PCAC Quarterly Report
April - June 1998
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- Long Island Rail Road Commuters Council
- Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council
- New York City Transit Riders Council
Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee (PCAC)
Good Luck and Farewell to Former PCAC Chairperson
The PCAC said good-bye in May to New York City Transit Riders Council (NYCTRC) member Judith McClain. A former chairperson of the full PCAC, Ms. McClain served as the Manhattan Borough President's representative to the NYCTRC for eight years. She joins NYC Transit's department of Capital and Strategic Planning, and the best wishes of the PCAC go with her.
New York's Glass of ISTEA Refilled by President Clinton and Congress
In May, President Clinton signed the much-awaited federal transportation funding reauthorization bill into law. The PCAC lobbied local and national officials for this reauthorization. The Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century, or TEA-21 as it is commonly known, is a great boon to public transportation users nationwide. Transit will receive $42 billion over six years, including over $6.7 billion for New York State, almost seventy percent of which is guaranteed funding, earmarked for the first time from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund. This represents a 55% increase over ISTEA funding levels. MTA capital projects have received $358 million in funding, including $353 million for the Long Island Rail Road East Side Access project to connect the railroad with Grand Central Terminal, and $5 million for the Manhattan East Side Alternatives Study of a possible Second Avenue subway.
On the customer side, the TransitChek program has been expanded. Under this program, employers can offer employees vouchers in amounts up to $65 to purchase transit fares. Previously, these vouchers were only available as a benefit, making some employers leery of participating due to the payroll taxes involved. Under a new option, employers may now allow their employees to set a portion of pay aside to receive vouchers avoiding increased payroll tax liability. Further, the amounts employees set aside for the vouchers under this option is nontaxable, potentially saving transit users more than a quarter of their commuting costs. The PCAC strongly supported this change in the TransitChek program and is confident that it will entice many more employers to participate. In fact, the PCAC itself has enrolled staff in the program under the new option.
PCAC Releases Report on Customer Communication During Emergencies
The 1997 PCAC summer intern project, Customer Communication and Assistance During Emergencies, was released at a press conference in April. The report discusses several ways in which NYC Transit, the Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North can improve customer communication during major service disruptions, including utilizing public access channels to provide information. The report was reviewed by the agencies, and was a subject of discussion at the April Metro-North Committee meeting. Genevieve Firnhaber, Metro-North Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration, stated at the meeting that the railroad will follow up on the most feasible recommendations in the report. Its release received coverage from New York One News, and Bloomberg, WINS, and WCBS radio.
Albany Responds to PCAC Requests
In April, the PCAC wrote Governor Pataki, requesting that he veto a proposed state budget provision which would have authorized additional monies for New York City Transit to eliminate the One Person Train Operation (OPTO) program. Many cities across the country successfully and safely operate rapid transit systems with one-person train crews, and the PCAC felt that the money could be better spent elsewhere. The provision was struck down by the Governor.
In addition, the PCAC has secured State Assembly and Senate approval to add New York City members to the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council (MNRCC) and the Long Island Rail Road Commuters Council (LIRRCC). Under the proposal, the MNRCC would gain one member from the Bronx, while the LIRRCC would gain one member from Brooklyn and one member from Queens. The proposal awaits the Governor's signature.
PCAC Monitors Regional Public Transportation Issues
The PCAC has continued to follow the progress of MTA capital studies for transportation projects. The issues these studies seek to address include the needs for improved service and capacity on the east side of Manhattan, at Penn Station, and between the northern and eastern suburbs and lower Manhattan. PCAC staff sit on the technical and public advisory committees of the studies and submit comments on study documents and reports. Since the beginning of the year, the PCAC has written to and met with MTA officials seeking to ensure an effective coordination of analysis work between the various study teams in order to best address customer needs, especially along the Lexington Avenue subway corridor.
