A meeting of the Long Island Rail Road Commuter’s Council (LIRRCC) was convened at 12:15 p.m. on January 14, 2010, in the 5th floor Board Room, MTA Headquarters, 347 Madison Avenue, New York City.
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:
• Ron Breuer
• Sheila Carpenter
• James McGovern
In addition, the following persons were present:
• William Henderson -PCAC Executive Director
• Jan Wells -PCAC Associate Director
• Ellyn Shannon -PCAC Transportation Planner
• Karyl Berger -PCAC Research Associate
• Holli Dunayer -LIRR
Approval of Agenda and Minutes
The agenda for the January 14, 2010 meeting was approved. The minutes of the November 5, 2009 meeting were approved as amended.
Chair’s Report
The Chair’s Report is attached to these minutes.
Maureen Michaels stated that the top priority of the LIRR should be to make improvements that don’t require more money. She said the Council must continue to advocate for the big ticket items with elected officials.
Ms. Michaels reported that she would be having lunch with Joe Calderone, LIRR Vice President – Market Development, to discuss relations between the Council and LIRR management. She said she would outline where the Council has been and where it would like to be. She said she would make it clear that the Council would like to see changes, and that these changes do not require spending a lot of money.
Ms. Michaels indicated that both Helena Williams and Vincent Tessatore were dismayed with the letter the Council wrote about the LIRR’s lack of communication with customers during the December snowstorm. Ms. Michaels said it would have been irresponsible of the Council not to comment on this issue.
Board Report
Ira Greenberg explained the issues regarding the status of the non-voting members to the MTA Board.
Mr. Greenberg said no specific cuts for the LIRR have been made public yet, although the public hearings have been set for early March. He said that the MTA Board’s cut committee is looking at things but that he is not sure what their plan is.
Old Business
Ms. Michaels noted that a number of months ago she asked President Williams for passenger impact statistics but that the Council has never received an indication that the Rail Road will produce them. Ms. Michaels said staff and the Council will assemble this information.
Mr. Greenberg said that after attending the LIRR diesel task force meeting, his sense was that the Rail Road is trying to address the diesel fleet issues. At the same time new problems arise that have never before had to be addressed, which complicates the LIRR’s attempt to deal with all of the issues in a timely manner.
Mr. Greenberg also said that he had asked LIRR management to report on standees at the monthly Long Island Committee meetings but they have not done so.
Mr. Costello said he would like a full explanation of on time performance. He asked where train arrival times are recorded at the terminal and where the sensor that records arrival time is located relative to the platform where passengers are discharged. There was general agreement that the statistics issued by the Rail Road don’t accurately reflect the passengers’ experience. Mr. Henderson said that the degree to which a train may exceed its scheduled arrival time before it is counted as late in OTP figure is a national standard that is used by all major commuter railroads. Ms. Michaels noted that this is an example of the LIRR’s problem with credibility.
Mr. Greenberg said it is clear that the electric fleet does not suffer from the same mechanical problems that plague the diesel fleet.
Gerry Bringmann formally requested that the on time performance statistics include cancelled trains.
Mark Epstein noted that there is a seven minute difference between the last morning peak train and the first off peak train on his line. He said people get very angry that, when a peak train is late enough that it is behind the schedule for the first off peak train, peak fares are still charged on the delayed train. He suggested that the Council take the position that riders on the delayed train in this situation should be charged off peak fares.
Ms. Michaels said that in any case the LIRR’s measure of on-time performance has been the same from year to year and is reported as showing improvement.
Mr. Bringmann reported that in December there were nine diesel trains that were cancelled and that this number does not include the trains that were cancelled during the snowstorm on December 20. He said December 21 proved to be the worst one day on time performance for the diesel fleet.
Mr. Bringmann asked if the number of late diesel trains could be broken out in the Rail Road’s statistics on late trains.
It was asked whether train crews on the LIRR can open every other train door automatically or if this must be done manually by the train crew.
New Business
Ms. Michaels opened the discussion on the Council’s priorities for 2010.
