0

NY Times Editorial – Obama Must Make Transit A Priority

Posted by
on January 5th, 2009 at 4:01 pm

Today’s print edition of the New York Times has a very strong editorial on why President-elect Obama must make transit a priority. Here is a sample:

Unlike President Bush, Barack Obama is going to enter office with a clear appreciation of the urgent problems of climate change and America’s growing dependency on foreign oil — and a strong commitment to address both.

One way he can do this is to give mass transit — trains, buses, commuter rails — the priority it deserves and the full financial and technological help it needs and has long been denied. Mass transit has always played second fiddle to the automobile, so Mr. Obama will need strong allies.

For years, the division of transportation money in Washington has heavily favored cars and trucks — more than 80 percent of the big transit money from gas taxes goes to highways and bridges, and less than 20 percent to railroads or mass transit.

The new administration could further help mass transit by shelving the unfair “cost effectiveness index” that President Bush put in place several years ago for new transit programs. The net effect of this index was to make it easier to build highways and almost impossible to use federal money for buses, streetcars, light rail, trolleys — indeed, any commuter-rail projects.

Click here for the complete editorial.

I want to thank the person who wrote this editorial as they clearly understand the importance of investing in our country’s transit infrastructure. For too long, mass transit has been treated as a stepchild by our country. The attitude was if you did not drive, you were not worth investing in.

Now those of us who understand our country’s needs knows this attitude is the exact opposite of what should be happening. A strong transit infrastructure is one of the most important aspects to a strong & healthy economy. This has been proven time & time again throughout the years yet the stigma against it has not changed.

Here is to hoping that the new administration is serious about making mass transit a priority. I & many others hope that the lack of talk about mass transit projects in recent video messages to the nation are not a sign of things to come. Mass transit users (I do drive but prefer mass transit) deserve an equal share of t he pie!

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Opinions, Transportation Funding
0

6 Train Rider Report Card Handout

Posted by
on January 5th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

Earlier this morning, MTA’s New York City Transit e-mailed a press release to announce that the 6 Train will be the last train graded as part of the 2008 Rider Report Cards. Here are the complete details:

MTA New York City Transit is concluding its second annual distribution of Rider Report Cards this week. Riders on the 6 will cast the final ballots of NYC Transit’s over five million daily subway customers asked to rate the progress of their line since the initial round of report cards was distributed in July 2007.

The report cards are being distributed to riders during the morning rush hours from Tuesday, January 6th through Thursday, January 8th. The cards will be handed out at several different stations along the line each day over all three days. Grades will be used to identify rider preferences and to gauge how much improvement customers along the 6 line have noticed since the initial report card.

Again, the Rider Report Card will ask subway riders to grade 21 specific areas of service from an A (Excellent) to an F (Unsatisfactory). Among the areas riders will grade include: car and station cleanliness, safety, security, quality of announcements, and the courtesy and helpfulness of front line customer service staff. Riders will also assign an overall grade for 6 service. From this list of 21 service attributes, riders are also going to be asked to rank the top three improvements they would like to see made to this line.

The Rider Report Card is once again being distributed in a mailer format, designed to be returned at no cost to the rider. Customers will also have the option of completing the survey on-line, on the MTA website at www.mta.info/nyct/index.html, where it is available in three languages: English, Spanish and Chinese. From the time the survey begins, riders will have two weeks to mail in their response or to complete the survey online.

Rider Report Card results are posted on line for riders to review once they have been tabulated.

Report cards are being distributed between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. at each station. The schedule for distribution of Rider Report Cards along the 6 line is as follows:

• Tuesday, January 6th – Spring Street, Astor Place, 23rd Street, 28th Street, 33rd Street, 68th Street-Hunter College, 77th Street, 96th Street, 103rd Street, 110th Street and 116th Street.

• Wednesday, January 7th – 3rd Avenue-138th Street, Brook Avenue, Cypress Avenue, East 143rd-St. Mary’s Streets, East 149th Street, Longwood Avenue, Hunts Point Avenue, Whitlock Avenue and Elder Avenue.