This quarter, the PCAC has begun to participate in the Metropolitan Mobility Network (MMR), a regional forum for the sharing of transportation information jointly sponsored by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council and the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. At the invitation of PCAC Transportation Planner Michael Doyle, the New York State Department of Transportation presented its new downstate Ozone Alert program to the MMR in June. A possibility exists for NYSDOT's ozone alerts to be a part of iTravel, a travel information demonstration project, sponsored by the federal government, to be implemented in the New York region later this year.
Refund Policy for Joint Commuter Rail/MetroCard Ticket Questioned by PCAC
Owing to a customer complaint, staff has been following up with the MTA regarding the policies that govern what a customer must do when the MetroCard portion of a joint NYC Transit/commuter railroad monthly ticket malfunctions. Currently, problems may be verified over the phone by the Mail & Ride department of the appropriate commuter railroad, or by mailing the used ticket back at the end of the month. In either instance, the customer will not receive a cash refund or a replacement ticket, but instead will have the appropriate amount applied as a credit towards the Mail & Ride bill for the following month. This policy places an unfair monetary burden on customers, who are forced to buy up to an additional month of NYC Transit fare before they see any compensation for the malfunctioning card. The PCAC would like to see the policy changed to one less burdensome to the customer, including the possibility of a same-month refund or replacement ticket.
PCAC Attends LIRR/NYC Transit Emergency Drill
Associate Director Jonathan Sigall attended a joint Long Island Rail Road/NYC Transit emergency drill in Long Island City, Queens in June. A mock collision between an LIRR train and an NYC Transit Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) bus was the subject of the drill, designed to test the emergency response procedures of the New York City Fire Department. NYC Transit and the LIRR were generally satisfied with the FDNY response, and provided a constructive critique and additional training to FDNY personnel after the drill. Mr. Sigall noted that the FDNY was slow in turning off the natural gas valves on the bus, a concern since the entire Long Island Bus fleet is now comprised of CNG buses and NYC Transit currently operates 34 CNG buses and has recently put 190 more on order. This concern was forwarded to the MTA Policy Department for review.
Executive Director Beverly Dolinsky Speaks on Public Transit Issues
In June, Executive Director Beverly Dolinsky was a panelist at a Community Conference sponsored by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and hosted by NYU Medical Center. Ms. Dolinsky spoke about the needs of the region's public transportation infrastructure.
Ms. Dolinsky also moderated a June panel discussion on the Port Authority Kennedy Airport light rail project sponsored by the Women's Transportation Seminar of Greater New York. Representatives from the Port Authority, Mayor's Office of Transportation, and Office of the Queens Borough President debated the usefulness of the project, including its controversial leg to LIRR's Jamaica Station along the Van Wyck Expressway. This spring, the Air Transport Association brought suit against the FAA for allowing Passenger Facilities Charge monies to be used for that off-airport leg of the project.
Committee Meeting
Charles Conn, director of Business Systems Planning and manager of the Year 2000 Program for the MTA, was the guest at the June PCAC meeting. Many computers and electronic devices record the date by using only the last two digits of the year. This poses problems because these devices may not be able to distinguish the year 2000, when it arrives, from the year 1900, and may malfunction. The MTA is spending $24 million to update its equipment and software so that all its systems will be able to cope with the change between the years 1999 and 2000. Since it can be difficult to identify devices which suffer this problem, the amount the MTA is spending includes a contingency fee to cover unforeseen problems. Equipment which poses difficulty in this area includes mechanical devices which contain internal clock mechanisms, such as elevators, escalators, and some signals. In the event that not all systems are upgraded before 2000, or some non-compliant code or computer chips are not discovered in time, Conn said that the MTA has drafted contingency plans to ensure that customers will experience no negative service impacts from malfunctioning equipment.
Press
Executive Director Beverly Dolinsky and Associate Director Jonathan Sigall were quoted in the Empire State Report about the need for Albany to increase funding assistance to the MTA.
Ms. Dolinsky was also quoted in a Long Island Newsday article regarding the need for openable windows to be included in the design criteria for the current joint LIRR/Metro-North railcar procurement. "Air-conditioning doesn't work one-hundred percent of the time," said Ms. Dolinsky. "If you're in a car that is stifling, it helps to have an open window."
