LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD COMMUTER COUNCIL
MINUTES OF JULY 12, 2012
A meeting of the Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council (LIRRCC) was convened at 4:30 pm on July 12, 2012, in the LIRR East Side Access Readiness Conference Room at 450 7th Avenue, New York.
The following members were present:
Gerard P. Bringmann Ira Greenberg
Owen Costello Matthew Kessler
Mark Epstein Maureen Michaels
Larry Rubinstein
The following members were absent:
Sheila Carpenter Michael Godino
Bryan Peranzo
In addition, the following persons were present:
William Henderson -PCAC Executive Director
Hector Garcia -LIRR
Ned Rogers -Rockaway Park Homeowners
Sherry Southe -NYMTC
Ray Pagano -Oceanside Civic Association
Ryan Lynch -TSTC
Approval of Agenda and Minutes
The agenda for the July 12, 2012 meeting was approved. The minutes of the May 10, 2012 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 Chair’s report is attached to these minutes.
Mr. Epstein said that in response to the Council’s call for regulations to prevent taxi fare gouging, Suffolk County is moving to establish a taxi and limousine commission, and the Council had been invited to participate in the process of establishing the commission. He asked whether any members would be interested in working with the County to assist in setting up this body. Maureen Michaels said that she would like to be involved with helping to form a taxi and limousine commission for Suffolk County.
Mark Epstein commented on the Quiet Car program on the LIRR. He stated that he has heard the announcements for the Quiet Car, but only in Penn Station. Ms. Michaels said that she has never heard announcements for the Quiet Car.
Larry Rubenstein noted that he has never saw LIRR “Shhh” card.
Ms. Michaels wanted to know to know the procedure for accessing the platforms when the elevator doesn’t work at Penn Station. Hector Garcia stated that the person should go to Customer Service and that arrangements would be made to provide access by a service elevator. Ms. Michaels pointed out that customers are not aware of this procedure. She recommended that there be signs posted on the elevator directing customers to the Customer Service office when an elevator is out of service.
Board Report
Ira Greenberg noted that there have been two Board meetings since the last LIRRCC meeting. He said that in May, he posed a question about why the on time performance goals that the Rail Road sets for each branch are the same. He noted that trains on different branches have different likelihoods of arriving on time. The response that he received from the LIRR is that they are committed to the same goal for all branches.
Mr. Greenberg also reported that at the May meeting there was a report on the status of positive train control (PTC) and that Board members received a copy of a letter sent to the Secretary of Transportation asking for a delay in PTC implementation. He said that one problem with this requirement is that the federal government has mandated a specific system that Amtrak uses in part of its Northeast Corridor for use on all passenger railroads. He noted that there is no appreciable federal funding for implementing PTC.
Mr. Epstein said that if the Council would like a PTC briefing, members should get in contact with him directly and he can arrange for one to be held.
Mr. Greenberg reported that a contract has been approved to begin the development of Moynihan Station. The funds expended under this contract will be used for improvements to the west end corridor and new access points through the Farley Building, which will be converted into Moynihan Station. Ms. Michaels asked whether it is necessary to widen this area. Mr. Rubenstein responded that if this location is heavily used and sometimes very crowded.
Ira Greenberg said that he asked the Rail Road whether the passenger count on trains that are cancelled or combined are factored into the standee numbers. He said that he had also asked about missing cushions on fold down seats. Hector Garcia of the LIRR responded that the cushions will be replaced and bolted down.
Mr. Greenberg noted that the July Financial Plan will be presented this month, and that it is likely to show a more stable financial situation. As a result, there is renewed talk about service restoration, and Mr. Greenberg said that he has sent a letter to the Board members urging them to restore service in his capacity as PCAC chair.
Staff Report
Bill Henderson reported on issues that have been raised with the Council by riders, including complaints about the organization of busing for Ronkonkoma Branch rail work, a complaint about LIRR employees parking in Town of Babylon resident spaces at Hicksville, a request for additional service to Murray Hill, Broadway, Auburndale, and Plandome stations, concerns about grinding noises coming from M7 undercarriages, a complaint about the Freeport escalator being out of service, a complaint about Port Washington train with the last two cars locked when only last four cars platform, a complaint about a train overshooting the platform in Flushing and a request for an earlier train leaving from Medford.
Mr. Epstein asked about the issue of malfunctioning escalators and requested that Mr. Garcia update the Council on the steps being taken in this area in light of the News 12 report stating that replacement escalators will take from 12 to14 years to be completed. Mr. Garcia responded that the contractor responsible for the escalators has been changed and that the new contractor is very cautious and is not certifying the previous contractor’s work without assessing it fully. Mr. Epstein stated that he would like more information on this issue.
Member Report
Mr. Epstein asked the members to comment on LIRR-related activities in which they are involved outside of their role on the LIRRCC.
