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The Ball Is In Malcom’s Court

Posted by
on March 8th, 2009 at 10:54 pm

Over the last few months, most of the talk on this blog has been about the financial crisis the MTA is currently dealing with. With the deadline fast approaching on a vote for whether or not they will have to implement the “doomsday scenario“, the MTA has been spending time trying to convince state leaders to go forward with proposals from the Ravitch Commission.

As one would expect, some officials have expressed concern or downright refusal to support such proposals as implementing a new corporate tax or tolling the East & Harlem River bridges. One of those said officials is none other than Democratic Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith. Over the last 5 days, two editorials have appeared in the New York Daily News on how the ball is clearly in his court on whether or not to help bailout the MTA. Lets take a look at both starting with the first one which appeared in Wednesday’s print edition:

Here it comes: The Malcolm Smith Memorial Subway and Bus Fare Hike.

And here it comes: The Carl Kruger Memorial Decimation of Transit Service.

And here it comes: The Dean Skelos Memorial LIRR and Metro-North Fare Hike.

Flat broke, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is on the verge of imposing a 23% fare hike and drastic service cuts. Only the Legislature has the power to avert this disaster.

Lawmakers have been given a plan to raise the $2.4 billion a year the MTA needs to blunt the hikes and keep mass transit in good working order. It entails subjecting employers to a modest payroll tax and putting tolls on the East River and Harlem River bridges.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has shown the fortitude to back tolls in line with the $2 bus and subway fare. But in the Senate, Democratic Majority Leader Smith of Queens, Democratic Finance Committee Chairman Kruger of Brooklyn and Minority Leader Skelos of Long Island are among the many legislators balking.

They seem to think they can do nothing – and let the MTA take the heat for raising fares through the roof, shutting the W and Z trains and canceling express buses.

Smith, Kruger, Skelos and all the other anti-toll lawmakers will bear responsibility for hammering millions of daily riders because they feared the wrath of a comparative handful of bridge motorists. Among the guilty will also be Sens. Ruben Diaz and Pedro Espada of the Bronx.

All have railed against tolls and/or taxes or, like Smith, postured this way or that – without offering any credible alternative. Ideas that have been floated are unworkable or lunacy.

Click here for the complete editorial.

Now lets take a look at the editorial which appeared in today’s print edition:

The state Senate’s Democrats are set to gather behind closed doors today for a meeting critical to the millions of New Yorkers who ride the subways, buses and commuter rail lines every day.

Majority Leader Malcolm Smith, of Queens, will be conferencing with his members about supporting a rescue plan for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Hanging in the balance is whether straphangers are walloped with a 23% fare hike and neighborhoods across the city lose transit services.

Smith and his team have two choices: jack up the fare and eliminate subway lines or vote for a tax on payrolls along with tolls on the East and Harlem River bridges.

The decision rests on the shoulders of Smith and his new Democratic majority. It’s make or break, as Gov. Paterson and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver have gotten behind the tax and tolls.

So, what will it be, Malcolm?

Will your team impose a back-breaking fare hike and service reductions that damage the quality of life?

Or will you require the far smaller number of drivers who use the untolled bridges to pay their share in order to put the MTA on solid footing?

It’s your call, Malcolm. And the future of your leadership, not to mention the future of New York City, is riding on your answer.

Click here for the complete editorial.

This is a huge deal for Malcolm Smith as his reign as Senate Majority Leader has been filled with less than stellar results. If he truly spearheads the implementation of the “doomsday scenario“, he could kiss re-election goodbye when that time comes. If he was smart, he would not only do what his best for his political future but for the millions who would be impacted by doomsday. While the Ravitch Commission proposals were a letdown, they are better than the alternatives at the moment.

While they won’t cure all the financial woes of the MTA, it is a start to better ideas & policies in the future. If not, a quality transit system will not be in the future for millions of tri-state area residents. Malcolm, you know what needs to be done. Will you hit the winning shot or whimper off the court a loser. The ball is in your court, lets see what you got.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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LIRR Service Alert Reminder Starting Tomorrow

Posted by
on March 6th, 2009 at 9:20 pm

Just a friendly reminder to any of my readers who use or plan on using the Long Island Rail Road this month. The Valley Stream track work program will begin tomorrow & last every weekend through March. The project will affect service on 5 branches & has lead to new timetables for the month system wide. The LIRR issued a press release via e-mail about it a few hours ago. However the details are the same from the notice I shared with you a few days ago. So for the complete details of the project & how it may affect you, click here.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Service Diversions 03-06

Posted by
on March 6th, 2009 at 9:10 pm

Sorry for being late but I was tied up with some business matters. Anyhow…..

