NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT RIDERS COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MAY 22, 2014
A meeting of the New York City Transit Riders Council (NYCTRC) was convened at 12 noon on May 22, 2014 in the 5th Floor Board room at MTA Headquarters, 347 Madison Avenue, New York City. The following members were present:
Andrew Albert Marisol Halpern
Stuart Goldstein Trudy L. Mason
Chris Greif Edith M. Prentiss
William K. Guild Michael Sinansky
The following members were absent:
Thomas Jost Steve Mayo
Sharon King Hoge Burton Strauss, Jr.
In addition, the following persons were present:
William Henderson -PCAC Executive Director
Angela Bellisio -PCAC Transportation Planner
Bradley Brashears -PCAC Research Assistant
Matt Kessler -PCAC 1st Vice Chair
Anthony Drummond -Brooklyn Borough President’s Office
Rebecca Harshbarger -NYPost
Dustin Jones -Disabled In Action
Debra Greif -BFSSAC
Aliya Rasool -District 75 DOE
Brigitta Payne -Lindenwood Alliance
Matt Shotkin -Concerned citizen
Ken Stewart -Concerned citizen
Ann Guild -Concerned citizen
Approval of Agenda and Minutes
The agenda for the May 22, 2014 meeting was approved. The minutes of the April 24, 2014 meeting were approved.
Chair’s Report
Chris Greif commented on the new bus destination signs that he was shown. He said that the signs are more visible, but on a sunny day it still is not easy to see them. In most cases they are readable from one to two blocks in normal conditions. Edith Prentiss said that the new SBS bus signage is incredible. She stated that is it visible, especially at night. She commented that the color combination is much better than on the current signage.
The Council briefly discussed the circumstances of the removal of blue lights from SBS Buses. Bill Henderson said that according to State law blue lights on vehicles are reserved for volunteer firefighters.
William Guild commented that he had heard that defects found in sections of rail from the same batch as the piece that appeared to have failed in the F train derailment. Mr. Henderson responded stating that the rails are supposed to be ultrasonically tested by their manufacturer prior to delivery. Mike Sinansky said that NYC Transit’s acceptance process should include a requirement for metallurgical analysis. Stuart Goldstein asked whether there are any changes being considered to acceptance procedures. Andrew Albert said that a future change in these procedures is possible.
Chris Greif said that in a Channel 7 News report on the F train derailment a person claimed to be trapped in a train for an hour, but it turned out that this person was not actually on the train. Mr. Albert asked how LIRR personnel know when to cross honor tickets. Mr. Greif replied that the instruction to cross honor tickets was broadcast on the radios used by NYC Transit and LIRR personnel. He noted that NYC Transit ran shuttle buses to Queens Plaza and 21st Queensbridge as well.
Trudy Mason commented that the purpose of the periodic reports on the Second Avenue Subway arranged by Carolyn Maloney is to give local residents an update on what is happening. There are still challenges in completing the project, as the East Side Access and Second Avenue Subway projects are two of the largest transit projects in the country, and there is still a need to secure Phase 2 and/ Phase 3 funding for the Second Avenue Subway.
Ms. Prentiss mentioned that the disability community is hoping for quick implementation of a touchless farecard system. She stated that there are individuals with disabilities who have a number of other things to attend to when entering fare gates or boarding buses, and a touchless system would make this part of the trip easier for them.
Board Report
Mr. Albert commented on NYC Transit’s settlement with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and said that all eyes are now on the negotiations with LIRR unions. The Presidential Emergency Boards (PEBs) appointed in the LIRR contract dispute have recommended a higher settlement than that received by the TWU. MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast and Chief Financial Officer Bob Foran have said that to adopt the PEB recommendation would mean less investment, less service and the drawdown of reserve funds. While Mr. Prendergast and Mr. Foran pointed to several bad scenarios, the first time that there can be an LIRR strike will be in mid-July. There are contingency plans in preparation for busing, and riders will be encouraged to telecommute. While the settlement with NYC Transit workers is positive, it did not include work rule changes, which the MTA really wanted.
Mr. Albert said that the MTA has agreed to put Positive Train Control (PTC) on all commuter rail lines except for the Waterbury Branch and section of the LIRR Main Line East of Yaphank. He stated that these lines will be PTC ready, so that if there is growth that requires more service it can be accommodated. He also noted that Parsons Brinckerhoff has purchased Delcan, forcing a change in the MTA’s independent engineer agreement. Currently, the independent engineer program is run by McKissick, which was Delcan’s partner in the joint venture that previously provided these services. It was necessary to remove Delcan from its role as independent engineer to avoid conflicts of interest, and the MTA may issue a new request for proposals for independent engineering services.
Mr. Albert noted that the push for new service on the part of the MTA Board is continuing. He also said that NYC Transit’s decision to turn off some exit gate alarms had been done backwards. At the unstaffed entrances, the alarm is a signal that the gate is open, but the alarms have been left here and removed near station booths where they might have had a deterrent effect. NYC Transit has started to install Help Point intercoms at these locations, but since they are not exercising the option to include cameras in these units they are of limited use in preventing fare evasion.
The Public Hearing that the MTA held on service expansions brought forth many comments on service, and Mr. Albert said he was in attendance to hear them. Those addressing the new West Side bus service said that the frequency of the new service would not be sufficient and that the M11 bus service quality is already poor. It was feared by some speakers that the new service will cannibalize the M11 ridership and lead to further deterioration in the M11 service. He also noted that NYC Transit is adding service on Staten Island to meet new Staten Island Ferry trips that are being provided by the City.
Mr. Albert said that he recently noticed an announcement at Chambers Street on the weekend about connections to the PATH system, which is not running on weekends in Lower Manhattan due to a signal upgrade project. He said he spoke to NYC Transit President Carmen Bianco and he said that he will improve coordination with PATH.