Mr. Rubenstein said that he is involved with an effort to implement permit parking at the Bellmore station. The motivation for this effort is that some town residents find it hard to park at the station, while 40 percent of those parking at the station are not town residents. He stated that the permit drive’s purpose is not to make parking available only to residents, but to get some parking set aside for town residents. The permit fee would be $3.00 per year, so this would not be a money raising initiative. Mr. Rubinstein said that even with the minimal permit fee the effort has proved that it is impossible to satisfy everyone. Those arriving early at the station feel that they don’t need a permit system, while those coming to the station late in the morning peak want to be guaranteed a space.
Old Business
As State and Federal legislative issues were covered earlier in the Chair and Board reports, they were not discussed under Old Business per the agenda.
Mr. Epstein inquired about the status of scheduling an LIRR ADA Advisory Meeting. Mr. Garcia said that he was working on setting a date and that July 27 is a possibility.
Ms. Michaels pointed out that the Cold Spring Harbor station clocks are still gone. She also commented on the ladies room at the station, which has been locked for weeks and said that maintenance at this location is an issue, as nothing has been done at the Cold Spring Harbor station for years. She also raised the issue that stations in Suffolk County do not have sufficient benches for those waiting for trains, while Nassau County stations are much better equipped with benches. As an example, the Cold Spring Harbor Station has outdoor seating for seven people.
Ms. Michaels said that she would like to know how routine maintenance is scheduled at this location. Mr. Garcia responded that the LIRR is waiting for funding to do renovations at local stations and that cleaners are to check stations every day and report any maintenance needs. The cleaners’ managers are to periodically inspect the stations and check behind the cleaners. He said that there is no cycle for routine repainting of stations at this time.
Mr. Epstein said that he knows from experience that items in the stations needing repair do not get repaired. Mr. Greenberg noted that routine maintenance is needed to prevent deterioration of the stations and asked whether there is any type of preventive maintenance cycle. Ms. Michaels commented that this situation sounds similar to her year-long campaign to have a television set discarded along the tracks removed. Mr. Epstein wanted to know whether there is any sort of maintenance inspection cycle. Mr. Garcia responded that there is an annual engineering inspection at each station, and that repairs are scheduled based on this inspection.
Ms. Michaels asked when the LIRR will upgrade the system. She said that at the Cold Spring Harbor station there are pedestrian overpasses that are sealed except for a small crack. During summer temperatures in the overpasses are 130-140 degrees. She said that a fellow rider brought this situation to her attention but that this rider recently died of a heart attack.
Mr. Epstein stated that he does not want the role of the Council be making complaints about small items, but instead to look at the big picture.
Mr. Garcia reported on his findings about car air conditioning and heating systems in response to a prior request from the Council. He noted that temperatures for air conditioning and heating systems are preset and are not controllable by train crews. Mr. Garcia stated that he will find out the temperature at which the thermostats are set. Gerry Bringmann said that the LIRR employs temporary workers who check temperatures in the cars.
Mr. Bringmann asked the minimum number of crew members on a train. Mr. Garcia responded that there are always at least two crew members, but beyond that there are many variables that go into deciding how many crew members are assigned to a train. Mr. Bringmann said that on the 5:09 pm train on the Montauk Branch the crew does not get through the train by the time it gets to Islip. He said that one reason for this is that there are a lot of on-board sales to riders.
Ms. Michaels said that the step up fare plus the rounding up to the next even dollar is never the same and that different crews seem to charge different step up fares.
Mr. Epstein raised the issue of short trains, as noted in an email received by the Council that complained about five car trains on the Babylon Branch on Fridays. Mr. Bringmann explained that the LIRR uses the missing cars to make up Montauk special trains that are operated because of high ridership in advance of the weekend.
Matt Kessler reported on developments on the proposed Rockaway Branch reactivation. He said that he had recently attended a community meeting on the proposal and that the atmosphere was very tense. He said that everyone seems to assume that this reactivation is going to happen. Mr. Greenberg said that there are many issues to be resolved before this branch could be reactivated and that the MTA has no position on this effort. Mr. Epstein said that at this time the Council does not need to take a position.
In reference to a discussion at a prior meeting about the Council analyzing changes to scheduled service over the years, Mr. Henderson said that Mr. Garcia had located a comprehensive list of service changes over the past 25 years and that this information is available without reviewing public timetables.
On the subject of open hours for station waiting rooms, Mr. Garcia said that the Rail Road had received the Council’s letter and is considering where to go with respect to changes in hours of operation. Mr. Epstein asked whether there have been any problems resulting from the LIRR’s pilot program to extend waiting room hours. Mr. Garcia responded that there have been no more problems than were usually prior to the pilot program. Mr. Epstein said that the Council wants to have input on this issue before a decision is made and that it doesn’t want to learn about the new policy by reading about it in Newsday.
