Back to All

Meeting Minutes July 27, 2017

NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT RIDERS COUNCIL

 MINUTES OF July 27, 2017

A meeting of the New York City Transit Riders Council (NYCTRC) was convened at 12:00 noon on July 27, 2017 in conference room D 2.10 at 2 Broadway.

The following members were present:

Andrew Albert                       Marisol Halpern

Stuart Goldstein                   Sharon King Hoge

Christopher Greif                 Trudy Mason

William K. Guild                   Edith Prentiss

Burton M. Strauss, Jr.

The following members were absent:

Scott R. Nicholls

In addition, the following persons were present:

William Henderson  PCAC Executive Director

Ellyn Shannon  PCAC Associate Director

Angela Bellisio  PCAC Planning Manager

Bradley Brashears  PCAC Transportation Planner

Karyl Cafiero  PCAC Research Associate

Shawn Wong  PCAC Intern

Uday Schultz  PCAC Intern

Eric Wollman  Aux PBA of NYC

Alan Flacks  NY County Democratic Committee

William Stafford, Jr.  Concerned citizen

Kevin Zeng  Concerned citizen

Yvonne Morrow  Concerned citizen

Jamel Gaines  Concerned citizen

Omar Vera  Concerned citizen

Time Point
Video Part 1  
00:45 Approval of Agenda
The agenda for the July 27, 2017 meeting were approved
00:50 E. Prentiss: Please correct misquote by K. Cafiero in previous minutes. We will check video tape
03:20 Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the June 22, 2017 meeting were approved conditionally.
03:35 Chair’s Report (The Chair’s Report is attached)
 

09:00

T. Mason: Have we gone on record about the cost of a ferry?
A. Albert: No. We need to discuss.
18:00 Board Report
19:30 A. Albert: Discussion of MTA plan announced. Emergency water management
20:40 Seat removal pilot on L Train and Shuttle. 2 cars on each train.
23:00 System-wide station cleaning is a good idea. The MTA will hire 2700 more maintenance workers.
28:00 Longer trains on the C train. Discussion on how additional cars will impact the train’s midpoint.
32:50 Clearer service updates and communications
Video Part 2  
01:10 E. Prentiss: Can car’s PA work in one station and not another?
03:30 T. Mason: there should be more communication with passengers in stations
09:40 A. Albert: Mayor’s refusal to pay is becoming an issue. City and State must come together to fund the system.
15:30 S. King-Hoge: There is an exhibit on transportation at the Museum of the City of New York. They brought up charging to park on the street
16:15 A. Albert: The President of Metro-North Railroad retired
16:50 A. Albert: Seasonal bus cuts in September. Cross town users have no alternatives.
18:30 T. Mason: Can we go on record opposing these bus cuts?
21:00 E. Shannon: One size may no longer fit all. They need to relook at loading guidelines.
21:40 A. Albert: Better a resolution opposing the reasoning behind the current way bus service is scheduled. It doesn’t represent ridership. Use Trudy’s bus routes as an example. Loss of tax income.
22:50 E. Prentiss: Buses don’t do the full run.
24:50 E. Shannon: We can ask for a report from transit for short turns for a month or two
26:20 A. Albert: Suggests some language for a resolution. Use short turning as a second example that impacts ridership
27:30 A. Albert: Vote on resolution. No one opposed
Action Item: Resolution opposing the reasoning behind the current way bus service is scheduled.
27:50 Old Business
Election of one position on Executive Committee.
Chris Grief is elected to the PCAC Executive Committee
Video Part 3
12:15 A. Albert introduces speaker: Danny Ilioiu, Director of Research & Development, NYCT Department of Buses to discuss the NYCT’s Electric Bus Pilot Study
28:30 D. Ilioiu: Begin revenue service by the end of 2017.
30:20 E. Prentiss: What if someone is parked in the charging space?
Video Part 4
00:20 D. Ilioiu: Pros and cons of charging on the street vs. in the depot. Pilot will figure out a lot of details.
03:40 M. Halpern: Why not a pilot in the Bronx?
D. Ilioiu: Too many hills.
05:40 S. Goldstein: Have these buses been tested in other cities?
D. Ilioiu: Yes, but NYC has its own unique issues.
06:30 T. Mason: Length of pilot?
D. Ilioiu: Need 1 year of pilot, but will run for 3 years. After 12-18 months can begin discussions about procurement
13:20 E. Prentiss: Where does electicity come from?
D. Ilioiu: New York State electricity generation: natural gas, nuclear, hydroelectric, non-hydro renewables. Our local grid is very clean.
24:20 Adjournment

Meeting Videos:

Video 1 of 4

Video 2 of 4

Video 3 of 4

Video 4 of 4 

Action Items:

  • Resolution opposing the reasoning behind the current way bus service is scheduled.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:00 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

William Henderson