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Public Hearing Reminder

Posted by
on January 14th, 2009 at 1:09 am

On Christmas Eve, I posted the link to the MTA’s .pdf which oultlined the proposed fare & service changes along with the schedule for public hearings. As a reminder, today is the first scheduled hearing. The MTA sent out a press release via e-mail yesterday afternoon to serve as a reminder:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) tomorrow will hold the first of eight public hearings on fare increases and service reductions that would take effect in the coming months.

WHO: Members of the public, elected officials, MTA Board Members and executive staff

WHAT: Members of the public and elected officials will be given an opportunity to offer their views on fare increases and service reductions.

WHEN: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 14, 2009 – 6 p.m.

WHERE: Hilton New York – Trianon Ballroom; 1335 Avenue of the Americas (between 53rd & 54th Streets), Manhattan (B, D or E to Seventh Av./53rd St.; F or V to 47-50th Sts.-Rockefeller Center; M5, M6 or M7 to 53rd Street)

I hope everyone takes the time to attend at least one of the hearings. We all need our voices heard!

xoxo Transit Blogger

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0

MTA Lays It All On The Line To State Leaders

Posted by
on January 14th, 2009 at 1:02 am

The MTA went to Albany yesterday to plead their case for a bailout. The message was pretty clear, either bail us out or the fares go up. Glenn Blain of the New York Daily News has more in this report:

MTA officials and transit advocates took the case for a financial bailout directly to state lawmakers on Tuesday.

Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger and a contingent of MTA board members warned legislative leaders that massive service cuts and fare hikes await riders without state action.

“Hopefully, the legislators are listening very carefully because it’s going to affect them because they get elected by those very same people,” he said.

They listened – but offered nothing but more words for now.

“I’m hoping that there is something that we can do to help them,” said state Sen. Martin Dilan, a Brooklyn Democrat and chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. “I am going to be working toward that.”

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) called the Metropolitan Transportation Authority doomsday plan unacceptable and vowed to help but also offered no specifics.

Click here for the complete report.

The message echoed by the MTA does not come as a surprise to anyone considering the “doomsday scenario” mass transit users face if the state legislature sits on its heels & does nothing. What is truly sad in all of this is how the March 25th deadline is fast approaching & all our state leaders can muster up are words.

The MTA & its riding public does not need to read or hear words about leaders listening & understanding what the MTA is going through & needs. What we need is to see the state legislature take the bull by the horns & get something positive done one way or another. The time to act is now, not when it is too late. So for once, will our leaders stop the typical political grandstanding & get the job done? Only time will tell…..

xoxo Transit Blogger

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1

B’s Results Showcase More Bogus Improvement

Posted by
on January 13th, 2009 at 10:32 pm

Bedford Park Blvd. bound B train speeding by Neck RdBedford Park Blvd. bound B train speeding by Neck Rd. Resized photo courtesy of Eye On Transit

I started off last year’s entry for the B Train train’s “Rider Report Card” results with a sarcastic “BREAKING NEWS”. This stemmed from the fact that the line like its peers achieved an overall average or just below average grade.

I could have honestly started this year’s entry off in the same way considering the results have been more of the same. In the B Train‘s case, the line showed a “slight improvement” as it finished with an overall grade of C compared to 2007’s C-. Lets get straight to the breakdown:

B Train Riders’ Top 10 Priorities; 2007 priority rank will be in ( ):

01. Reasonable wait times for trains ( 2 )

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

03. Minimal delays during trips ( 1 )

04. Station announcements that are easy to hear ( 9 )

05. Train announcements that are easy to hear ( 10 )

06. Cleanliness of stations ( 12 )

07. Cleanliness of subway cars ( 6 )

08. Sense of security on trains ( 18 )

09. Sense of security in stations ( 17 )

10. Working elevators and escalators in stations ( 8 )

—

Now here is the entire order of B train riders’ priorities 2007 priority rank will be in ( ):

01. Reasonable wait times for trains ( 2 )

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

03. Minimal delays during trips ( 1 )

04. Station announcements that are easy to hear ( 9 )

05. Train announcements that are easy to hear ( 10 )

06. Cleanliness of stations ( 12 )

07. Cleanliness of subway cars ( 6 )

08. Sense of security on trains ( 18 )

09. Sense of security in stations ( 17 )

10. Working elevators and escalators in stations ( 8 )

11. Station announcements that are informative ( 5 )

12. Comfortable temperature in subway cars ( 7 )

13. Train announcements that are informative ( 11 )

14. Courtesy and helpfulness of station personnel ( 4 )

15. Availability of MetroCard Vending Machines ( 20 )

16. Signs in subway cars that help riders find their way ( 15 )

17. Lack of scratchitti in subway cars ( 21 )

18. Signs in stations that help riders find their way ( 13 )

19. Ease of use of subway turnstiles ( 14 )

20. Lack of graffiti in subway cars ( 19 )

21. Lack of graffiti in stations ( 16 )

—

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

01. Minimal delays during trips C (C-)

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

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

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

05. Sense of security on trains C (C)

06. Working elevators and escalators in stations C- (C-)

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 C- (C-)

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 C- (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 B- (B-)

21. Availability of MetroCard Vending Machines B- (B-)

I once again have to question the overall grade for a line. How could the B Train have shown improvement when the top 3 priorities are exactly the same albeit in a different order? Also of the top 10 priorities, 3 of them were outside of the top 10 in 2007. Overall 70% of the top 10 priorities featured a higher rank from 2007. These results do not show improvement at all.