LIRRCC Chairman Lawrence Silverman was quoted in a Newsday article regarding TEA-21's expanded TransitChek benefit. "You really are talking about two months free commuting," said Mr. Silverman. "That's very meaningful to people."
Long Island Rail Road Commuters Council (LIRRCC)
LIRRCC Counsels Riders: Don't Worry, Be Happy
The Council inaugurated its "Happy Rails to You" customer conduct campaign in June. The campaign builds upon the preliminary results of the 1998 LIRR Report Card Survey which the council conducted earlier this year. The survey found that many riders find certain on-train conduct bothersome, such as loud cellular telephone conversations. LIRRCC chairperson Lawrence Silverman held a press conference to invite customers to participate in a slogan and poster contest for the campaign. Interested customers can submit their ideas by mail or e-mail to the PCAC office. Winning entries will be announced with the final results of the 1998 Report Card later this year.
Council Opposes Southampton College Station Closure
This spring, the LIRR closed several stations which had been experiencing chronic low ridership levels according to ridership surveys performed by the railroad in 1996. The railroad is installing high-level concrete platforms at diesel-territory stations to accommodate bi-level coaches which will begin service later this year. In an effort to reduce costs, the railroad decided to close its least-used stations rather than invest in the new platforms. Students and faculty at Southampton College, whose station was slated for closure, protested this abandonment of service, noting that many students without cars have no other way to reach the college and that enrolment had grown since 1996. In support, the council wrote to LIRR President Tom Prendergast, requesting that a new ridership survey be performed at the station before its closure. However, the LIRR felt it was too late in the decision-making process to perform a survey, and the station was closed in April.
At Customer's Suggestion, Hunterspoint Stairs to be Renovated
The stairs at the Hunterspoint Avenue station in Queens have deteriorated over the years, prompting one concerned customer to write to the council. He wondered if the stairs could be repaired, perhaps when the station is closed this summer for the Main Line Track Rehabilitation project. Staff toured the station, and the council forwarded the letter to the LIRR. Thanks to this customer's input, the railroad has indeed decided to repair the most deteriorated stairs at Hunterspoint Avenue, although a timeframe for the work has not yet been set.
New LIRR/Metro-North Bicycle Permit Program a Good Start But Not Enough
After lobbying on the part of the LIRRCC for the Long Island Rail Road to institute a bicycle permit program similar to the one enjoyed by Metro-North customers, the MTA unveiled a joint LIRR/Metro-North bicycle permit program in June. Under this program, cyclists who apply for a permit at Penn Station or Grand Central Terminal will be allowed to bring their bikes on certain LIRR and Metro-North trains. The LIRRCC applauded the creation of the policy, which allows bicycles to be brought on reverse peak trains and increases weekend bicycle capacity to one bike per car. However, bicycles are still not allowed on Saturday morning Westbound trains, or at any time during the weekend on Montauk Branch trains. Given that Montauk trains allow access to some of the best recreational areas along the south shore of Long Island, the LIRRCC believes that the railroad should find a way to open up at least some of these trains to bicycles. The council will continue to follow-up on the policy.
Council Meetings
Dennis George, chief engineer for the LIRR, discussed the railroad's systemwide
program of parking improvements at the April LIRRCC meeting. The LIRR is anticipating
ridership increases when dual-mode locomotives begin through trips from diesel
territory to Penn Station, and is in the process of rehabilitating and expanding
diesel-territory parking facilities to make sure that customers who are attracted
to this service have adequate access to it.
At the May LIRRCC meeting, Kathryn Francese, LIRR senior manager of Operations
Budgets, Michael Wetherell, director of Productivity/Material Planing and
Project Supervision, and Gary Sullivan, executive director of Quality Assurance
and Internal Control, responded to Council concerns regarding railcar maintenance
and chronically short trains. They assured the Council that the maintenance
budget and staffing levels at the railroad are adequate. The real problems
are that much of the LIRR fleet is thirty years old or more and needs to be
overhauled or replaced, and that the railroad does not have enough railcars
to handle growing ridership demands.
