washington at 6:48 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 6:14 PM to Great Neck, which will be extended to Port Washington.

• The 6:24 PM train from Penn Station due in Port Washington at 7:04 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 6:42 PM train from Penn Station to Great Neck, which will be extended to Port Washington.

• The 7:01 PM train from Penn Station due in Port Washington at 7:36 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 7:14 PM train from Penn Station to Great Neck, which will be extended to Port Washington.

Long Beach Branch:

• The 4:40 PM train from Penn Station due in Long Beach at 5:37 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:00 PM train from Penn Station to Long Beach.

• The 5:20 PM train from Penn Station due in Long Beach at 6:11 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:23 PM train from New York to Long Beach, which will make all combined stops.

Huntington/Port Jefferson Branch:

• The 3:27 PM train from Penn Station due in Huntington at 4:33 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 3:43 PM train from Penn Station to Huntington, which will make all combined stops.

• The 6:30 PM train from New York due in Huntington at 7:32 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 6:35 PM from New York to Hicksville, which will be extended to Huntington.

Ronkonkoma Branch:

• The 4:54 PM train from New York due in Farmingdale at 5:56 PM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:01 PM train from New York to Ronkonkoma, which will make all added stops.

Far Rockaway Branch Customers:

All PM Peak eastbound Far Rockaway train service will depart from Atlantic Terminal tonight. The three Far Rockaway trains that normally leave from Penn Station the 4:42 PM, 5:32 PM and 6:02 PM will instead depart from Atlantic Terminal at the same times; arriving at Far Rockaway at 5:40 PM, 6:24 PM and 6:58 PM, respectively.

I will continue to post information as I receive it.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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LIRR AM Rush Info 05-10-11

Posted by
on May 9th, 2011 at 11:14 pm

As I mentioned earlier, the LIRR expects the Amtrak derailment to impact service until at least Wednesday. Earlier tonight, they released service info for tomorrow morning’s rush commute via a press release:

As repair work continues from Sunday’s Amtrak derailment in one of the East River tunnels, the MTA Long Island Rail Road will again reduce, by about a quarter, the number of trains that the LIRR normally operates into Penn Station during the morning rush. On Tuesday morning, a total of 22 of the 98 trains normally operated into Penn Station will be canceled, terminated or diverted – this represents one less canceled train than on Monday morning. Additionally, a Far Rockaway train that operated to Jamaica Monday morning and then terminated at Jamaica will instead be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

Once again, customers should allow extra travel time and expect scattered 10 to 20 minute delays. Stopping patterns on some trains may change – please listen for announcements or consult station signage. And, as was the case on Monday evening, cancellations and delays will continue for Tuesday’s PM rush.

LIRR AM and PM Rush service is expected to be impacted through at least Wednesday, May 11 as a result of the Amtrak derailment.

While Amtrak was able to re-rail all their train cars on Monday, there is extensive track damage that requires repair and testing before the tunnel can be restored for train service.

Twelve trains will be canceled outright at their eastern origination point and another five trains will operate normally then terminate at Jamaica where customers can board other trains for Penn Station or take an E train to Manhattan. New York City Transit will honor LIRR tickets on the subway.

Another four trains will be diverted to Brooklyn and one train will be diverted to Hunterspoint.

AM Peak Train Cancellations/Diversions:

Port Washington Branch:

• The 6:17 AM train from Port Washington, due in Penn Station at 7:03 AM, is canceled.

• The 7:22 AM Little Neck train due in Penn Station at 7:55 AM, is canceled.

• The 7:36 AM train from Port Washington, due in Penn Station at 8:11 AM, is canceled.

• The 8:24 AM Great Neck train due in Penn Station at 8:59 AM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 8:18 AM Port Washington train due in Penn Station at 9:02 AM, making all combined stops.

• The 8:58 AM train from Great Neck, due in Penn Station at 9:34 AM, is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 8:45 AM train from Port Washington, due in Penn Station at 9:20 AM, which will make all combined stops.

Babylon Branch:

• The 5:56 AM train from Babylon, due in NY at 6:59 AM, will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

• The 6:14 AM train from Massapequa Park, due in Penn Station at 7:08 AM, is canceled.

• The 6:42 AM Babylon train due in Penn Station at 7:49 AM, is canceled.

• The 6:57 AM train from Freeport, due in Penn Station at 7:40 AM, will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

• The 7:29 AM train from Freeport, due in Penn Station at 8:13 AM, will be canceled at Jamaica.

• The 7:37 AM train from Babylon, due in Penn Station at 8:48 AM, will be canceled at Jamaica.

• The 7:43 AM train from Merrick, due in Penn Station at 8:31 AM, is canceled.

• The 8:10 AM train from Freeport, due in Penn Station at 8:50 AM, is canceled.

• The 8:25 AM train from Freeport, due in Penn Station at 9:08 AM, will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

• The 8:35 AM train from Babylon, due in Penn Station at 9:37 AM, will be canceled at Jamaica.

Far Rockaway Branch:

• The 8:03 AM train from Valley Stream due in Penn Station at 8:42 AM is canceled.

• The 8:10 AM train from Far Rockaway due in Penn Station at 9:05 AM is canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 8:21 AM train from Far Rockaway, to Penn Station, which will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

Long Beach Branch:

• The 8:03 AM train from Long Beach, due in Penn Station at 8:54 AM, is canceled.

Hempstead Branch:

• The 6:58 AM train from Hempstead, due in Penn Station at 7:52 AM, will be canceled at Jamaica.

• The 7:12 AM train from Hempstead, due in Penn Station at 8:03 AM, will be canceled at Jamaica.

West Hempstead Branch:

• The 7:36 AM train from West Hempstead, due in Penn Station at 8:29 AM, will be diverted to Hunterspoint Avenue.

I will post info as it comes in.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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