• Thursday, January 8th – Morrison-Sound View Avenues, St. Lawrence Avenue, Parkchester, Castle Hill Avenue, Zerega Avenue, Westchester Square-East Tremont Avenue, Middletown Road, Buhre Avenue and Pelham Bay Park.

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Rider Report Cards
0

Service Diversions 01-02

Posted by
on January 2nd, 2009 at 7:55 pm

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!

P.S. Stay warm!

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Site News
1

Happy New Year!

Posted by
on January 1st, 2009 at 12:36 pm

I wanted to take this moment to wish all of my readers a Happy New Year! I hope that 2009 is your best year in every way you could hope for & imagine. Thanks for all of your support!

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
Uncategorized
0

LIRR New Year’s Eve/Day Service Information

Posted by
on December 30th, 2008 at 6:18 pm

Let me first apologize for not posting this information sooner. The LIRR originally sent this e-mail out to those on their press list 8 days ago. I’m usually on top of sharing the latest info with my readers before they post it publicly. Anyhow, here are the complete details:

The MTA Long Island Rail Road will provide additional trains to and from Penn Station for the New Year’s holiday. The extra service includes 13 additional eastbound afternoon trains on New Year’s Eve, Wednesday, December 31; 18 additional westbound evening trains on New Year’s Eve and 14 additional eastbound trains from Penn Station on New Year’s Day, Thursday, January 1.

The LIRR will operate on a regular weekday schedule on Friday, January 2.

Off-peak fares will be in effect for the entire weekend (January 1-January 4). The special Family Fare Program will also be in effect this long weekend where up to four children ages 5-11 can ride for the advance purchase fare of 75-cents each when accompanied by fare-paying parent or guardian. Weekly and monthly ticket holders just pay for the kids. Children under 5 ride free.

As in prior years, alcohol will not be allowed on LIRR trains, stations and platforms on New Year’s Eve and through the morning on New Year’s Day. MTA Police will enforce this restriction.

The 13 additional early afternoon eastbound trains (from Penn Station) on New Year’s Eve are as follows:

Wednesday, December 31, New Year’s Eve
Eastbound (12:55 PM-3:48 PM)

Ronkonkoma Branch:

• 12:55 PM stopping at Woodside, Jamaica, Mineola, Hicksville and all stops to Ronkonkoma.

• 1:55 PM stopping at Woodside, Jamaica, Mineola, Hicksville and all stops to Ronkonkoma.

—-

Babylon Branch:

• 1:30 PM express to Rockville Centre, then all stops to Babylon.

• 1:52 PM stopping at Jamaica, Rockville Centre, then all stops to Babylon.

• 2:12 PM express to Rockville Centre, then all stops to Babylon.

• 2:22 PM express to Lynbrook, then all stops to Babylon.

• 3:00 PM stopping at Jamaica, Rockville Centre, then all stops to Babylon.

• 3:31 PM express to Rockville Centre, then all stops to Babylon.

The 5:59 PM from Penn Station to Babylon will not operate on New Year’s Eve. Customers will be accommodated by the 6:05 PM from Penn Station, which will make all stops from Merrick to Babylon on New Year’s Eve.

—-

Port Jefferson Branch (to Huntington):

• 2:09 PM stopping at Jamaica, Carle Place, then all stops to Huntington.

• 2:26 PM stopping at Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Jamaica, New Hyde Park, then all stops to Huntington.

• 3:24 PM stopping at Jamaica, Mineola, Westbury and Hicksville.

—-

Port Washington Branch (to Great Neck):

• 3:40 PM stopping at Woodside, Flushing-Main Street, then all stops to Great Neck.

—-

Far Rockaway Branch:

• 3:48 PM stopping at Locust Manor, Laurelton, Rosedale, Valley Stream, then all stops to Far Rockaway.

——–

The 18 additional evening westbound trains (to Penn Station) on New Year’s Eve are as follows:

Wednesday, December 31, New Year’s Eve
Westbound (4:55 PM-8:39 PM)

Port Jefferson Branch:

• Leave Huntington at 4:55 PM, stopping at Cold Spring Harbor, Syosset, Hicksville, Jamaica and Penn Station.

