Category: This just in

Subway Congestion Fare: 50 Cents

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Ok, so this proposal was announced last week, and…well…I needed a few days to ponder my reaction. No matter how hard I thought about it, all I was left with was: “WTF?”

Let’s discuss.

The New York State Assembly basically wants to 1) pick a fight and 2) ride on the “green” coat tails of Mayor Bloomberg. The Mayor announced his congestion pricing plan designed to charge an $8 fee to drive in midtown during peak times. It was met with great approval by New Yorkers, over 80% approval. So of course, the Assembly doesn’t want some great idea to be passed without them being involved, so of course the must tamper.

So, they throw out the idea of lowering the subway fare to 50 cents (from $2) during rush hours. [sigh]

Let’s talk about all the reasons why this might be the worst idea on the planet. First, it is going to do nothing to lower carbon emissions, which is the freaking point. Trying to lure people out of the cars by saving them a buck-fifty isn’t going to work. Drivers are just going to keep driving because it won’t cost them any more to drive. Sure, the might contemplate the savings by taking the subway, but let’s face it, there’s a reason that they like to drive in the first place. Saving them a little change isn’t going to inspire them to hit the rails.

On the flip side, a lot more people will ride the trains and buses for shorter trips. Right now, people walk if their destination isn’t worth the $2 to take the subway. Reducing the fare to 50 cents will encourage more people to take very short trips. The number of one stop riders will skyrocket. “For $2…ehh…I’ll just walk,” will be replaced by, “Hell, it’s only 50 cents…lets ride.”

Also, you’re banking on people flooding into the public transportation system that can’t handle the load as it is. As a whole, yeah, the system might be able to handle a sharp increase in traffic. However, certain lines are going to come to a grinding halt. Just to name a few, the 1, 2, and 3 line and the F line will flood well over capacity. They are already over crowded!

You may argue that the Mayor’s congestion pricing model is going to do the same thing, but you would be wrong. Yes, there will be some increase in usage of the public transportation system, but not an insane increase. Why? Because congestion pricing does not target New Yorkers.

Bloomberg was initially concerned that congestion pricing would have a huge financial impact on outer borough residents coming into Manhattan. However, it turns out that most outer borough peeps are smart, and already rely mostly on the subway to get into midtown. So, congestion pricing really hurt them much. Instead, congestion pricing impacts commercial traffic and people coming into the city from out of town. So, all the people that live out of town, but come in to work will be saddled with most of the fees. Sounds like a plan to me.Read More »

Survey Survey SURVEY!!

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Here’s an important survey about blog readership.  It is designed to capture information about readers of this blog as well as blogs all over the Internet.

Ok, ok…it’s a little on the long side.  Shouldn’t take you longer than 10 minutes or so.  It’s something interesting to do on your lunch break!

Also, it’s got interesting questions about whether or not you floss, and what kind of Gin you like to drink.  So it’s not all that boring.

So CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE.  C’mon…do it for the team!

Subway Fashion Fugly

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trouble.jpg

Just about every outfit you see on the subway is a “fashion don’t.” Did you ever find yourself riding the train wondering if you are the only normal looking one on board?

In the winter, it’s cold. People just look like idiots because they are wearing whatever they can to stay warm. In the summer though, people are clearly not thinking, or have simply giving up. To some extent, I can understand giving up when it is a million degrees out.

Anyway, here’s some major fashion don’ts that you’ll find on every train. Sorry ladies, but most of them fall on you.

1. Pants that are 4 to 6 sizes too small. Sorry lady, you shouldn’t be buying the same size jeans you wore when you were 14 years old. Where in the Hispanic and African community did someone decide that it was sexy to barely be able to have your zipper reach the top? Sure, white girls are sometimes guilty too, but they are just plain sloppy. The African and Hispanic ladies wear them with purpose!

2. Women with breasts the size of toddlers that don’t wear bras. Just because the tank-top says “built in bra” doesn’t mean that it can hold 50 pounds of boob meat.

3. Some people just shouldn’t wear sandals. Nuff said.

Dice Man4. Sleeveless tee shirts (guys) where you cut the sleeves off yourself. Fellas, in case you didn’t know, the gym has this thing called a locker room where you can change out of your workout clothes. Also, Andrew Dice Clay wants his outfit back.

5. Strapless tops with non-strapless bras. Wasn’t this a redneck joke? You know you’re a redneck if you wear a strapless top with a bra that isn’t? Well, I swear I have seen a half dozen women like this already this year. Ok maybe a strapless top with a tank top under neath is ok. A little 80’s retro look is cool. But this is an all out BRA.