Press
Mr. Silverman was quoted in a Newsday article about the LIRR's East Side Access project to connect the railroad to Grand Central Terminal, saying, "this is not just a matter of convenience. It's essential to the future growth of Long Island."
Mr. Silverman was quoted in a Newsday article regarding the "Happy Rails to You" customer conduct campaign, saying, "sometimes it's just a matter of increased awareness."
Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council (MNRCC)
MNRCC Participates in the Metro-North Quarterly Survey
The MNRCC was invited in June to comment on the questions included in the next Metro-North Quarterly Customer Survey. These surveys gauge overall customer satisfaction with Metro-North, and are part of the railroad's ongoing customer service initiative. Several of the council's comments were included in the survey. Council members and staff were also asked to help administer the on-board survey. The survey is scheduled for July.
Staff Helps Metro-North Improve Its Website
At the suggestion of Associate Director Jonathan Sigall, changes are forthcoming on the Metro-North website. Information about the expansion of the Guaranteed Ride Home Program to the Pascack Valley Line has been added, and in the future, improved links to access schedules and the websites of other service providers and a better identification of bus routes will be added. Joe Antonacci, associate director of Corporate and Media Relations, informed Mr. Sigall that some of his suggestions anticipated changes which the railroad has had in the planning stages, and that his comments will help make them a reality sooner.
Council Continues to Track Station Facility and Amenity Issues
Over the past few months, the council has noticed a growing problem of platform-edge concrete deterioration along several Hudson Line stations and Mt. Kisco on the Harlem Line. A rehabilitation project is currently underway for the Hudson Line platforms, and the council is following up on the repair needs at Mt. Kisco.
The council has continued to track the possibility of creating a new Yankee Stadium stop in the Bronx. The viability of the approval of the station depends largely upon whether the Yankees stay at the stadium, which remains to be determined.
A question also arose over the provision of public pay phones in Grand Central Terminal when renovations are complete. The council wants to ensure that an adequate number of telephones will exist in convenient locations, and will follow this issue through the completion of renovation work later this year.
Council Follows Studies to Improve Services
Th council has monitored the progress of the Melrose Station Study in the Bronx. This study seeks to identify ways to improve the station facility and increase service. The station is constrained from easy expansion and improvement by its location beneath a housing development. Staff will attend study meetings expected to take place in July.
The need for improved West-of-Hudson service is the basis of the joint New Jersey Transit/Bergen County/Rockland County West Shore Region Study. Metro-North is not directly participating in the study, but its outcome may benefit the commutes of West-of-Hudson customers. Council members have regularly attended public study meetings to discuss the routing alternatives of a proposed new transit line along the Hudson between Rockland County and Jersey City and whether this service will be heavy or light rail.
Commute Home Gets Easier on Both Sides of the Hudson
The Guaranteed Ride Home Program has been extended to the Pascack Valley Line. Now all monthly West-of-Hudson commuters within thirty miles of Tarrytown station will be able to ride the Hudson line to Tarrytown and receive two free taxi rides home per month at times when northbound West-of-Hudson service is not running. The council is monitoring the program for its effectiveness, and possibilities to suggest its further expansion.
Another extension of the program is planned for the Croton Falls station on the Harlem Line, which will provide East-of-Hudson monthly commuters with two free taxi rides per month at times when a shuttle bus to a Putnam County park and ride is not running. The Croton Falls program will begin as soon as Putnam County determines a site for the park and ride facility. The Guaranteed Ride Home Program is funded by a federal Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality (CMAQ) grant administered by the New York State Department of Transportation.
