Category: This just in

New NYC Subway Fares

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If you went to the MetroCard machine today to buy a new monthly card and felt an odd sensation in your rear, that was the MTA raping you.

Ok, perhaps a bit strong, but the point remains the same.

The new fare increase kicks in today.  That means your $76 monthly card just jumped to $81.00.  Meanwhile, the single ride card didn’t go up a dime.  I’ve always supported the fare increase because I think something needs to be done about the crumbling system, but I think that all the fares should have gone up…to be fair.

Here’s the new rates:

New NYC Subway Fare Rates

Dead or Alive

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Contributed by a SUBWAYblogger reader Leslie S.: 

I was on my way to DTW for Yanira Castro’s installation piece, when I almost tripped on who I thought was on ordinary subway vagrant on the steps leading outside to the NE corner of 14th street at 6th avenue. (at the F stop)  I quickly realized that this man, bum or not, was not breathing and there was a small mass of people beginning to collect around the station. Mostly, people were as frozen as the man was.

I asked if anyone had a mirror, if the police had been called, had anytime tried to do CPR. No one really said anything, other than “he fell.” What worried me was that perhaps no one tried to help him immediately for fear he was homeless.

After about 5 minutes, the police and medics began pouring in and shoving people out of the way. No one in the crowd was of much help. Even the station agent who identified the man as a security agent who worked in the neighborhood, (and who presumably called 911) didn’t seem particularly concerned, or rather, there was a blatant lack of urgency or panic in his manner. CPR was performed for about 10 minutes but to no avail. A few minutes later, more support arrived to carry him away.

I am unsure as to his status and can only assume he did not make it, but have not heard anything on any local news outlet, so am wondering if anyone has written in about this or if anyone has heard anything about tragic incident.

I do hope he is alive.

The Latest On Congestion Pricing in NYC

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So this spring is going to be hot for more reasons than one.  In this case, it will be over congestion pricing.

Those that drive around the middle of Manhattan are pissed.  Those that don’t drive could care less.  So it will likely be those that drive that end up killing the plan.

In any event, the plan has already been slightly modified to shrink the zone where the $8.00 toll would be charged.

Now, the talks shift to adding public transportation alternatives.  I guess not really adding, just increasing.

But there will be 12 new bus routes in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx; increased service on 48 bus routes in Staten Island, Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx; 309 new buses; increase of service on the 1, E and F trains; and longer trains on the C line. [WCBS-TV]

So it will be nice to have more trains in service on many of the lines.  Hopefully “increased” service means more than just one extra train.

MTA Doesn’t Like Sticky Stuff

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So apparently, the engineers at the MTA have been trying to wrap their heads around an enormously pressing issue.

Yes folks, the issue we speak of is (cue drum-roll): Gum on the floors.

Apparently, concrete is much harder to clean than granite tile.  However, concrete is much less expensive to install.  According to WCBS, a concrete train station runs about $400k.  Granite tile stations are well over $1 million.

So we are left with a major dilemma.  Floors that are cheap, but a bitch to clean, or expensive and easy to clean.

Either way, the floors are dirty as shit.

Ummm…psycho

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Remember when we discussed the 1,944 people who saw something and said something? Yeah, well this guy took it personally.

He claims to call the reporting hotline 3 to 4 times a day! Psycho!

Who does that? You’re not helping anything. When you call that often, you know they hang up the phone and brush you off. As a matter of fact, you’re probably on the watch list now because they think you’re a nutcase.

When they hang up the phone, they must say, “Oh it was just crazy Alan again.”

Get a grip dude.

Getting to Times Square on New Year’s Eve

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It’s time for the city to get rid of 2007 and move on to 2008 like only we can.  It’s time for the shit-show known as New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

Ask any New Yorker that has been around here for a few years or more.  They’ll likely tell you the last place on earth they would want to be on December 31st is Times Square.   Why?  Well let’s check the rundown.

– No Alcohol
– No Bathrooms
– No Seats
– No Walking Around
– No Bags

Ohh, and you have to be there by around 5pm at the latest if you want an even halfway decent view of the stages or ball drop.

Starting at around 4pm, the NYPD will close down the streets around Times Square and start filling in the revelers’ cages viewing areas.  As each area fills up, they close them off, and start filling the next one.  You have really no choice of where you want to be. You just go where you’re directed.  Then you are pretty much locked in there.  If you leave, there’s really not any getting back in there.

So there’s nothing quite like standing in a penned in area, packed with people while the chick next to you pops a squat because there are no bathrooms.  It’s definitely a once in a lifetime activity.  Then again, I suppose it is a badge of honor once you’ve done it.

