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Bus Driver & Friend Killed In Queens

Posted by
on January 12th, 2009 at 4:12 pm

Unfortunately tragedy has once again struck the close colony that makes up MTA New York City Transit bus drivers. Last month 46 year old Edwin Thomas was fatally stabbed while operating the B46. This time a 32 year old bus driver named Andre Saunders & his 21 year old friend LeMarr Wilson were killed in a wild shootout on a Queens street corner. The incident took place in front of the Jamaica Houses at 160th St. and 109th Ave. Edgar Sandoval & Simone Weichselbaum of the New York Daily News have more on this horrific tragedy:

A city bus driver and a friend were shot and killed in an afternoon shootout on a Queens streetcorner, police said.

Andre Saunders, 32, of Beach Channel, was hit in the head and chest when at least one gunman opened fire outside the Jamaica Houses at 160th St. and 109th Ave., police and neighbors said.

The slain man worked as a bus driver for the Metropolitan Transit Authority and also filmed rap videos as a hobby, officials said.

Saunders was filming a video with two other men, ages 17 and 21, outside the housing development when gunfire erupted, friends said.

Lemarr Wilson, 21, was taken to Mary Immaculate Hospital with a gunshot wound to the head, police said. He died later. A third man, 17, was struck in the leg during the 4:45 p.m. melee.

Police said they had no motive for the shootings and appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Click here for the complete story.

My condolences go out to the victims of this horrific tragedy. I hope the individual(s) responsible are fully punished. I also wish only the best for the rest of our bus drivers & other MTA employees who due their best to move us from one destination to another.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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0

Surprising Critic Of Elliot Sander

Posted by
on January 12th, 2009 at 3:55 pm

Many different people have echoed frustrations at the possibility of fare hikes & service cuts. Some have even started websites to try & save their route. However none of these critics come as a surprise but the next one definitely does. The latest criticism stems from MTA CEO/Executive Director Elliot Sander’s own 15 year old daughter Bria who frequently takes advantage of weekend service on the Q76 & Q79. Pete Donohue of the New York Daily News has more in this report:

MTA chief Elliot Sander has one more irate straphanger to contend with – his daughter.

Sander’s 15-year-old daughter, Bria, is giving him flak about doomsday budget plans that would whack weekend bus service on the Q76 and Q79 routes in Queens.

The teen uses the routes on Saturdays to get to school plays, test prep classes and, of course, to meet friends and go shopping.

“I told him he shouldn’t do it,” Bria told the Daily News Thursday.

Sander, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s chief executive officer and top target for riders’ wrath, tries to explain he doesn’t want to reduce service.

Cuts will be necessary if the state Legislature doesn’t bail out the bus, subway and commuter train system, he argues.

The authority is legally required to have a balanced budget; it has massive budget gaps, he explains.

“Whatever,” Bria said with a note of jest. “He should just get the money for it. It’s a big commuter system. It’s cheap and it’s good for the environment to ride the bus.”

Click here for the complete report.

I must say I was shocked when I read this story earlier today. I am not sure how I missed this report which was first posted on Friday. I find it adorable that she is against the MTA potentially cutting service even if her feelings of jest & subsequent request for her dad to “ust get the money for it” is not as easy as she makes it sound. If her dad could just snap his fingers & get the money, believe me he would without thinking about it.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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1

Editorial: Saving The M8

Posted by
on January 12th, 2009 at 2:08 pm

For the last few months, the majority of talk around this blog & others like it has been the “fare hikes & service cuts.

One of the proposed service cuts was the elimination of the M8, a popular crosstown route that takes riders between the East & West Village. The possible elimination of this route caused local officials & residents to be frustrated. This past Friday, a New York University (NYU) writing teacher named Kate Walter wrote an editorial in the New York Daily News. The piece was about how the MTA’s plan to eliminate the M8 exemplifies how the “wheels are coming off” at the agency:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s budget slashing would eliminate my beloved M8 bus route, the only crosstown mass transit in Greenwich Village. This is an outrageously bad idea.

As a resident of the far West Village, I ride the M8 a lot. In fact, I’ve been riding it for more than 30 years. I can’t imagine my life without it. I know the friendly drivers by name and the sullen ones by sight. I take this bus to my teaching job, to the Jefferson Market Library, to my church on Second Ave. and to the copy shop on E. Ninth St. I socialize, shop and dine in the East Village.

