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NYC Transit Releases Data On Late Trains

Posted by
on October 27th, 2009 at 1:04 am

In what will come as a surprise to no regular subway rider, 25% of weekday trains are either late or don’t make all planned stops. The numbers rise to 50% when focusing on weekend trains. The unsurprising data comes from a report released by MTA NYC Transit yesterday. Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News has more in this report:

One out of four weekday subway trains, and half the trains on weekends, are late or fail to make at least some stops, new transit data released Monday shows.

The grim statistics are the result of a less forgiving method of reporting delays by NYC Transit, which previously gave itself a pass for service changes and disruptions planned to allow major construction and maintenance projects to proceed.

The less generous method provides a more accurate reflection of the type of service riders are seeing – or not seeing – on the rails, officials said.

“I actually have a couple of horror stories here with respect to the different lines that have particularly low absolute on-time performance,” NYC Transit President Howard Roberts said at a MTA committee meeting where the statistics were released.

Roberts didn’t elaborate, but spokesman Charles Seaton said one line Roberts was talking about is the No. 1 line.

Click here for the complete report.

Honestly, the news comes as no surprise. I also fully expect the majority of responses to come from riders complaining about the service & how it is this & that. This sentiment is especially rampant when you bring up the construction that leads to service diversions year round.

I find it unfortunate that they can’t realize that the agency does the work at the best possible time considering ridership patterns. However asking for these crybabies to realize that, they rather complain as that is what society teaches nowadays.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Subway
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4 Train Bronx Express Service Pilot Returns

Posted by
on October 26th, 2009 at 4:50 am

Back in June, MTA New York City Transit ran a pilot program which saw the creation of Brooklyn-bound A.M. express service on the 4 Train in the Bronx. The program which lasted for 3 weeks will be lasting more than double that this go around as it last for 7 weeks. Here are more details courtesy of a press release sent to be by the agency a few days ago:

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) is again embarking on a pilot program aimed at shortening travel times along the 4 Line with the addition of Bronx Express 4 service between Woodlawn and 149th Street-Grand Concourse. This enhanced service will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. during the weekday morning rush.

The pilot will begin on Monday, October 26th and run through Friday, December 11, 2009, for a total of seven weeks. The express trains will operate every 20 minutes, departing Woodlawn as follows: 7:00 a.m., 7:20 a.m., 7:40 a.m., 8:00 a.m., and 8:20 a.m. After leaving Woodlawn, the Bronx Express 4 will make station stops at Mosholu Parkway, Bedford Park Blvd.-Lehman College, Burnside Avenue and 149th Street-Grand Concourse, skipping eight stations in the Bronx along the way. Bedford Park Blvd. was added to the express stops this go-roundfor the new pilot as a result of numerous requests from customers on the 4 line while we were evaluating the first pilot, which was positively received by customers.

The route sign designation on the Bronx Express 4 will have a diamond on the outside of the trains to indicate an express train. Also, customers boarding at Woodlawn, Mosholu Parkway, Bedford Park Blvd. and Burnside Avenue will be alerted to the Bronx Express 4 by conductors’ announcements. We are also distributing take-ones printed in English and Spanish to customers, as well as putting up informational posters.

“In New York City, every second counts and if we can give a few extra minutes to our customers, we will certainly strive to do so, said NYC Transit President Howard H. Roberts, Jr., “Thanks to the innovative thinking of David Knights, Group General Manager of IRT East and 4 Line General Manager Stepfone Montgomery, more service improvements like this should be expected by our customers.”

“Customers who use the Bronx Express 4 will skip eight stations, which should reduce their travel times by about four minutes from the 21-minute scheduled running time between Woodlawn and 149th Street-Grand Concourse during the height of the a.m. peak. This time savings is significant when heading to work in the morning,” said IRT East Group General Manager Knights.

Recent upgrades to the center track signaling system within the 2005-2009 Capital Program have made this pilot possible. The signal job called for the installation of intermediate signals along the stretch of elevated track between Woodlawn and 161st Street. As a result of the project, we now have much greater operational flexibility. Similar signaling systems, allowing express service, are in place on the Flushing and White Plains Road Lines among others that have three tracks.

The results of this second pilot will be evaluated after the completion of the seven-week period and a decision will be made on whether to make this change permanent.

When this pilot first launched in June, I saw a mixed bag of reaction to it. As I had suspected, the comments were a mixed bag & depended on whether the person’s stop was being skipped. I feel 3 weeks was a bit short to get an accurate gauge of the potential success or failure of the pilot program. I am glad to see them extend it to almost 2 full months as that should serve as a more accurate barometer either way.

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0

110 New Parking Spaces Created At Ronkonkoma

Posted by
on October 26th, 2009 at 4:26 am

Back in May, the Long Island Rail Road announced the beginning of a renovations to the parking lot at the Ronkonkoma station. A few days ago, the agency sent me a press release highlighting the creation of 110 new parking spots due to part of the project being completed. Here are the complete details:

MTA Long Island Rail Road Ronkonkoma customers now have 110 new parking spaces available to them thanks to the completion of the first half of a new lot located on the northeast side of the station. Work on this western half of the lot began last May.

The rehabilitation of the former dirt lot included the installation of new drainage, curbs, sidewalks, asphalt paving, lighting, striping, signage, fencing and landscaping. Work is now underway on the eastern half of the lot. In addition to the new spaces customers may find alternative parking in the garage as work on the eastern half of the lot continues. Handicapped and additional street-level parking may also be found in areas to the west of the garage and bus loop.

When completed, the eastern half of the lot will have approximately 184 spaces. In all, there will be 294 rehabilitated spaces when the work is completed during the first quarter of 2010. Approximately $4 million is budgeted for the Ronkonkoma parking lot rehab under the Capital Program. There are approximately 6,095 parking spaces at the Ronkonkoma Station. Since 1986, over 14,000 new, rehabilitated or replacement parking spaces have been added in the LIRR service area under the MTA LIRR Capital Program.

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Service Delays & Detours Due To Presidential Visit

Posted by
on October 19th, 2009 at 5:11 pm

Tomorrow will be a hectic day for commuters as service delays & detours will affect both bus & subway service in Manhattan due to a visit from President Obama. Here are the complete details courtesy of a press release sent to me by the MTA:

President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Manhattan on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. As a result, based on street closures (frozen zones) instituted by the U.S. Secret Service and the New York City Police Department, some local and express bus routes in Lower and Midtown Manhattan are expected to be either severely delayed or detoured during the afternoon and evening hours. In addition, some subway station entrances/exits may be temporarily closed.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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0

2 Train Derailment At Park Place Station

Posted by
on October 19th, 2009 at 12:58 pm

At 9:20 AM, a Brooklyn-bound 2 Train train derailed at the Park Place station. Due to this derailment, a service advisory is in place. Here are the details courtesy of a press release sent to me a short time ago by the MTA:

At 9:20 a.m., a Brooklyn-bound 2 train derailed at the Park Place Station. No injuries were reported and customers were removed from the train safely. Currently, 2 line trains are running on the Lexington Avenue 5 line in both directions. Number 3 trains are operating in two sections: between 148th Street and Times Square and between New Lots Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. There is no 3 service at this time between Times Square and Atlantic Avenue. Train service on the 1 line is not affected.

The cause of the incident is under investigation. We are working to restore service prior to the evening rush hour. In the interim, customers are urged to use the lettered lines where possible. In addition, northbound customers may transfer to the 45 at Nevins Street.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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