SUBWAYblogger will be there!  (Yeah, after that enticing setup.)  SB will be “working” right smack in the middle of it all. Luckily, I won’t be trapped in the pens though.

So how do you get there?  The subway is the best way:

– All normal Times Square trains will be running every 3 – 12 minutes until 3am.  Then, for the rest of New Year’s Day, the system will run on a Sunday schedule.  Keep in mind, the bars are allowed to be open until 6am that night, so you’ll need to be in “Sunday Mode” as you stumble back to your apartment.

– N/R/W Uptown lines will skip the 49th Street station beginning at 7pm till 12:15am

– 1 Trains Uptown will skip 50th Street from 7pm till 12:15 am.  (That station is waaaay to small to handle the volume of people that will be there.

– From 7pm on, certain subway entrances will be closed as crowd volume warrants, so just be aware that you may need to hoof it to another entrance.

The MTA also reminds you that they are not cool with you shotgunning beers on the trains and buses.   [More MTA Info]

So after it is all over, SUBWAYblogger highly recommends walking as far as you can.  Just get a reasonable distance away from Times Square before even attempting to get on the subway.  Walking uptown to 59th Street really is not as far as it sounds.  Walking downtown to 34th Street is like nothing.  So you would probably be better off getting out of the thickest areas first.

Let you know how it all goes!

Cost of New Token Clerk Uniform Rediculous

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vest.jpgIt was recently brought out in the press that the MTA has spent $2.5 million to outfit all 3,500 of its token booth clerks with new uniforms.

At first glance, $2.5 million seems like an appropriate, ballpark figure. Then, you start to kick it around in your head a little. That’s just what the Daily News did.

The first thing that jumps out at you is how specific the uniform recipients are. The new uniforms aren’t for aaalllllllll the MTA employees, its just for the booth clerks…about 3,500 people. Hmmmm. That doesn’t sound like a lot of people, yet the tab seems pretty high.

Do the math.

That works out to $738 per employee! WTF? Are thee uniforms made by Ralph Lauren? Nope.

Over the past several months, 3,500 workers in the subway stations department have been trading in their traditional work outfits – blue shirts, blue pants – for a more formal look: white shirts and gray trousers, or skirts for the ladies working behind the glass.

The men get gray and black ties; female workers ascots. The new wardrobe also includes a burgundy vest, burgundy sweater and burgundy coat. [Daily News]

You could get a Calvin Klein tuxedo and a coat at Macy’s for less than that…and that’s not some boring uniform bought in bulk!

So how is it possible that it could cost that much to outfit a crew? I understand the need for the uniforms, but how could it cost so much? It has already been slipped into the budget, and is being spent. It is too late to do anything about it, but it is causing quite the stir.

Outrageous.

New Subway Management Structure Unlikely to Make a Difference

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Here’s an excerpt from a very interesting Op-Ed in the Times this morning that supports exactly that I believe:

To be effective and held accountable, managers of decentralized units require autonomy and authority, neither of which is possible within the city’s subway system. These managers will have to operate under the same civil service titles and regulations and the same constricting union agreements, use the standard subway cars and in almost all cases share the tracks. They will have little leeway to run more frequently or more regularly, or to operate longer trains.

There is no indication that the managers will be allowed to buy more subway cars or rebuild stations. Moreover, unless they control their own sections of the rail yards and their own car-maintenance and car-cleaning crews, they will have little influence over the condition of “their” subway cars. Only if the managers of the different lines exercise authority over these factors can one expect innovation, differentiation and competition; otherwise each manager could reasonably claim that he lacked control over crucial factors and could point a finger elsewhere.

While I too believe it is a step in the right direction, it is likely to not make a difference because very little power will be given to the line managers.  They will have to run their own lines within the same constraints the lines currently operate, so how will it change?

Transporting the New Year’s Eve 8 on the Subway

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Apparently, there were budget cuts in the Times Square signage office.  They were unable to afford shipping fees for the “8” in 2008.

So, a crew of guys carried the 500 pound 8 onto the subway from the Bronx all the way to Times Square.  They took the 6 and R trains to get there.

Judging by the photos, I’m fairly sure they were blocking the doors with the 8. They also had to hold the doors in order to get the thing loaded up in time.  I’m also pretty sure it violates the policy of carrying large items like that onto the subway.  Wonder how many summons they received.  🙂

The other thing that makes me laugh about the photos is that the other passengers don’t even pay attention to the fact that there is a 7 foot number 8 on the train with them.

Wonder if they will take next year’s “9” for a ride.  Did you know that the 9 is actually the 6 from 2006?   They just flip the 6 upside-down to make the 9.  I’m not even kidding, it’s completely true.

Did anyone see it?  Or ever see anything like this before?