Staff Fosters Ties with the Connecticut Metro-North Commuter Council
PCAC Transportation Planner Michael Doyle attended the June meeting of the Connecticut Metro-North New Haven Rail Commuter Council. The Connecticut council is the legislatively-mandated representative of Metro-North riders in that state. It was disclosed by Metro-North at the meeting that there is an ongoing staffing vacancy problem for car cleaners at Grand Central Terminal, exacerbating the difficulty of cleaning trains during short peak-hour turnaround times. The MNRCC will follow-up on this issue. Mr. Doyle will maintain a dialogue with the Connecticut council and attend future meetings to help identify more issues of interest to riders in both states.
Whistle Blown on Worst On-Time Performing Reverse Peak Train
In June, PCAC Research Associate Sarah Massey reported to Joseph Zilembo, Metro-North's manager of Operations, that the 7:42 a.m. New Haven local out of Grand Central had been arriving late at her home station of New Rochelle more than once a week. After researching the situation, Mr. Zilembo reported that this was the reverse peak train with the worst on-time performance at interim station stops, arriving in New Haven on time, but arriving late at some stops between Grand Central and New Haven one out of every four mornings during the spring. Mr. Zilembo said the situation would be corrected, and Ms. Massey has reported no further problems with the train.
Council Meetings
The topic at the April MNRCC meeting was Metro-North's customer service initiative to become a "brand name for excellence" by the year 2003. Genevieve Firnhaber, Metro-North executive vice-president of Finance and Administration, Donna Evans, director of Corporate and Media Relations, Joe Antonacci, assistant director of Corporate and Media Relations, and Tom Tendy, director of Customer Services, discussed the railroad's commitment to providing useful and reliable service and customer information at all levels of Metro-North.
George Walker, Metro-North vice-president of Operations, was the guest at the May MNRCC meeting. He discussed the railroad's efforts to monitor climate control on railcars and to keep the right-of-way clear of fallen leaves during the fall using the affectionately nicknamed "Waterworld" car. This is a special car that was built to blow leaf debris off of the road bed with powerful jets of water.
Press
MNRCC Chairman Richard Cataggio was quoted in a Reporter Dispatch article regarding the need for openable windows on the railcars which will be bought as part of the joint LIRR/Metro-North railcar procurement. "These systems do fail on occasion," said Mr. Cataggio. "Even a small amount of fresh air is a welcome relief."
New York City Transit Riders Council (NYCTRC)
A New Era Finally Arrives for Transit Riders in New York City
As June drew to a close, an unprecedented change in NYC Transit's fare structure was about to take place. After a generation of lobbying by the Transit Riders Council (TRC) and other area transit advocates, and following the lead of most other major transit agencies worldwide, NYC Transit was set to offer riders moderately priced weekly and monthly passes beginning in July. The TRC expects that the implementation of 7-Day and 30-Day Unlimited Rides MetroCards will prove as popular as last year's free bus-to-subway transfers, and believes that the passes finally give New York's bus and subway riders a world-class level of flexibility and affordability when it comes to paying their fare. The TRC will continue to monitor the Unlimited Rides MetroCard program, including the implementation of the 1-Day pass later this year, and possibilities for the creation of a 1-Day Family Fun Pass.
Council Holds its Annual Bus Forum
The TRC hosted its annual forum on New York City bus service issues in April. Millard Seay, NYC Transit's Senior Vice President in charge of the Department of Buses, fielded questions and comments from customers from all five boroughs. Mr. Seay announced the expected arrival of 460 additional buses slated for May, June, and September to meet growing ridership demand. He also promised that the adequacy of M10 service would be reviewed. The M10 received numerous customer complaints at the forum.
NYC Transit's Ability to Cope with Demand, Subject of State Assembly Hearing
The New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions and the Legislative Committee on Critical Transportation Choices convened a public hearing in May to gauge the ability of NYC Transit to keep up with quickly growing ridership demands. PCAC Transportation Planner Michael Doyle testified at the hearing. He applauded the success recent fare initiatives have had in attracting unprecedented ridership growth. However, he underscored the need for the agency to construct a timely and adequate plan of service improvements to ensure that new riders remain, and are not repelled by crowded vehicles and unreliable schedules.