Mr. Sinansky asked how credit and debit card skimmer devices can be put on fare vending machines without anyone noticing. Mr. Henderson said that installing these devices is a very quick process and noted that MTA Police had disabled the device and captured the person installing it in the most recent incident.
Old Business
Mr. Albert said that Bradley Brashears has completed a final draft of the Council’s report on planned service diversions and that it is a superb job. He thanked all who worked on data collection and said that the final product is very visually attractive. The Council hopes to hold a media event releasing the report within two weeks.
Ms. Mason remarked that she hopes that there is something in report that recommends that NYC Transit go back to setting up Customer Information Centers in stations. Mr. Albert said that this issue will be covered in the report and noted that he received a BusTime presentation in which they talked about giving estimated times to next bus, during which he asked about the status of the Guide- a-Ride displays at bus stops. Chairman Prendergast responded that they are no longer updating the Guide-a-Rides, and Mr. Albert suggested that they be taken down as their information is becoming outdated.
Ms. Prentiss asked, if there are centralized sets of signs, whether they can be in the boarding area. She also suggested that there be a map on the platform and that there be information at bus stops telling the hours of service for the buses serving the stop. Ms. Prentiss also noted that when last B/D train was cancelled the previous night people waiting for the train were confused.
Stuart Goldstein commented that information telling the times of the first and last buses would be useful and suggested that there is a need for some indication of special runs and different termini for bus routes.
Ken Stewart stated that there is an erroneous sign at Time Warner Center stop that directs people to 57th and 58th Streets, when only 58th Street is conveniently reachable by the path indicated. He also stated that the Fulton Center retail space should not have doors that open outward into circulation areas.
Ms. Mason pointed out that the issues on Lexington Avenue lines are continuing and the problems are not going away. Mr. Albert and Ms. Mason discussed the problem of delays in the system and the persistence of problems throughout the system.
New Business
Mr. Greif expressed his concerns about the changes to bus service at Gateway Mall and the Brooklyn Developmental Center. He requested that he have a meeting with NYC Transit because he was not informed of the changes.
Ms. Prentiss pointed out that she called the 511 system with a question of whether gates at the Willets Point station would be open for World’s Fair Festival and received differing answers. Finally it was said that the gate is owned by the Stadium and the gate is open only for games, to which she replied that she would have to use Access-A-Ride (AAR). For her trip home the AAR driver could not find her. She also noted that accessibility was not mentioned on the press release for the event and that no one at 511 seemed to know whether these gates would be open.
Ms. Mason announced that she wanted to make an official request that a letter be written on the Lexington Avenue line problems.
Mr. Stewart stated that he would like to advocate for return of straps to the subway. He stated that NYC Transit is using them on buses, and questioned why they are not in use on subways.
Marisol Halpern mentioned that on her way to the meeting there was a lost child incident on the D train at 155th Street. In response to the report of a lost child they looked in all cars for the child, and she said that it was an interesting process and a good way to find the child, who had traveled from 161st Street. Ms. Halpern also asked whether the MTA is involved with the City’s Vision Zero initiative. Mr. Henderson said that NYC Transit President Carmen Bianco stated that they are cooperating with the initiative, but their involvement is limited.
Mr. Greif pointed out the treatment of people with disabilities for the running of the Train of All Colors at the World’s Fair Festival was a problem. He stated that there was no communication of where the doors would open at Willets Point.
Ms. Prentiss mentioned the practice sessions at the US Open tennis tournament and said that they do not trigger the opening of gates to the accessible entrance at the Willets Point station. She said that during the World’s Fair Festival the gates were open but nobody knew. Mr. Henderson said that he would find out the policy on opening these gates. Ms. Prentiss said that changing the doors that open on a train causes a problem because people who are travel trained are not able to use the doors they expect. She also said that when the A train is not running, the service plan for people needing accessible trips is a total disaster. In a recent service outage, the bus shuttle that was provided should have been extended farther north. Also scheduled buses and shuttles conflicted at 168th Street, but to their credit NYC Transit learned that the M4 bus does not go up St. Nicholas Avenue.
Matt Shotkin wanted to know if the public will be invited to the press conference on the Council’s service diversion report. Mr. Albert responded that the general public will not be invited. He also asked how often the numeric keys on MetroCard Vending Machines are cleaned.
Debra Greif said the C train is packed from Rockaway Parkway to 8th Avenue, even at midnight. She stated that when mid-day repairs are done on the line, the platforms are packed. Also, there needs to be some other way to add funds for operation of the M train and that it should be extended to Broadway-Lafayette or West 4th Street.
Brigitta Payne commented on the local M15 bus. She stated that there are few local buses on the route, but many Select buses. She said that some riders still need the local bus. Mr. Albert suggested that she talk to her Community Board about this.
Ms. Prentiss pointed out that she can never find information about where SBS stops are located when on the Lower East Side. She suggested that there should be directions to SBS stops on the lollipop signs for local buses. Mr. Albert commented that wayfinding signs are needed in many places.
Dustin Jones said that he is from Hollis, Queens. He asked why there are no articulated buses on the Q60 route. Mr. Albert responded that the MTA has ordered a new set of articulated buses. He also said that the Q64 operated better when it ran out of College Point depot and that it is now at Baisley Park and there are not as many buses on the route and crowding.
Ms. Prentiss stated that on Tuesday night between 5:20-6:30 pm at Broadway and 184th Street on the Bx7 route there were five high floor buses in a row where operators made no attempt to bring their buses into the stop. The bus operators do not seem to know how to bring the bus into stop. Mr. Albert stated that he will find out why high floor buses are so predominant on Upper Manhattan routes.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 2 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
William Henderson
Executive Director