LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD COMMUTER’S COUNCIL
MINUTES OF JULY 11, 2013
A meeting of the Long Island Rail Road Commuter’s Council (LIRRCC) was convened at 4:30 pm on July 11, 2013, in the LIRR East Side Access Readiness Conference Room at 450 7th Avenue, New York.
The following members were present:
Sheila Carpenter Ira Greenberg
Owen Costello Ray Pagano
Mark Epstein Bryan Peranzo
Larry Rubinstein
The following member was on the phone:
Maureen Michaels
The following members were absent:
Gerard P. Bringmann Michael Godino
Matthew Kessler
In addition, the following persons were present:
William Henderson -PCAC Executive Director
Ellyn Shannon -PCAC Sr. Transportation Planner
Hector Garcia -LIRR
David Brulhardt -LIRR
Thomas Piccoli -LIRR
Randy Glucksman -MNRCC
Carol McEvoy -Queens Public Transit Committee
Philip McManus -Queens Public Transit Committee
Art Nudell -IRUM
Richard Schulman -Concerned citizen
Joe Clift -Concerned citizen
Approval of Agenda and Minutes
The agenda for the July 11, 2013 meeting was approved. The minutes of the May 9, 2013 meeting were approved. It was noted that the minutes can be clarified or corrected without limitation in the future.
Chair’s Report
A copy of the written Chair’s report is attached to these minutes.
Mark Epstein stated that MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast has committed to follow up to the LIRRCC with information on the possible introduction of Metro-North into Penn Station. As a part of this effort, a briefing will take place in the next several months. In addition, Mr. Prendergast has committed to coming to a LIRRCC meeting in the next few months.
Mr. Epstein noted that the Wyandanch Rising project is going forward rapidly and that the project continues to gather momentum with more funding announced and construction underway. In addition, the construction of condominiums in the station area is to start soon.
Mark Epstein noted that the Council had asked the LIRR for a clarification of its policy on prohibiting smoking and how this policy applies to the use of electronic cigarettes. After this inquiry there were several stories in the news media that cited the Council’s request and a response from the LIRR that use of electronic cigarettes is considered smoking under the Rail Road’s rules. Bryan Peranzo suggested that the Council should encourage the LIRR to put a notice of this interpretation of the smoking policy in Train Talk.
Mr. Epstein said that Nassau County has offered the Council office space in a building across from the Mineola train station at no charge. He said that further details would be forthcoming as they are worked out with the County. Maureen Michaels suggested that space should be sought on the South Shore.
Board Report
Ira Greenberg reported that the last meeting of the MTA Board and committees occurred before the PCAC meeting in June and as a result he had little to report. He said that there will be budget briefings held next week for Board members.
Member Reports
Sheila Carpenter pointed out that commuters on Eastern Long Island are really complaining about the train schedules and gaps in service.
Larry Rubinstein remarked on the parking situation at the Merrick and Bellmore parking lots. He said that since the Town of Hempstead had begun to require permits for lots closer to the station, the out of town drivers have been pushed back to outer parking lots. Mr. Peranzo stated that if the LIRR owns the lot, the towns can’t limit access.
Staff Report
Bill Henderson briefly summarized the correspondence and contacts that had been received from the public since the last meeting.
Old Business
Hector Garcia briefed the Council on upcoming work at the Hicksville station. He said that later this month the LIRR will award a design contract for rehabilitation of the platform and the extension of sidings. He referred to a handout that he had distributed and said that there will be 3,300 feet of new tracks installed through the project. As a result the LIRR will be able to store four trains. Construction on the project will start in 2015.
Mr. Garcia also discussed the double track project and said that the Environmental Assessment for the project would be released the next day. He said that there is a 30 Day comment period for the Environmental Assessment.
Ms. Michaels said that she wanted to know about the nature of injuries that occurred in the Connecticut train derailment. Mr. Henderson said that he would get the information for her.
New Business
Tom Piccoli, LIRR Manager of Systems Development and Dave Brulhardt of the LIRR’s Information Technology department, who is the primary developer of the LIRR app, presented the version of the app that is currently under development. Mr. Piccoli said that the task that he was given was to develop an app for Apple devices, to be distributed through the Apple App Store, and for Android devices, to be distributed through the Google Play Store. He cautioned that the app is still in its development stage and that there may be some glitches, but he assured the Council that they will be fixed before release of a finished version.
Mr. Piccoli said that the app is designed to be a portal for information about the LIRR. He said that the heart of the app is information on schedules and fares, but unlike accessing this information from a web browser, this information is displayed on a screen sized for mobile devices when accessed through the app. He also noted that the app is customizable in that if a rider has a favorite station, he or she can limit the stations that it will consider and display.