Owen Costello said that he had first raised the issue of right of way encroachments on the Port Washington Line in April 2011, but nothing has been done. Mr. Epstein asked whether there is a way for the Council to meet with the Town and LIRR. Mr. Costello said that the right of way is LIRR property and that any correspondence should go to Helena Williams asking what the Rail Road will do with regard to the situation. He noted that now there are trees striking the trains in this area. Mr. Epstein suggested the Council could send a letter on the issue to the LIRR and send copies to MTA Inspector General. Mr. Garcia said that he would get the Council and update on the situation and asked that it refrain from sending a letter until he briefs them on the current status.
New Business
Mr. Epstein asked the sense of the Council about the MTA having only one fare hearing on Long Island this fall. He questioned whether the Council should be objecting to a single hearing or should accept a single hearing at a SUNY Farmingdale location. Mr. Rubinstein pointed out that there was little attendance at a Nassau County location in the last round of fare hearings, but this hearing was held on the night of a major storm.
Ms. Michaels stated that the issue regarding the locations of the hearings is that the MTA schedules hearings are in places where attendance is discouraged. Ms. Michaels and Mr. Bringmann agreed that Farmingdale is an acceptable location for the fare hearings.
Mr. Epstein updated the Council on a proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) symposium that other advocates had discussed with him and said that he is pushing to have LIRR commuters’ issues included in the program. He said that the current plan is for a half day symposium and that he told the others involved that he only wanted to participate if issues related to the LIRR are involved.
Mr. Epstein raised the issue of on time performance standards and proposed that the Council come up with recommendations to change the threshold for lateness from 5 minutes 59 seconds. He noted that he also feels that the standard for issuing alerts of 10 minutes behind schedule should also be changed.
Mr. Bringmann pointed out that the on time performance statistics don’t reflect the passenger experience and noted that he was on a train that officially ran 11 minutes late, but because of missed connections it made him 23 minutes late.
Mr. Greenberg remarked that the key is for the statistics to count the passengers rather than the trains. He said that in the past NYC Transit had a simple system that allowed subway trains to make up time by skipping stations, which resulted in on time performance statistics that did not reflect service provided to the riders. In reaction to the disconnect between statistics and the rider experience, Transit moved to wait assessment as an assessment tool.
In response to Sam Schwartz’s presentation at the June PCAC meeting, Mr. Epstein said that he feels that it is early in the process of consideration of his plan and that he does not feel comfortable endorsing the proposal at this point. Ms. Michaels commented that she would vote “no” if an endorsement were proposed and said that Mr. Schwartz’s plan is very thin. Mr. Epstein asked whether the members would like to make suggestions of improvements that could be made with revenue from this plan and the members agreed that they would make recommendations.
Ms. Michaels stated that the survey panel that is being put in place by the MTA has lots of flaws, but in this case the train has left the station. Mr. Epstein remarked that his basic question about the survey panel is why the Council first heard about this initiative through the MTA’s press release.
Mr. Rubinstein asked about the outcome of the smart phone ticketing pilot. Mr. Garcia responded that the analysis of this test is not yet completed.
Mr. Bringmann requested information about the onboard ticket sales trial that was recently announced. He said that he would also like information about delinquent list, which tracks customers who are billed for fares and do not pay. Mr. Bringmann also asked if the MTA Police has ever arrested anyone for non-payment of fares.
Mr. Epstein asked if the guests at the meeting wished to share anything. Ray Pagano from Nassau County said that he is interested in joining the Council and has talked to the County Executive about being recommended for membership.
Ned Rogers said that he had come to the meeting to hear about Rockaway Branch restoration and said that he believes that politicians are stirring up this issue.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 6:15 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
William Henderson
Executive Director
Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council
Chair’s Report
July 12, 2012
We are disappointed in the LIRR’s efforts to inform riders about the cancellation of three trains and modification to other trains’ schedules to accommodate the loss of a switch during East Side Access construction, which began this past Monday. We asked for a truly proactive effort to inform not only those who use the canceled or rescheduled trains but to alert all riders that the construction reduces flexibility in the system and could have far reaching impacts. We called for a presence of LIRR personnel in Penn Station in advance of the change with signage indicating their availability to answer questions. What was provided amounted to a few LIRR employees in orange safety vests passively standing near the ticket windows and the tracks of affected trains.
On July 4 MTA Police Officer John Barnett was stabbed in the eye in an unprovoked attack at Jamaica Station. Despite his injuries, Officer Barnett was able to draw his weapon and fatally shoot his attacker in defense of those in the station. We sent Officer Barnett a letter saluting his bravery and dedication and expressing our wishes for a full and prompt recovery from his injuries.
