Subways
Streetsblog Basics
Costs of Subway Slowdown Would Add Up Fast
Following the recent deaths of two subway passengers who were pushed onto tracks, TWU Local 100 is urging operators to slash train speeds as they enter stations, the New York Times reported yesterday. A TWU flier, which you can view here, advises operators that “Preventing a [run-over], and saving yourself the emotional trauma and potential loss of income that go with it, is worth a few extra minutes on your trip.”
January 16, 2013
MTA Partially Restores Transit Service and Adds Some New Bus Routes
The MTA is starting to repair some of the damage done by 2010's devastating round of service cuts. The transit agency has announced a new set of transit service improvements worth $29 million a year, making up roughly a third of what was cut in 2010. Riders will also get a two-month reprieve from next year's planned fare hike, with the higher prices now set to kick in on March 1.
July 19, 2012
Straphangers: Ancient Train Signals a Prime Culprit of Subway Delays
Has your subway been delayed recently? Blame New York City's aging transit infrastructure, especially its outdated signal system. Then start fighting to make sure Albany fully funds the MTA's next capital plan.
May 9, 2012
New Tech Promises Less Subway Crowding, If Albany Doesn’t Beggar the MTA
Last week’s news that NYC Transit is planning to boost L train service isn’t just good for residents of Williamsburg. It points to a new era of faster and more reliable service throughout the subway system as the new signal technology known as Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) begins to take hold.
October 13, 2011
Here They Are: The Best and Worst City Transit Scenes
The Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives have chosen the winners for their best and worst of New York City Transit photo contest. The top “Good Transit Scene" was "Break of Day " by Sabrina Porter, while John Wehmeyer took the prize for best “Bad Transit Scene" with ""Reassuring? Not so much!"
July 6, 2011
Transit Photo Contest Down to Ten Finalists – Time to Vote
The transit photo contest held by the Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives has moved into the final round. Five finalists have been selected for the photo that most captures New York City's transit system at its best, and five have been chosen to represent the system at its worst. You can vote for your favorite here.
June 20, 2011
Submit Your Pics of the Best and Worst of NYC’s Transit System
We often describe the importance of transit in numbers, like the fact that 54 percent of New York City households don't even own a car. But even the most convincing stats can get a little dry. To help capture what the subways and buses mean to a city where the transit system is the closest thing to a shared experience for eight million people, the Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives are launching a photography contest. A picture is worth a thousand words, after all.
May 16, 2011
Without New MTA Funds, Transit Riders May Face Return of 70s-Era Disrepair
Last week we wrote about how the looming $10 billion deficit in the MTA's capital plan could lead to a $3.00 fare and $137 monthly pass within three years. That's not the only way the transit authority could decide to respond to a lack of funding, however.
April 14, 2011
Fare Hike 2014: Without New MTA Revenue, $137 Monthly Pass Could Happen
With each passing month, the MTA comes closer to the day of reckoning on its unfunded capital plan -- the maintenance work that keeps trains and buses running and the expansion projects that provide more access to the system. While the first two years of the 2010-2014 capital budget were funded, there is a $10 billion deficit in the remaining three. So far, there doesn't seem to be any plan from the city, state, or federal government to find this funding. In fact, between the State Senate's goal of repealing the MTA payroll tax and the House GOP's budget-slashing, there may be more obvious paths to the MTA losing revenue than gaining it.
April 7, 2011
Off-Peak Discounts for NYC Transit: An Intriguing Idea
Discounting off-peak transit service could be a boon to New York City's transportation and quality of life, so long as revenues can be found to make up for the likely farebox shortfall.
October 22, 2009