Meeting Minutes September 28, 2017

Video 1 

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Introduction of Presentor: Wynton Habersham, NYC Transit, Senior vice President, Department of Subways, to discuss the NYC Transit Action Plan

Mr. Habersham’s presents selected subway statistics

System in distress and problems have come to a head

FDNY NYPD Con Ed Verizon are important partners

Subway Action Plan developed to mitigate problems

Subway conditions are not as bad as in 1981.

Sandy five years ago…we lost capacity to provide 40% of transit trips in the nation over those five days

Focus is now on stabilizing of the system, to mitigate failures and improve capacity. Priority to ensuring reliability including stations

In big incidents NYCT must make sure we communicate better

NYCT will hire more people

Focus on track and signals, cars, system safety and cleanliness, customer communication and working as a team to do the job better

Old equipment is an issue

There is a focus on correcting defects and addressing work orders to prevent failures…first address 1,300 defects that are first priority

NYCT working to identify any pattern to where signal failures happen…heat maps show where problem spots are

Power outages can be very destructive and cause loss of service in an entire corridor

Power issues problems have increased over the last year

Con Ed has stepped up inspections of manholes, replacing aluminum with copper wiring and thoroughly engaged

Water is a huge problem and a big vulnerability. Sandy was a perfect example but ground water is biggest challenge.20% of signal failures are due to water and debris

Special teams seal leaks but street grates are a major source of water intrusion

NYC Transit must clean better. The track is littered and NYCT plans to hire 300 track cleaners

They will use mobile vacuums and intense cleaning, scraping tracks and picking up litter

Rodents are a challenge; they carry food into drains and clog them

There are three levels of defects. Level1 defects get immediate attention

Rail joints are where rail breaks occur, so there is an intense program for installation of continuous welded rail and friction pads to create resiliency. The goal is to reduce 45 minute response time to 45 minutes

Car reliability is largely tied to door malfunctions

Cars will have overhaul program every seven years and shops will concentrate on getting cars out faster to build a higher spare factor.

There will field teams to address car issues more quickly

NYCT will add cars to trains where possible and remove seats to increase capacity. Also improving car interiors

The station environment will also be a focus. Customer safety is important and the NYPD will be asked to increase its presence and enforce littering rules to reduce fires

Another focus is communication and educating the public

NYCT will seek to better deal with homelessness, and address sick customers by increasing the presence of EMT squads

Other station improvements are cleaning stations more often, increasing station repairs, and prioritizing escalator and elevator repairs

In customer Communications NYCT is building a program, revising protocols and looking at Ambassadors with devices who will get rail control center and general service information

Looking at giving conductors tablets as communication device

C Greif: many stations with single garbage can and NYPD not enforcing littering rules

S. Goldstein: asked implementation and funding  challenges, timetable

W Habersham: We hope to accomplish a lot by 2018; track access is an issue

A. Albert: Could line shutdowns help?

Discussion of communication problems

C. Greif: There should be more EMT teams in Brooklyn

T. Mason:  Need to spread improvements around the system

A. Albert: EMT pilot could be done in each borough

B. Henderson: EMT access is factor; some stations easier to get to.

O. Viera: There should be multi language map updates

C. Greif: thanked Angela Bellisio for service to PCAC

A. Albert: ESI money could have been spent more effectively instead of some amenities that have been put in stations.

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–       New board procedures were subject of lengthy discussion

–       Sense that board is listening to the public speakers

–       Alcohol ads brought out a huge number of speakers

–       Phase 3 of ESI brought new turn…slow work by Judlau …given Canarsie tube work…woefully behind…Board voted that MTA consider next preferred bidder for Phase 3…Ecco III awarded contract..have done work for bridges and Tunnels and Metro-North but this is first time for NYCT

–       Scott Rechler and Veronica Vanterpool Op-ed backing congestion pricing…Board must discuss new capital funding

–       Digital advertising contract to replace all paper communications with 1700 new screens…a big percentage set aside for MTA

T. Mason: maps on Second Av subway…should be two maps on the platforms

Mr. X: There was only one board member at the hearing held on September 12^th

A. Albert: There will be high penalties if L train work is not completed within 15 month deadline