As you know, on July 6 the President signed a new federal transportation bill. The bill largely maintains or increases current funding levels for public transportation projects and the MTA Capital Program will not be impacted by a loss of federal funds, at least through the expiration of the bill in 2014. We are disappointed, however, that the final legislation excluded the restoration of pre-tax transit benefit limits that had been included in the Senate bill. We issued a press release, which we sent to you previously, expressing our disappointment with Congress’ failure to act on this issue.
The failure of congress to act makes it more important that the State restore the higher pre-tax transit benefit limits with regard to State income taxes. The Senate passed a bill to restore these limits. Unfortunately, the “same as” Assembly bill that would have brought this legislation to the Governor for his signature failed to be reported from committee. We had joined with Vision Long Island and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign in calling for Assembly action on the bill. There are still options to restore these benefit limits, such as inclusion in federal tax legislation to be considered after the election or consideration of an Assembly bill in an expected post-election session, and we should not give up the fight on this issue.
We also spoke out publicly on the issue of price gouging by taxicab operators in the wake of June 11 service disruptions where riders were charged unreasonably high fares to travel from stations where service was suspended to nearby stations with LIRR service. We issued a press release calling for Nassau and Suffolk Counties to enforce regulations that would prevent the overcharging of vulnerable riders. We received a good reaction to this call, particularly in Suffolk County where elected officials invited us to participate in developing regulations and welcomed a representative from the Council to be active in forming the taxi and limousine commission that is expected to result from the process. Any member who is interested in being involved with this process should please let me know.
Of course, taxicab price gouging is also a symptom of a larger problem. The LIRR must do a better job of providing and identifying options for its riders when there is a service disruption. It’s critical that the Rail Road places greater emphasis on finding ways to get riders to stations where service is available. We have previously raised concerns about a lack of buses provided by the LIRR, and the LIRR must coordinate with other transportation providers to give its customers more information about bus routes that can be links to alternative train service. Also, I’ve asked the LIRR to reach agreements with towns that operate parking facilities so that during a service emergency some parking restrictions will be suspended to allow riders to access stations where there is train service.
On June 28, Ira Greenberg, Matt Kessler, and I attended the NYC Transit Riders Council meeting to hear Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer speak about his transportation proposals. Among these proposals was a return of the commuter tax, which would be used to support transportation infrastructure. When I expressed concern about this proposal and asked whether this tax would apply to reverse commuters as well as commuters to New York City, Mr. Stringer indicated that it would not. This position is not helpful in moving the issue forward.
On June 18, the LIRR expanded its quiet car program to all single level peak hour trains that operate to and from Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal. We continue to receive reports that there is inadequate information about the quiet car program to allow riders to understand where quiet cars are and what is expected of them. We are continuing to discuss better means of communication with the LIRR.
A copy of the summary of comments that we received at our Meet the Commuter Council event on June 5 is in your packet today. We sent a letter to LIRR President Williams outlining the comments that we received and asking for the Rail Road’s responses. A copy of the letter is also in your packet today.
On May 31, several of our members, Bill Henderson, and I met with the team conducting the Nassau Hub Study, which is currently in the process of an alternatives analysis to identify possibilities for a transportation system serving the Nassau Hub area. The study is in an early phase that will end with a set of possible alignments and transportation technologies and we will monitor it as studies move along, although it is uncertain whether the project would have a significant impact on the LIRR system.
In the longer term, the Regional Economic Development Council process on Long Island is continuing to have a strong focus on projects that increase mobility and improve Long Island’s transportation system. This focus is in keeping with the Council’s support for cooperation between a range of stakeholders including the LIRR to build a more effective transportation system on Long Island.
The Long Island Association has formed an Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee. I have been invited to join the committee and have accepted, and we have held our first meeting. I’ll keep the Council informed of issues discussed there that impact the LIRR riders.
Since we last met we have sent several letters to LIRR President Helena Williams. We wrote her on the lack of communication with riders during the May 29 service disruption and resulting limited access to Penn Station. We also sent a letter on Sheila Carpenter’s experience on June 1 where she and approximately 40 other passengers were locked out of the Huntington waiting room in the rain while police officers took refuge in the building. We called upon the Rail Road to live up to its Pledge to Customers in situations such as the service disruption of June 11 that prompted our statements on taxicab overcharging. Finally, we related to President Williams that we have received a number of complaints about station repair needs and asked for an explanation of the process for identifying these needs and ensuring that they are addressed. We are awaiting responses to these issues.
We did receive a response to our questions about the installation of Wi-Fi service on the LIRR. A copy of the response is in your packets today.
We are arranging several briefings, including a meeting on the proposed project in the station area at Hempstead that is being undertaken by Renaissance Downtowns and a briefing on movement toward a new M9 railcar. We are also working to arrange a meeting with LIRR personnel to discuss car air conditioning and right of way issues, and the LIRR ADA advisory committee is in the process of scheduling its next meeting.