The F Is The Next Line To Be Graded
About an hour ago, NYC Transit e-mailed a press release to announce that the 
is the next line to be graded in the 2008 Rider Report Cards. Here are the complete details:
In our continuing effort to solicit feedback from our customers, MTA New York City Transit is again distributing Rider Report Cards throughout the system. Riders on the F are next in line 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, December 2nd through Friday, December 5th. The cards will be handed out at several different stations along the line each day over all four days. Grades will be used to identify rider preferences and to gauge how much improvement customers along the F line have noticed since last year’s 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 F 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 3 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 F line is as follows:
• Tuesday, December 2nd – West 8th Street-NY Aquarium, Neptune Avenue, Avenue X, Avenue U, Kings Highway, Avenue P, Avenue N, Bay Parkway, Avenue I and 18th Avenue.
• Wednesday, December 3rd – Ditmas Avenue, Church Avenue, Fort Hamilton Parkway, 15th Street-Prospect Park, 7th Avenue and Smith-9th Streets.
• Thursday, December 4th — Carroll Street, Bergen Street, York Street, East Broadway, Lower East Side-2nd Avenue and 23rd Street.
• Friday, December 5th – 57th Street, Lexington Avenue-63rd Street, Roosevelt Island, 21st Street-Queensbridge, Sutphin Blvd., Parsons Blvd., 169th Street and Jamaica-179th Street.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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MTA Statement On Terror Alert
Just a short while ago, the MTA issued a statement via e-mail in a response to the terror alert issued by the FBI & Department of Homeland Security. The terror alert was centered around the possibility of an Al Qaeda attack on the NYC Subway:
The MTA is aware of an unsubstantiated report of terrorist threats against transit properties during the holiday season. We are already on high alert and are always on a heightened state of readiness during this season. We have been working closely with local, state and federal law enforcement to increase police presence throughout our transportation system. As always, we ask that our customers remain alert and report any suspicious activity or packages, but there is no reason to be alarmed.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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FBI Warns Of Possible Terror Attack On The NYC Subway
Last night the FBI & Department of Homeland Security issued a joint warning to elected officials about a possible terror threat. The threat consisted of a possible terrorist attack on the NYC Subway by Al Qaeda. James Gordon, Alison Gendar, & Larry McShane of the New York Daily News have more in this report:
The city subway system received an infusion of police protection Wednesday after reports that Al Qaeda terrorists had considered targeting local mass transit with suicide bombers.
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a joint warning to state and local officials on Tuesday night about the terrorist threat, said DHS spokeswoman Laura Keehner.
The warning followed “plausible but uncorroborated information that Al Qaeda may have discussed targeting the transit system in or around New York City,” Keehner said.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said police were aware of the terrorist threat, and responded by sending additional cops throughout the subway system.
“It is not uncommon for the department to receive threat information and to adjust our resources accordingly,” he said.
While both Browne and Keehner said the discussions never advanced beyond the talking stage, Rep. Peter King said the threat was legitimate.
“This is a plausible and very serious threat, but there’s no reason to panic,” said King, the top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee. “There is no evidence to think any action has been taken to carry out the plot. But it is serious, and there are specifics.”
Officials told the Daily News that the intercepted threat was made by Al Qaeda lieutenants based in Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt.
Click here for the complete report.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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Cab Driver Fatally Shot At The LIRR’s Shirley Station
I find it truly sad to hear or read about a hard worker being killed while just doing his job. Unfortunately such a tragic event took place 2 days ago when 53 year old Shirley resident & cab driver John Attrino, was shot inside his cab at the Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) Shirley station. Patrick Whittle of Newsday has more in this report:
For the second time in four days, a Long Island cabdriver has been shot and killed on the job.
The driver, John Attrino, 53, of Shirley, was shot in the torso just before 3 a.m. yesterday at the Long Island Rail Road train station in Shirley, said police, who thus far have not uncovered a motive for the slaying.
Police, who have made no arrests in the case, said they are investigating the killing.
Nassau and Suffolk police said the homicide did not appear related to the Saturday morning killing of cabbie Michael Xavier, of Commack, whose body was found in a vacant lot in Elmont. Nassau police said they are still looking for Xavier’s killer.
Suffolk Det. Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick said there is “nothing to indicate” that the Attrino killing was a copycat crime.
It is unclear whether Attrino was robbed, police said.
Click here for the complete report.
My condolences go out to the friends & family of John Attrino. I hope the asshole responsible for this gets brought to justice & gets the stiffest punishment possible.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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MTA Executive Urges Riders To Protest Fare Hike Plan
An interesting article appeared in today’s New York Daily News. The piece was my transit reporter Pete Donohue & it talked about a request from a MTA Executive. The executive, MTA director of government affairs Hilary Ring asked the riding public to share their frustrations for proposed fare hikes when public hearings start in January. Here is a sample of the report:
Even some folks at the MTA are speaking out against the threatened transit fare hikes and service cuts – and they want straphangers to join them.
Describing the cutback package as “terrible,” MTA director of government affairs Hilary Ring urged people at a public forum to express their anger at public hearings in January.
“Please come,” he appealed to the crowd of about 125 at Swinging Sixties Senior Center in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, last night. “The only way it’s not going to be implemented is if you express outrage.”
“The budget we presented to the board is not the budget we want to see adopted,” he said. “We had to make very tough choices. We don’t want to make these cuts. We think the state and city should increase their contributions to us.”
Click here for the complete report.
I see this request as nothing more than fluff on the MTA’s part. All the outrage in the world shared at these hearings won’t do a thing to change what’s going on. So why even insult our intelligence by suggesting that the outcome could be any different when it can’t be at the current rate?
The intelligence of individuals with common sense continues to be insulted when the responses to the article come into play. As usual we have misinformed individuals claiming this or that is the reason why the fares will be raised. Instead of focusing on the real culprits which in a major part are our elected officials, we pass the blame on to:
The MTA itself for being greedy as they get enough money from the Verizon surcharge that goes to them.
The unions for not allowing more token booths to be closed along with OPTO being implemented on the L.
Pensions being in place instead of 401K plans
The MTA Board being in place as their clothing shows they are making too much money
etc….
You see this is the reason why so many people don’t get it when it comes to the MTA in many ways. They are always quick to pass blame from one side to another yet overlook the obvious. All the money saved from closing more token booths, implementing OPTO, scrapping pensions, etc.. would still not close the gap & help sustain the system’s financial condition. No matter how many times you explain this, the status quo is to blame the MTA for everything. While the agency is not 100% blame free, I would never say they are the main reason their financial picture is so bleak. I thankfully know better….
xoxo Transit Blogger
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