Strapless6. Sunglasses under ground. Ok, what the hell is this? Why do some women wear those huge chemistry goggle sunglasses on the train? It doesn’t make you look swank or mysterious. The only mystery is whether or not there is a person behind those manhole sized glasses. Honestly, theses sunglasses are getting so big that they could double as welding masks.

I’m sure you have some more of your own, so let’s hear them! Hit up the comments.

New Digs!

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sb2.gifEhh ehh…how ’bout this? Not too shabby, huh.

For those that didn’t notice, SUBWAYblogger’s got some new digs. I complete redesign. The holiday weekend (right at the very end) inspired me to make a major update.

It’s been almost a full year (in August) since SUBWAYblogger was born, so we figured it was time for an update. However, it did not come without major hesitation. We were really in love with out old look, but we thought it was time to grow up.

The old look was a little “beginner” looking…sort of. We made a lot of customized touches, but it still just looked like a side hobby. We’ve decided to try to take this “thing” to the next level, and really do something. We’ve got a very modest following, and we’d like to keep it going. One day, we hope to be one of the better known NYC blogs. We want to be a part of that stable of greatness, and that’s no easy task.

So, first things first, it was time for SUBWAYblogger.com to become a grown-up. Gasp!

We’ll never become a commercialized sellout blog, but turning a buck would not be the end of the world. So, we are aiming to make the site a little more blog advertising friendly.

Last, but certainly not least, we’d like to thank all of our loyal readers, commenters, and even haters. You’re what has made us a minor league success!

Happy blogging.

Subway Smart Cards Now For Buses

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Subway Paypass

The “smart card” system is now being tested on a limited basis with the buses.

But first, a quick refresher on what the hell a smart card is. In short, it’s like easy pass for subway fare. It’s a little keychain bob that you can swipe over a sensor to pay your fare. It’s like your Duane Reade club card that you have on your keychain. If you have Mastercard with “blink” technology, it’s like that too.

The concept basically deducts the fare automatically from a bank or charge account every time you use it to do a touch-less fare swipe. Right now, it is only available along Lexington Avenue, and has been since late 2006.

SUBWAYblogger is hoping that bus testing means good things for the technology getting rolled out to the whole system. It really would be nice to leave the whole MetroCard thing behind, at least for regular riders. However, they have not yet figured out how to handle monthly passes, etc. Right now, the system charges you the full $2.00 fare every time.

I would imagine that they could set up an easy online system to manage your account. For example, every month just automatically charge you to “refill” your unlimited monthly pass. Through the online portal, you could decide how often you want your account recharged.

They could even setup the current MetroCard machines to control your account, sort of like an ATM machine. All you would have to do is dip the card that is tied to your account. Eventually, we could see the day where all you have to do is walk onto the train, and an RFID tag will know you got on, and charge you.

Guess what. The subway is over crowded.

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Howard Roberts Jr, President of Obvious Information and City Transit President, tells the Post that subway ridership is already at an insane 50 year high of 1.5 BILLION riders a year. 

In even more obvious news, that means that riding the train is going to be more crowded and slower.  Shocker.

So what does he plan to do about it?  Well, he proposes that subway platforms get lengthened to allow 2 extra cars per train.  Also, he proposes that technology be improved to allow the trains to run faster than 18mph (average) and run closer together.  If the trains can run closer together, they could run more trains, more frequently. 

Also, if Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan happens, it will result in an immediate 2% increase in ridership.  Joy.

Long story short, the MTA needs to finally get rid of all the 1930’s technology and step up their game.

Last but not least, here’s the holiday weekend transit changes: (includes MONDAY)

1 train: No trains between 14th Street and South Ferry.

2, 3 trains: Trains run local between 96th and Chambers streets.

7 train:Flushing-bound trains run express between Woodside-61st Street and Willets Point until 10 p.m. Sunday.

A, C trains Starting tonight at 11:30 p.m. uptown trains run express between 59th and 125th streets.

E, R trains: Queens-bound trains run express from Queens Plaza to Roosevelt Avenue until 5 a.m. Monday.

F train:Queens-bound trains run on the V line between 47th-50th Street Rockefeller Center and Roosevelt Avenue. Coney Island-bound trains run express from Smith-9th Streets to Church Avenue.

G train: No trains between 71st-Continental Avenue and Court Square until 5 a.m. Monday.