• Leave Hicksville at 6:59 PM, making all stops to Jamaica and Penn Station.

• Leave Port Jefferson at 7:10 PM, making all stops to Huntington, then Hicksville, Jamaica and Penn Station.

• Leave Hicksville at 7:33 PM, making all stops to Jamaica, then Penn Station.

• Leave Huntington at 7:35 PM, making all stops to Jamaica, then Penn Station.

• Leave Huntington at 8:29 PM, making all stops to Jamaica, then Penn Station.

—-

Babylon Branch:

• Leave Babylon at 6:23 PM, making all stops to Rockville Centre, then Jamaica and Penn Station.

• Leave Freeport at 7:24 PM, stopping at Baldwin, Rockville Centre, then Jamaica and Penn Station.

• Leave Babylon at 8:02 PM, making all stops to Rockville Centre, then Jamaica and Penn Station.

—-

Montauk Branch:

• Leave Speonk at 8:30 PM, making all stops to Babylon, then Jamaica and Penn Station.

—-

Port Washington Branch:

• Leave Great Neck at 7:07 PM, making all stops to Woodside, then Penn Station.

• Leave Port Washington at 8:36 PM, making all stops to Woodside, then Penn Station.

—-

Long Beach Branch:

• Leave Long Beach at 5:57 PM, making all stops to Lynbrook, Valley Stream, then Jamaica and Penn Station.

• Leave Long Beach at 7:23 PM, making all stops to Lynbrook, Valley Stream, then Jamaica and Penn Station.

• Leave Long Beach at 8:15 PM, making all stops to Lynbrook, Valley Stream, then Jamaica and Penn Station.

—-

Hempstead Branch:

• Leave Hempstead at 6:48 PM, making all stops to Jamaica, then Penn Station.

—-

Ronkonkoma Branch:

• Leave Ronkonkoma at 7:42 PM, making all stops to Wyandanch, then Farmingdale, Bethpage, Hicksville, Mineola, Jamaica, then Penn Station.

• Leave Ronkonkoma at 8:39 PM, making all stops to Wyandanch, then Farmingdale, Bethpage, Hicksville, Mineola, Jamaica, then Penn Station.

——–

The 14 additional eastbound trains (from Penn Station) on New Year’s Day are as follows:

Thursday, January 1, New Year’s Day
Eastbound (12:42 AM-4:17 AM)

Port Washington Branch:

• 12:42 AM stopping at Woodside, Flushing-Main St., then all stops to Port Washington.
• 2:19 AM stopping at Woodside, Flushing-Main St., then all stops to Port Washington.
• 4:17 AM stopping at Woodside, Flushing-Main St., then all stops to Port Washington.

—-

Long Beach Branch:
• 2:44 AM stopping at Jamaica, Valley Stream, Lynbrook, then all stops to Long Beach.

—-

Ronkonkoma Branch:

• 12:45 AM stopping at Jamaica, Mineola, Hicksville, then all stops to Ronkonkoma.

• 2:03 AM stopping at Jamaica, Mineola, Hicksville, then all stops to Ronkonkoma.

• 3:54 AM stopping at Jamaica, Mineola, Hicksville, then all stops to Ronkonkoma.

—-

Port Jefferson Branch:

• 2:14 AM stopping at Jamaica, New Hyde Park, then all stops to Huntington.

• 3:12 AM stopping at Jamaica, New Hyde Park, then all stops to Port Jefferson.

—-

Babylon Branch:

• 1:10 AM stopping at Jamaica, Lynbrook, then all stops to Babylon.

• 2:10 AM stopping at Jamaica, Lynbrook, then all stops to Babylon.

• 2:59 AM stopping at Jamaica, Lynbrook, then all stops to Babylon.

• 3:29 AM stopping at Jamaica, Lynbrook, then all stops to Babylon.

—-

Montauk Branch:

• 1:29 AM stopping at Jamaica, Rockville Centre, then all stops to Speonk.

I suggest printing this entry out to have with you as you enjoy your New Years Eve celebrations.

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
LIRR