Feb. 12, the evening rush: A stalled Long Island Rail Road train in Valley Stream and an engine that struck a car near Wyandanch already meant a nightmare commute.
Then the LIRR’s Web server went down, and things went from bad to worse, with e-mail alerts cut off to most of the 22,100 commuters who rely on them.
Except for those in the know about Clever Commute.
“On the 4:37 to Wantagh,” one commuter wrote to others on the Babylon branch that night. “Stuck in Valley Stream indefinitely with disabled train stuck in the crossover tracks.”
That night, commuters filled in for each other when the LIRR failed them, thanks to a free, user-based alert service created by Port Washington native Josh Crandall.
It started with Crandall, 43, gathering e-mail addresses from friends to alert one another any time there were delays.
His list grew so large that in the spring of 2007, he created a Web site, clevercommute.com.
Today LIRR customers make up about 25 percent of his users.
Maureen Michaels of Huntington, vice chairwoman of the LIRR Commuter’s Council and a Clever Commute devotee, said Crandall’s service frequently beats the LIRR’s system.
“Repeatedly, they have been out in front, way ahead of the railroad, on getting you information sooner,” she said.
Thanks for the note. Indeed, we have been doing Clever Commute in the NY area
for a few years now…and it works great.
Please do sign up…and let me know if you have any feedback.
Safe travels.
Josh