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Schumer: Bring Free Wireless Internet To The LIRR

Posted by
on June 15th, 2009 at 11:47 pm

In this day & age, being connected to the internet regardless of your physical location is of utmost importance. This is definitely true when it comes to commuters who are traveling to their destinations on mass transit. With that thinking in place, it should come as no surprise that Sen. Schumer wants the MTA to bring free wireless internet to the Long Island Rail Road. Tom Namako of the New York Post has more in this report:

Sen. Charles Schumer today made a direct appeal to the MTA — asking the state agency to to bring free wireless Internet to the entire Long Island Rail Road system, including trains, platforms, and stations.

Plans to bring wireless Internet to the LIRR have been in the works for months, but the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has still not acted, even as other major mass transit systems across the country have on-board wireless networks.

“The time for high speed Internet on rapid transit is right now,” said Schumer. “It is long past time to bring the LIRR in to the 21st century and wireless Internet will make commuting more productive and pleasant for LIRR riders. The technology is ready and raring to go so its time for the MTA to get rolling.”

Click here for the complete report.

For the most part, I am a fan of Senator Schumer due to the quality work he has done while serving as Senator. However I will have to disagree with him on the importance of such a project. In these trying financial times, the MTA has much better things to worry about than setting up free wireless internet for LIRR riders. While I ride the LIRR myself at times & would enjoy free wireless internet, I understand that such a service is a luxury & not necessity. I am disappointed that Sen. Schumer fails to realize this unless it is just him pandering to constituents.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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0

Slush Fund Shortchanges NYC Riders

Posted by
on June 14th, 2009 at 11:06 pm

For those of us who live in the city, there is a familiar tune that repeats itself time & time again regardless of the subject. The tune I am referring to is the shortchanging of New York City residents versus their suburban counterparts. So it should come as no surprise that $190M of a $240M slush fund have gone towards suburban transit projects. Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News has more in this report:

State lawmakers have spent some $240 million on pet transit projects through a slush fund that has helped suburban rail riders far more than city straphangers, the Daily News has learned.

State legislators have directed approximately $190 million from the Customer Service Reserves to expand parking, renovate stations and make other upgrades along Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road lines, an MTA breakdown shows.

Only $50 million or so of the reserves has gone toward NYC Transit subway projects, the data show, even though subway ridership dwarfs commuter train ridership.

The suburban-city imbalance is partly the result of partisan politics, and how Republicans and Democrats divide the spoils in Albany.

It has gone unchallenged because the reserves are distributed in secrecy by majority leaders in the Assembly and Senate.

Click here for the complete report.

This comes as no surprise to me considering it is the battle of NYC vs Upstate. When upstate has the chance to shortchange NYC it will. The fact that funds are allotted in secrecy tells us all we really need to know. We can only imagine the type of corruption that runs rampant during such occurrences.

This is also another example of why so many feel politics is nothing but staged entertainment for people hungry for money & power. What NYC residents as a whole need is to find a way to function on our own. However in the meantime, a complete overhaul of our elected officials will have to do.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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1

MTA Board Appoints A New Member

Posted by
on June 12th, 2009 at 5:07 pm

Earlier this afternoon, the MTA announced it has appointed a new non-voting member to its board. Here are the complete details courtesy of a press release I received:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced the appointment of Ira R. Greenberg to the MTA Board effective June 3, 2009. Mr. Greenberg joins the board as a non-voting member recommended by the LIRR Commuters Council. He will sit on the Long Island Rail Road/Long Island Bus Committee. His term will expire on January 1, 2013.

Mr. Greenberg is an attorney by trade employed by the law firm Leavitt, Kerson & Duane. He is former counsel to Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, and worked for the New York State Assembly from 1987 to 2003, providing counsel on transportation issues, especially those related to MTA Capital Programs. While with the legislature, he worked on legislation involving procurement, public participation, and safety. As a proponent of improved public transportation for Queens, he has been a strong advocate for the East Side Access project.

Greenberg is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School, where he received his juris doctorate. He received his master of public administration degree from Baruch College, and his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Chicago.

Mr. Greenberg is also President of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce where he currently resides. Greenberg will fill the seat vacated by James McGovern, who had been a board member since 2002.

MTA board members receive no compensation for their service.

Congratulations to Mr. Greenberg for being appointed to the MTA Board. I wish him the best in doing a great job not only for his fellow peers but the riders he will help serve.

P.S. For the typical person who bashes the MTA, especially in terms of board members, I urge you to get the last sentence of the press release through your thick skulls. Thank you & have a wonderful day!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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1

Woman Gives Birth On B61

Posted by
on June 12th, 2009 at 5:02 pm

Maybe I spoke too soon about this blog not having many feelgood stories due to the main subject on hand. Yesterday, I blogged about the story of subway conductor Bretta Sykes who helped deliver a baby girl into the world on a Queens-bound R train at Whitehall Street. Not even 24 hours later, another baby girl was brought into this world shortly before 10:30 aboard a B61 bus. Here are the complete details courtesy of MTA NYC Transit:

For the second day in a row, a NYC Transit vehicle has been the delivery room of choice for an expectant mother. This morning, shortly before 10:30, a young woman gave birth to a baby girl aboard a B61 bus. The blessed event occurred at the intersection of Manhattan and Greenpoint Avenues in Brooklyn. Though the Bus Operator did not deliver the baby, he was quick to notify bus Command who called for Police and Medical assistance as the child was being helped into the world by a female customer. Mother and child were removed by ambulance to Woodhull hospital and B/O returned bus No. 9481 to Grand Avenue Depot for cleaning.

Let me take this time to congratulate the fast thinking bus driver along with the mother & her new bundle of joy. Good luck to all involved!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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2

Service Diversions 06-12

Posted by
on June 12th, 2009 at 3:27 am

I have just updated the service diversions page with the latest scheduled diversions for the weekend & upcoming week (and beyond in some cases). Don’t forget to check in for any changes to the page. I also suggest printing out a copy of the page to use while riding the system. Have a safe & wonderful weekend!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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