I have just updated the service diversions page with the latest scheduled diversions for this weekend & next 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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The G Dashes To The Same Beat

Posted by
on March 6th, 2009 at 1:18 am

G TrainTwo G trains by the Smith-9th Streets station; Resized photo courtesy of Eye On Transit

Back in December of 2007, I wrote about how surprised I was that the G Train did not earn an overall grade of F in the Rider Report Cards series. So this around I was not surprised to see it once again earned a D+. Lets go straight to the breakdown:

G Train Riders Top 10 Priorities; 2007 priority rank in ( ):

01. Reasonable wait times for trains ( 1 )

02. Minimal delays during trips ( 2 )

03. Adequate room on board at rush hour ( 3 )

04. Sense of security in stations ( 4 )

05. Cleanliness of stations ( 5 )

06. Station announcements that are easy to hear ( 6 )

07. Sense of security on trains ( 7 )

08. Train announcements that are easy to hear ( 8 )

09. Cleanliness of subway cars ( 10 )

10. Working elevators and escalators in stations ( 11 )

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Complete G train riders priorities 2007 priority rank in ( ):

01. Reasonable wait times for trains ( 1 )

02. Minimal delays during trips ( 2 )

03. Adequate room on board at rush hour ( 3 )

04. Sense of security in stations ( 4 )

05. Cleanliness of stations ( 5 )

06. Station announcements that are easy to hear ( 6 )

07. Sense of security on trains ( 7 )

08. Train announcements that are easy to hear ( 8 )

09. Cleanliness of subway cars ( 10 )

10. Working elevators and escalators in stations ( 11 )

11. Station announcements that are informative ( 9 )

12. Comfortable temperature in subway cars ( 13 )

13. Courtesy and helpfulness of station personnel ( 12 )

14. Ease of use of subway turnstiles ( 14 )

15. Availability of MetroCard Vending Machines ( 15 )

16. Train announcements that are informative ( 17 )

17. Signs in stations that help riders find their way ( 16 )

18. Lack of scratchitti in subway cars ( 18 )

19. Signs in subway cars that help riders find their way ( 19 )

20. Lack of graffiti in stations ( 20 )

21. Lack of graffiti in subway cars ( 21 )

Click here for the breakdown of votes in this section.

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Now here is the graded breakdown for all 21 categories; 2007 grade in ( ):

01. Minimal delays during trips D+ (C-)

02. Reasonable wait times for trains D- (D-)

03. Adequate room on board at rush hour D+ (C-)

04. Sense of security in stations C- (C-)

05. Sense of security on trains C (C-)

06. Working elevators and escalators in stations D+ (D+)

07. Signs in stations that help riders find their way C (C)

08. Signs in subway cars that help riders find their way C (C)

09. Cleanliness of stations D+ (D+)

10. Cleanliness of subway cars C- (C-)

11. Station announcements that are easy to hear D (D)

12. Station announcements that are informative D+ (D)

13. Train announcements that are easy to hear D+ (D+)

14. Train announcements that are informative D+ (D+)

15. Lack of graffiti in stations C (C)

16. Lack of graffiti in subway cars C (C)

17. Lack of scratchitti in subway cars C- (C-)

18. Courtesy and helpfulness of station personnel C (C-)

19. Comfortable temperature in subway cars C+ (C+)

20. Ease of use of subway turnstiles C+ (C+)

21. Availability of MetroCard Vending Machines C+ (C+)

Click here for the breakdown of votes in this section.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

A year goes by & the story is pretty much the same, literally! When it comes to the top 10 priorities, the first 8 were identical to the results from 2007. In terms of all the grades, 16 were the same from 2007. The remaining 5 saw 2 lower grades & 3 minuscule improvements.

The comments I made for 2007’s results continue to ring true to today. So I see no point in rehashing that point by point. If you want to refresh your memory on those comments, click here. In the meantime lets just face the fact that G Train riders have a few years to go before the line sees major improvements.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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Buses Replace Some Ronkonkoma Trains

Posted by
on March 4th, 2009 at 6:29 pm

Just a short time ago, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) issued a press release via e-mail. The press release was to announce that buses will be replacing some morning & midday trains for 4 days on the Ronkonkoma line between Ronkonkoma & Greenport. This is due to grade crossing work in Riverhead. Here are the complete details:

The MTA Long Island Rail Road will substitute bus service in place of trains on the Ronkonkoma Branch between Ronkonkoma and Greenport throughout the morning/midday (9:00 AM to 4:00 PM) from Monday, March 16 through Thursday, March 19, as grade crossing renewal work is performed at the Raynor Avenue crossing in Riverhead.

The workwhich includes the removal of wooden ties and the installation of new, longer lasting concrete ties and padswill ensure both track and grade crossing remain in a state of good repair for the safe crossing of train and vehicular traffic. New asphalt will provide for a seamless transition between the crossing and roadwaya smoother ride for both customers and motorists.

Two eastbound and two westbound trains, normally scheduled to operate between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday, March 16 through Thursday, March 19, will be affected while work is performed. To minimize inconvenience to our customers, buses will be provided for passengers to complete their trips.

Eastbound Customers:

Customers normally traveling on the 9:02 AM train from Ronkonkoma, due in Greenport at 10:27 AM and the 1:42 PM train from Ronkonkoma, due in Riverhead at 2:27 PM, will board a bus at Ronkonkoma for all stations east.

Westbound Customers:

Customers normally traveling on the 11:42 AM train from Greenport, due in Ronkonkoma at 1:06 PM, will board a bus at stations Greenport through Medford. Customer normally traveling on the 3:19 PM train from Riverhead, due in Ronkonkoma at 4:04 PM, will board a bus at stations Riverhead through Medford. Both westbound buses will terminate at Ronkonkoma for connecting train service to western terminals.

During this grade crossing renewal work, customers should anticipate up to 15 minutes additional travel time.

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