Vigilant Staff Tries to Keep NYC Transit's Customer Information Free of Errors
On several recent occasions, staff has offered NYC Transit suggestions on ways to improve the delivery of adequate and useful information to customers. Staff notified NYC Transit of errors in the information brochure for overnight summer service diversions on the E, F, and R lines, offered ways to make the brochures for the 63rd Street Subway Shuttle and 7 train summer service disruption easier to understand, and suggested a host of corrections and updates for the NYC Transit website. All of the comments by staff were taken under consideration by NYC Transit, and erroneous brochure and website information has been corrected.
NYCTRC Follows-Up on Service Issues with NYC Transit
Over the spring and early summer, the council requested that NYC Transit address several access and service related issues. The council sent a letter to NYC Transit to ask that part-time entrances and entrances equipped with new MetroCard-operated High Entrance/Exit Turnstiles be kept open as many hours as permitted by safety considerations. Another letter asked that the agency review the possibility of implementing weekend beach express service to alleviate summer crowding on subway lines which serve the Brooklyn shore.
The council also contacted NYC Transit President Lawrence Reuter requesting that a comprehensive package of bus and subway service improvements be proposed as quickly as possible to meet the growing ridership demand created by the implementation free intermodal transfer, 11-for-10 MetroCard bonus, and the weekly and monthly passes. Mr. Reuter responded that one would be on its way as soon as possible and that NYC Transit was confident that it would be able to meet the growing demand for service improvements adequately.
Staff Helps Get Dangerous Bus Stop Made Safer for Customers
At a Lenox Avenue Project Community Task Force meeting sponsored by NYC Transit in the spring to discuss the impacts of ongoing subway and street renovation work, community officials noted that the temporary location for downtown buses on Lenox Avenue at 116th Street posed a danger to customers. The stop was on an unmarked strip of roadway wedged between a concrete construction barrier and a moving lane of traffic. Prompted by letters sent by PCAC Transportation Planner Michael Doyle to NYC Transit and the New York City Department of Design and Construction, the stop has been given more room, a raised concrete waiting area, and has been clearly marked as a bus stop waiting area. The stop will be returned to its original curbside location when the Lenox Avenue subway project ends this fall.
Council Meetings
Alicia Martinez, MTA director of Marketing and Corporate Communications, was the guest at the April council meeting. She discussed NYC Transit proposals to use MetroCard as a revenue device, including printing advertisements on the back of cards. The council has objected to the fact that the Unlimited Rides cards will not look any different from the Pay-Per-Ride card. Ms. Martinez explained that there is no way to avoid this due to a hardware limitation of the MetroCard vending machines which NYC Transit will install in stations beginning next year.
At the May council meeting, David Goldenberg, NYC Transit acting senior vice-president of Customer Services, discussed the work of the Customer Services Department, including efforts to maintain adequate call-waiting times on customer information lines and to provide quick turnaround times for customers with MetroCard problems.
Out-of-system MetroCard sales was the topic at the June NYCTRC meeting. Richard Trenery, NYC Transit chief of MetroCard Sales, discussed with the council the structure of the retail sales program, including plans for expansion of the popular MetroCard bus and pilot Reduced Fare MetroCard Mail & Ride programs.
Press
In May, Rudin Management paid the MTA $1.3 million to be let out of a requirement to build and maintain an escalator entrance to the Times Square subway complex at the northwest corner of Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street as part of a forthcoming office development, opting instead for a staircase. Executive Director Beverly Dolinsky was quoted in a New York Times article regarding the issue. "The developer got off cheap," said Ms. Dolinsky. "It was shortsighted to cut the escalators. People who need an escalator now have to cross Seventh Avenue, not the easiest street to maneuver."
Associate Director Jonathan Sigall was quoted in a New York Times article regarding the possibility that NYC Transit would not make the forthcoming One-Day Fun Pass widely available to regular customers, saying, "The way the Governor proposed this is that it would be available to everybody."