Mr. Epstein wanted to know if the app has real time information. Mr. Piccoli responded that if the user is looking at a time or date in the future, schedule information will be displayed. If the time is within three hours, the user gets information about delays along with the schedule. This information will tell the user how late an upcoming train will be and whether or not a train is cancelled.
Mr. Peranzo asked if connectivity is needed to get information through the app and said that he is currently using the onTime app because it gives schedule information even if there is no connection. Mr. Brulhardt responded that this is a good suggestion, as the app now requires connectivity to display a schedule. He said, however, that there is a tension between providing information with no connectivity and the amount of memory necessary to maintain cached information.
Mr. Piccoli said that in the latest version of the app, the user is given the last ten alerts that have been issued by the Rail Road, but that in release two there will be some tailoring of the alerts available to users to particular lines or favored stations.
Mr. Rubinstein asked if the app has to be running in order to receive alerts. Mr. Piccoli responded that in release one the app will have to be running to for the user to receive alerts. Releases two and three will have the ability to push alerts tailored to specific lines or stations to users.
Ms. Michaels said that the LIRR’s objectives in developing the app were not clear to her. Mr. Piccoli replied that the app is being developed to create a portal that allows users to receive a range of information through a single point of access.
Mr. Peranzo asked the cost of this project. Mr. Piccoli replied that this effort is being done in-house with a small staff. A major cost is securing an Apple Enterprise license, but this license is used for other projects as well.
Ms. Carpenter wanted to know when the app will be available. Mr. Piccoli responded that it is not currently suitable for release and has to be refined. He said that the LIRR also needs to work through the agreement that must be signed with Apple and that Apple must review it as well. He said that the Rail Road hopes to have the app to Apple soon. Ms. Carpenter asked whether the app is exclusive to the LIRR, Mr. Piccoli responded that it is. Ms. Michaels remarked that this exclusivity does not make sense from the standpoint of a regional transportation system. Mr. Greenberg commented that it would be good to integrate the MTA apps into a single package.
Mr. Piccoli said that the LIRR already uses apps internally for its Customer Assistance Program (CAP). One of the apps that CAP staff use is Train Time, and the LIRR app for riders began with the question of how the Rail Road could get Train Time information to riders. He also noted that the Trip Planner function on the MTA website gives travel information that spans the MTA’s agencies. The app in development includes the Train Time information, service status, customer alerts, station information, a system map, social media feeds, news, and deals and getaways information.
Ellyn Shannon asked if performance metrics could be included in the app. Mr. Rubinstein said that it may be that this information would be best accessed from a source other than the app. Mr. Greenberg said that having some limited information on performance on the app could be useful.
Ms. Michaels stated why the LIRR had not found out whether Apple will require advertising to be included in the app before it was developed. Mr. Piccoli noted that the answer to this question in all likelihood would not have changed the decision to develop the app.
Mr. Peranzo suggested that there should be a feedback button on the app. Mr. Piccoli commented that there has been an idea floated within the LIRR to put a chat page on social media to receive comments.
Mr. Piccoli mentioned that the Train Time app provides users with the track number that the train will use, and that this is not available with CooCoo or other schedule apps. This information comes from the LIRR’s Soleri sign system. Mr. Piccoli asked the members whether they would rather see the app published in the near future or whether the Rail Road should wait for the app to be consolidated with information from the MTA’s other operating agencies before an app is published. Ms. Carpenter and Mr. Peranzo both stated they would like to see it published sooner rather than later.
Mr. Rubinstein asked the size of the app. Mr. Brulhardt responded that the current form of the app is a web app and since it largely gets its information from the web, it is not large.
Ms. Michaels stated that if there are only 5 to 10 percent of the LIRR riders who will download the app, she would recommend that the Rail Road hold back from releasing early versions and wait until the app is more fully developed before it is made available to the public, as a disappointing experience could prevent riders from downloading more advanced versions in the future.
Mr. Peranzo asked who is doing the testing. Mr. Piccoli responded that testing is being done by people on the business side of the LIRR and in the IT department. Mr. Piccoli asking what the Council members felt would be an acceptable size for the app. Mr. Peranzo said that 25 megabytes or smaller is an acceptable size and that onTime is 19.9 megabytes. Mr. Piccoli said that Council members could participate in the testing, but sufficient licenses would have to be procured, and the members would have to come to Jamaica to have the IT Department install the app directly on their Apple devices.
Mr. Epstein stated that now is the time to move toward releasing the app.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
William Henderson
Executive Director