I’m not the only person who will be hurt. The absence of this major channel will hurt businesses, especially stores and restaurants in the vicinity of Eighth St. On weekends, the stop by Kmart is jammed with shoppers heading toward Alphabet City with their many packages. Owners of the small boutiques and vintage shops on E. Ninth and E. Seventh Sts. have been struggling for years. Killing the M8 could put them out of business for good.

My elected officials and the local community board have been voicing their outrage over the proposed cut and there’s even a Web site – savethem8.org – where citizens can sign a petition against the MTA’s decision. I’ll do my part and write letters and speak out, all while hoping this is a trick by the MTA. Maybe MTA officials are thinking that if they threaten to cut important routes and then save them, riders will gladly pay another big fare increase.

Click here for the complete editorial.

Like I said last month, the elimination of this route surprised me considering it gets decent ridership & serves a legitimate purpose. I definitely applaud & more importantly support the efforts started to help save the M8. If any readers would like to support their cause, feel free & visit their website at SaveTheM8.org.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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1

Service Diversions 01-09

Posted by
on January 9th, 2009 at 3:59 pm

Normally I would be updating the service diversions page today with the latest changes for the weekend & beyond. However due to the major snowstorm that is expected, just about all work for this weekend is canceled. The MTA issued a press release with the latest information:

Due to the weather forecast of 3-8 inches of snow for tomorrow, January 10, MTA New York City Transit has canceled most of the scheduled maintenance work for this weekend. At this time, this cancellation includes work on the 1 2 3 4 6 A C D G J L N Q R S and W lines, as stated in Press Release #3 dated January 8, 2009. Work on the 7 is, however, likely to proceed, but from Times Square-42nd Street to Grand Central-42nd Street instead of from Times Square-42nd Street to Queensboro Plaza as originally planned.

While the subway portions of the system remain unaffected during snowstorms, there are nearly 220 miles of outdoor track throughout the four boroughs, and NYC Transit has heavy-duty equipment designed to move snow, melt ice and do anything else that must be done to maintain service during inclement weather. Subway lines such as the Rockaway, Sea Beach, Brighton and the Dyre Avenue segments, are particularly vulnerable to snow and freezing precipitation.

During a heavy snowstorm, tracks on outdoor subway lines must be cleared often, the third rails kept free of ice and outdoor steps at all 468 subway stations shoveled and salted. Elevated lines do not have the problem of snow build up as the flakes fall between the ties, but platforms and staircases still must be kept clear of snow and salted to melt ice, and it takes a small army of employees to accomplish this task.

To prevent subway trains from being blocked in yards, they are moved and stored underground in anticipation of heavy snow or ice. This may have some impact on regular subway service, including the inability to run express train service on some lines. A cold weather service poster is available at www.mta.info/nyct/service/advisory.html for your information.

Customers may call our Travel Information Center at 718-330-1234 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, or log onto www.tripplanner.mta.info to use Trip Planner to plan their trips. Customers with web enabled phones or PDAs can use our Trip Planner On-the-Go! by going to www.tripplanner.mta.info/mobile; in addition to planning their trips, Blackberry users can download the free icon for one touch access to the service.

I will be updating the pages later tonight or tomorrow with next week’s changes if any are available.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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0

LIRR Ronkonkoma Service Changes Continue

Posted by
on January 9th, 2009 at 3:51 pm

As you know by now, a New York & Atlantic Railway freight train derailed near Deer Park yesterday. This caused the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to implement many service changes on the Ronkonoma line yesterday. The changes will continue tonight as they continue working on re-railing the 6 freight cars. Here is the latest service change information which should hit their site within the next few minutes:

For Friday, January 9, LIRR Ronkonkoma Branch Customers are advised to expect:

* Regularly Scheduled Eastbound Ronkonkoma Branch Evening Rush Hour Service with Some Delays;

* Westbound Reverse Peak Trains Replaced by Buses between Ronkonkoma and Wyandanch;

* Regularly Scheduled Westbound Reverse Peak Train Service from Farmingdale West;

* Late Night/Overnight Ronkonkoma Branch Trains Replaced with Buses

MTA Long Island Rail Road Ronkonkoma Branch customers are advised to anticipate some service adjustments on Friday evening, January 9, as the work continues on the re-railing of the New York & Atlantic Railway freight train that derailed yesterday in Deer Park.

Over 200 LIRR employees have been working round-the-clock to re-rail the six freight cars. A special 600-ton crane is in use and four of the six freight cars have been re-railed and track repair work has been performed.