The fact that 70% of the top 10 priorities rose in rank is bad enough. However what is really alarming how the 2 highest ranking climbs involved security with 8 & 10 point jumps respectively. What is going on along this line nowadays to cause such a sudden jump up? I do not ride the line daily or much at all nowadays so I can’t say firsthand why the change has occurred or appear that way to riders.

When it is all said & done I will continue to breakdown these “Rider Report Card“. However I would like to see the grades be more accurate. Having 70% of your top 10 priorities rise in one year & only 1/3 of your grades go higher does not equal improvement. I guess the 10 point swing from 4 (in 2007) to 14 (in 2008) for “Courtesy and helpfulness of station personnel” really put it over the top. Whatever…..

xoxo Transit Blogger

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0

Metro-North Announces Yankee Stadium Station Pricing

Posted by
on January 13th, 2009 at 5:17 pm

This past October, the Metro-North held a public hearing to discuss fares of the new Yankee Stadium station. Now only a few short months later, prices for travel to the new station have been revealed. Martin B. Cassidy of the Connecticut Post has more in this report:

Considering the price of New York Yankees tickets, paying extra to ride Metro-North Railroad directly to the stadium won’t be a hardship for devoted Connecticut fans, Jason Haas said.

“I think it will be easier for fans,” said Haas, 33, a lifelong Yankees fan, who lives in Norwalk.

Under a recently approved fare schedule, fans will pay a dollar above the normal price for a trip to Grand Central Terminal.

Passengers from Bridgeport would pay $16.50 each way during peak hours, and $12.75 in off-peak windows. Milford residents would pay $17.50 during peak hours and $13.50 off-peak.

Catching a train in Fairfield to Yankee Stadium would cost $15.25 each direction on peak trains and $11.75 off-peak.

It’s a little pricey, but the service will make it easier to get to Yankee Stadium, Haas said.

“It would be nice if the Yankees could eat that cost,” Haas said. “Still, I think it beats driving and having to park.” Work on the Yankee Stadium station is going well, but there is no opening date set, said Marjorie Anders, a railroad spokeswoman.

Metro-North expects as many as 10,000 passengers to use the station on game days, she said.

Passengers on the Harlem Line would pay the same as they would for a ticket to Grand Central Terminal, plus a dollar.

On the way to weekday and night games, New Haven and Harlem line passengers would switch to the stadium shuttle at 125th Street.

Metro-North officials are trying to devise schedules for nonstop northbound trains for Connecticut fans after weeknight games, and pregame nonstop trains on weekends, Anders said.

Ticket prices for passengers from stations on the Hudson Line or departing from Grand Central Terminal would remain the same as for stations such as Morris Heights and University Heights — $6.50 in peak hours and $5 off-peak.

Click here for the complete report.

I feel the MTA can expect this service to be a grand slam in the long run. Many Yankee fans (myself included) have hated how much traffic you encounter when going to the Stadium. Many of the Yankee fans I know do come in from Connecticut & Westchester to catch a game. I am sure many of them will be taking advantage of this service. To be honest I feel the MTA’s daily estimate use is low as it could easily reach double that. Either way, this station is a win-win for all sides.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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6

Metro-North Worker Killed

Posted by
on January 13th, 2009 at 4:59 pm

The MTA has been hit with a number of tragedies lately. Unfortunately the horrible trend as continued as a Metro-North worker was killed just west of the Rye station this past Friday. The Connecticut Post had more in this initial report:

A train struck and killed a Metro-North employee Friday night just west of the Rye, N.Y., station, a railroad spokesman said.

A police investigation into the incident stopped train service going west and east through the Rye station, MTA spokesman Dan Brucker said.

Metro-North reported that outbound service from Grand Central Terminal to New Haven resumed at about 8:25 p.m.

The train was traveling from Grand Central Terminal to New Haven when it struck the employee at about 7 p.m., Brucker said. The worker’s name was not released because his family had not been notified.

He was a signal maintainer and helped repair and maintain the signals that tell trains to switch tracks, an MTA spokeswoman said.

“He was a long-time employee,” railroad spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said. “Everybody knew him.”

Though service was restored, commuters were told to expect slight delays, she said.

His identity was not initially released due to his family not yet having been notified. Eventually his identity was revealed & the worker turned out to be 25 year veteran Kenneth McGrath. The Connecticut Post, courtesy of Frank MacEachern, once again had the report:

A New Rochelle, N.Y., resident with a quarter-century of experience with Metro-North Railroad has been identified as the rail worker killed by a train near the Rye, N.Y., station Friday night.

Kevin McGrath, 49, was a signal maintainer, railroad spokesman Dan Brucker said Saturday.

The accident occurred just south of the Rye station at 7:03 p.m. Friday, when a Metro-North train from Grand Central Station bound for New Haven struck McGrath.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority police were investigating, Metro-North spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said Saturday.

The MTA runs and operates Metro-North and other commuter lines.

Anders said the death appeared to be accidental but said all circumstances will be investigated.

McGrath was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was transferred to the Westchester County Medical Examiner’s office in Valhalla, Brucker said.

The railroad, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Railroad Administration will participate in the investigation, Anders said.

The passengers were transferred to another train, Brucker said.

The accident delayed service a little more than one hour for 12,000 Metro-North customers, Brucker said. Twelve trains were halted to allow MTA police to investigate.

Click here for the complete report.

I would like to take this time to offer my condolences to the friends, family & peers of Kenneth. None of us ever like to hear or read about a hard working MTA employee being killed. Hopefully the streak of untimely deaths within the MTA family comes to an end.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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