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MNRCC Testimony – August 23, 2017 – Melrose and Tremont Service Increases

Testimony of the Metro-North Commuter Council to the
Board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
On Service Increases at the Melrose and Tremont Metro-North Stations
William J. Ronan Board Room, 2 Broadway, New York, NY

August 23, 2017

Good Evening, my name is William Henderson and I am the Executive Director of the Permanent Citizens advisory Committee to the MTA speaking on behalf of the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council (MNRCC). The MNRCC is the legislatively mandated representative of Metro-North Railroad riders and was established by the State Legislature in 1981 to advise Metro-North and the MTA in order to improve service on the Railroad.

I am here to speak in favor of making the service changes at the Melrose and Tremont stations established in an October 2016 pilot program permanent. The benefits of these changes to riders are clear, providing better access for travel both to and from the Bronx and expanding the span of service available to riders. Metro-North has noted no significant adverse impacts on either operational flexibility or maintenance capabilities as a result of these changes.

The most important evidence in favor of retaining this increased service, however, is the higher ridership that has resulted from these changes. Overall ridership increases in excess of 60 percent at these two stations are an excellent indicator that there is strong support for these changes among riders.

We commend Metro-North for taking the initiative to identify and cultivate new markets for commuter rail services and strongly urge that the increased service that made this ridership growth possible be made permanent.

Thank you.

Download here: 082317 MNRCC Melrose and Tremont Service Increases