N train:Manhattan-bound trains run express between Stillwell Avenue and 59th Streets. rerouted over the Manhattan Bridge from Canal Street to De Kalb Avenue.

Subway Report Card = Bad News Bears

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f.gifLast week, the MTA President, Howard Roberts Jr., announced that one of his first initiatives is to develop a subway and bus report card system.  Basically, the system would allow line riders to grade the system.  Everything from reliability and service to cleanliness and security is up for evaluation.
Sounds like a good plan.  Why?  Because it’s a clear rip off of the Straphangers Campaign concept.  They’ve been grading for a while now, so that’s probably why it sounds familiar.

He envisions cards that would be handed out to riders as they exit stations, and which they could fill out and mail in at no cost.

Does anyone else smell the government job backwards logic with that idea?  Why hand out the cards as people are leaving the subway?  It’s going get tossed in the trash with all the takeout menus you get handed on the way to work. 

Instead, why not hand out the cards as people ENTER the subway.  Also, hand them one of those little golf pencils with the card.  Then, people can fill out the cards as they wait for the train or while riding it in the first place!  After people get to their destination, they will already have filled the card out, and they can deposit them at the station booth (or a mailbox on street level).

That would probably generate waaay more responses.  It would also save lots of money in postage costs because most of the cards could be collected right at the station versus having them dropped into USPS mailboxes. 

The grading system is first going to start on the 7 line.  Hopefully, the wounds won’t still be raw from the recent 7 line construction closures.  That might cause some “colorful” responses on those cards.

The MTA should also look into an online system.  Clearly, all riders don’t have access to the Internet, so the card system is probably the most inclusive method.  However, an online system might also be good.

MTA Tests the Protran1 Safety Equipment

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Protran1 gear 

The MTA is (and has) been testing the Protran1 safety system for its track workers.  The system allows workers to be alerted wirelessly when there is a train approaching. 

According to the Protran1 website, sensors are mounted on the trains which will set off portable warning lights/alarms.  The system can also set off portable pocket devices carried by each worker.  That way if they miss the primary alarm, there is the backup warning right in their pockets.  The system can warn workers when a train is 3000 feet away.

A few days ago, SUBWAYblogger reader Larry wrote a commenttalking about this Protran1 system saying that the MTA should look into it.  Looks like Larry was right!!

There is something that we find somewhat disturbing in this story though:

In the meantime, supervisors have been given radios to improve communication with train controllers, and maintenance workers have been retrained on track safety. – AP/NY Post

In the meantime?  You mean that they haven’t had these radios all along?  I’m no track worker or engineer, but wouldn’t you think that it only makes sense for the construction leader on site to have a radio that connects them to the train controllers?  That’s just common sense.  We’re kind of shocked that hasn’t been happening all along.

Also, the MTA has been going on and on about its commitment to worker safety.  Seems like a load of bull after the story that hit the presses this weekend.  Apparently, the alarm box at 59th Street where Daniel Boggs was killed has just now been repaired!  And that’s not even the most shocking news.

Apparently, there are 188 alarm boxes that are out of service at the this time.  That’s nearly 10%!  The broken alarm box that failed to warn Boggs had a repair ticked submitted almost a year before his death.  Yet, it still had not been repaired. 

Wouln’t you think that when you go to work in a specific area, the first thing the crews should do is check to see that all the “alarm boxes” are working?  If they discover one that is busted, they should fix that first before starting work on the rails, cleaning, or whatever they are there to do. 

MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow Resigns

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KalikowMTA Chairman Peter Kalikow has finally stepped down so that Gov. Spitzer can choose a replacement.

Sometimes, it seems like these politicians are just threatening each other like school kids.  As if Spitzer was going to take away all Kalikow’s toys if he didn’t quit.  Jeez.

Anyway, its been a long time coming.  Litterally, back on December 1st, we reported that Kalikow planned to resign some time in second quarter.

Did you know that Kalikow wasn’t really being paid to be Chairman?  He’s already ridiculously wealthy from his realestate firm and was former publisher of the New York Post.   NYC has a history of hiring wealthy people that don’t need to be paid.  Look at Bloomberg for example…he’s worth a reported $13 Billion!!

The city pays Bloomberg $1.00 a year.  If you’ve ever been to his office/cubicle, he has the checks framed on the wall.

Anyway, Kalikow stuck around to get some projects off the ground, of which I know of at least one blogger that is happy he did.   As soon as Spitzer finds a replacement, Kalikow will ride off into the sunset.  Thanks for the good run, Pete!