Mr. Costello said he feels strongly that station cleaning has to be a priority for the LIRR, that it is important to report defects, and that more announcements need to be made. He also noted that the train crews wear different uniforms and that there is no consistency in this area. He would like to know the LIRR’s policy for uniforms.
Larry Rubenstein said the LIRR should post the length of trains on train information display boards. He said when trains make stops at which passengers have to exit from certain cars, riders often don’t know where they are in the train, and it would be helpful if they had this information. He reported that he is a member of Nassau County Legislator David Dennenberg’s transportation advisory committee and one of Mr. Dennenberg’s biggest concerns is providing timely information to passengers.
Mark Epstein said his biggest concern is on board communication and wondered if the LIRR would allow the Council to put up a glass enclosed bulletin board where information about the Council could be posted.
Mr. Rubinstein noted that there is a 12 hour maximum parking restrictions at Bellmore and because he commutes at different times and works long hours, this restriction is a real problem for him. He said that the parking information provided by the Rail Road indicates “Parking is free and there are no restrictions”.
Mr. Bringmann noted that “state of good repair” is a huge issue in that malfunctions of the signal system, which is considered to be in a state of good repair, is one of the major reasons that trains are delayed. He said it is important to follow up on issues raised in the past and cited the ongoing issues with the gap as an example. He also noted that when the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) undertakes an investigation, it takes a long time for a final report to be released.
Ms. Shannon asked Holli Dunayer to make sure we get copies of any reports that the NTSB issues when they are released.
Matt Kessler suggested that we ask the LIRR for a small space in Train Talk. He also suggested that the council meetings should be held in different venues each month. Ms. Michaels said she liked idea about Train Talk.
Mr. Rubinstein reported that he heard from the coffee truck operator at his station that the MTA is trying to require that the operators of a station’s coffee trucks also operate the station’s news stands. Ms. Shannon said she would ask staff in the Real Estate department whether these contracts are being linked.
Ms. Michaels said she was criticized by Vincent Tessitore, the MTA Board member who represents the LIRR unions, for asking the LIRR to report the status of taxi service suspensions during snow storms. It was noted that this should be a responsibility of the LIRR because they lease space at stations to the taxi companies and thus determine which companies will regularly serve the stations.
In response to Ms. Michaels’ question as to whether the bathrooms have been finished at the Huntington station taxi office, Ms. Dunayer-Shalvoy said the LIRR has completed its part of the work.
Mr. Epstein said that handicapped parking has been removed at Merrick and Seaford and the remaining restricted parking is far from access to the platform.
Mr. Rubinstein said that he understands that station waiting rooms have been closed during late night hours to keep the homeless out, but he noted that this closure is unfair to commuters like him who travel at odd hours because of the nature of the work they do.
Karyl Berger said that they are closing off part of the newly renovated Flatbush terminal as a way to provide for the cleaning of the facility.
Mr. Rubinstein said that all armrests have not yet been retrofitted on the M7 trains.
Ms. Michaels said the LIRR should designate a place on platforms for safe boarding by persons with disabilities.
In response to Ms. Berger’s statement that it has been over two years since Ms. Dunayer said there would be a LIRR ADA advisory committee, Ms. Dunayer said that there have been many personnel changes but now that there is a replacement for LIRR ADA Counsel Walter Johnson she will be able to convene a meeting.
Mr. Rubinstein said that it is often impossible to walk through the area in Penn Station in front of the train information boards. He suggested that a clear lane where standing is prohibited be established to provide a path through the area.
Mr. Costello said at the Port Washington station, there are cleaning mops that have been leaned against the station wall for a few weeks. This issue was referred to Holli Dunayer for follow-up. He said the other big issue at Port Washington is the pigeon problem. Ms. Michaels said staff will inquire what the LIRR’s strategies are in dealing with the pigeon problem. Mr. Rubinstein reported that LIRR Branch Line Manager Roy Powers said that the Rail Road is putting up bird netting this year.
The members agreed the LIRRCC meetings should be held in Jamaica in the late afternoon.
The members unanimously approved a resolution acknowledging the time and service Jim McGovern has given to the Council over the last nine years.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 2:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Karyl Berger
Research Associate