Friday PM Rush Service:

All regularly scheduled eastbound evening rush hour Ronkonkoma Branch trains will operate on Friday, January 9; however customers should anticipate delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

Note: Eastbound evening rush hour trains will platform on the south side platform at Deer Park and Brentwood, rather than the regular north side platform. Customers at these stations should exercise caution when using the pedestrian overpasses or railroad crossings when getting to the north side.

Friday PM Reverse Peak Service:

Due to the derailment of a New York & Atlantic Railway freight train, buses will replace the following evening reverse peak westbound trains on Friday, January 9:

* The 4:48 PM train from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station will be canceled between Ronkonkoma and Wyandanch and will originate from Farmingdale at 5:14 PM.

* The 7:13 PM train from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station will be canceled between Ronkonkoma and Wyandanch and will originate from Farmingdale at 7:40 PM.

* The 7:58 PM train from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station will be canceled between Ronkonkoma and Wyandanch and will originate from Farmingdale at 8:28 PM.

Bus service will be provided in place of these three westbound trains at the following stations: Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park and Wyandanch, transporting customers to Hicksville for transfer to train service. Customers receiving this bus service can expect additional travel time of up to 30 minutes.

Note: The LIRR will provide regular westbound reverse peak service from Farmingdale and points west.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Buses replace all Ronkonkoma Branch trains after 9 PM on Friday, January 9:

After 9 PM on Friday, January 9, buses will replace all Ronkonkoma Branch trains, in both directions, between Ronkonkoma and Farmingdale while the re-railing of the freight cars continues.
Note:

* The 8:15 PM train from Penn Station, scheduled to arrive at Ronkonkoma at 9:37 PM will be the last eastbound train to operate on Friday evening.

* The 9:11 PM train from Ronkonkoma, schedule to arrive Penn Station at 10:35 PM will be the last westbound train to operate on Thursday evening.

Station waiting rooms at Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park, Wyandanch and Farmingdale will remain open throughout the night.

Eastbound customers will exit trains at Farmingdale for bus service through Ronkonkoma. The following eastbound trains will not operate east of Farmingdale:

* The 9:16 PM from Penn Station will terminate at Farmingdale. At Farmingdale customers will receive bus service to Wyandanch, Deer Park, Brentwood, Central Islip and Ronkonkoma.

* The 10:16 PM from Penn Station will terminate at Farmingdale. At Farmingdale customers will receive bus service to Wyandanch, Deer Park, Brentwood, Central Islip and Ronkonkoma.

* The 10:43 PM from Penn Station will terminate at Farmingdale. At Farmingdale customers will receive bus service to Wyandanch, Deer Park, Brentwood, Central Islip and Ronkonkoma.

* The 11:14 PM from Penn Station will terminate at Farmingdale. At Farmingdale customers will receive bus service to Wyandanch, Deer Park, Brentwood, Central Islip and Ronkonkoma.

* The 12:14 AM from Penn Station will terminate at Farmingdale. At Farmingdale customers will receive bus service to Wyandanch, Deer Park, Brentwood, Central Islip and Ronkonkoma.

* The 1:11 AM from Penn Station will terminate at Farmingdale. At Farmingdale customers will receive bus service to Wyandanch, Deer Park, Brentwood, Central Islip and Ronkonkoma.

* The 2:53 AM from Penn Station will terminate at Farmingdale. At Farmingdale customers will receive bus service to Wyandanch, Deer Park, Brentwood, Central Islip and Ronkonkoma.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Westbound customers will board buses at stations Ronkonkoma through Wyandanch for Farmingdale. At Farmingdale, customers can transfer for train service to points west. The following westbound trains will originate at Farmingdale:

* The 10:11 PM from Ronkonkoma will originate at Farmingdale at 10:39 PM. Customers at Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park and Wyandanch will receive bus service to Farmingdale and transfer to a train.

* The 11:13 PM from Ronkonkoma will originate at Farmingdale at 11:40 PM. Customers at Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park and Wyandanch will receive bus service to Farmingdale and transfer to a train.

* The 12:44 AM from Ronkonkoma will originate at Farmingdale at 1:10 AM. Customers at Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park and Wyandanch will receive bus service to Farmingdale and transfer to a train.

* The 2:10 AM from Ronkonkoma will originate at Farmingdale at 2:36 AM. Customers at Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park and Wyandanch will receive bus service to Farmingdale and transfer to a train.

* The 3:45 AM from Ronkonkoma will originate at Farmingdale at 4:12 AM. Customers at Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park and Wyandanch will receive bus service to Farmingdale and transfer to a train.

I once again advise people to use the Babylon line if possible while these changes are in effect.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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