G is a broke down, dirty train
By Mike McLaughlin
July 31, 2008
The results are in and the G train is off the charts — in the wrong direction.
An annual report of subway service by the Straphangers Campaign ranked the perennial whipping boy of mass transit, the G line, dead last in two pivotal categories — cleanliness and breakdowns — preserving its horrific reputation for another year.
The Straphangers report judged the lines on scores ranging from zero to $2, the price of a single ride on city buses and trains.
The L was considered the best value, though only worth $1.40, and the W train was considered the worst, worth just $0.70.
The G train did not receive a cash evaluation because the Straphangers had incomplete rush-hour ridership statistics — but nonetheless, the Smith-Ninth Street to Queens line fulfilled its underperforming reputation by getting the lowest ranking in two categories — the frequency of breakdowns and dirty conditions of its cabins.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority was hard pressed to explain why cars on the G line are prone to breaking down more than other trains.
“We have no explanation because we run the same cars on many tracks,” said Charles Seaton, a spokesman for New York City Transit, the branch of the MTA overseeing city buses and subways.
The four-car-long G, the only train in the system that never enters Manhattan, was also with the dregs of the report for its PA system and the scheduled frequency of trains.
For G-train riders, the findings confirm their suspicions that their commute stinks.
“It’s definitely dirty … it’s totally one of the worst,” said Christy Harrison, in the Clinton-Washington station on Tuesday night.
On the bright side, the G was fourth in the regularity of service, meaning that its operators do a good job of sticking to its sporadic schedule.
But that was little comfort for people who don’t like the long waits.
“My biggest complaint is that comes too infrequently,” said Jessica Dwin on the Hoyt Schermerhorn platform.
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July 31, 2008
July 29, 2008
Straphangers Survey Rates G Line as Among Worst
According to the recent NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign State of the Subway report, the G train is more likely than average to break down (not fun when trains are scheduled so far apart to begin with), and is the system's dirtiest line (even more disgusting when one considers that the MTA only needs to clean 4-car trains - and fewer trains at that) - tens times dirtier than other subway lines.
The Straphangers Campaign couldn't provide crowding data for the G, since the MTA does not take platform ridership crowding assessments as for other subway lines.
The G's report profile can be found here:
http://www.straphangers.org/statesub08/G.pdf
And here's the main link to review methodology as well as reports on other lines.
http://www.straphangers.org/statesub08/
Question: Does the State of the Subways report profile for the G line match your own G line experiences?
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The Straphangers Campaign couldn't provide crowding data for the G, since the MTA does not take platform ridership crowding assessments as for other subway lines.
The G's report profile can be found here:
http://www.straphangers.org/statesub08/G.pdf
And here's the main link to review methodology as well as reports on other lines.
http://www.straphangers.org/statesub08/
Question: Does the State of the Subways report profile for the G line match your own G line experiences?
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Daily News: Commuters Rail for Spot on MTA Board
Commuters rail for spot on MTA board
By Pete Donohue Daily News Staff Writer
Sunday, July 27th 2008
An MTA advisory panel has floated a novel idea to Gov. Paterson: Appoint regular rail riders to the board.
"There are quite a few [current board members] who don't ride mass transit on a regular basis," said Gerard Bringmann, chairman of the Long Island Rail Road Commuter's Council.
Bringmann said the group wants Paterson to appoint "someone who feels our pain and is in the trenches with us; someone who knows what it's like to be on a train without air conditioning or on a platform where messages are garbled or nonexistent."
The council, part of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, expressed its view in a letter to Paterson, who must fill a vacancy caused by the death of Frances Powers. The missive was prompted by recent comments by David Mack, chairman of the MTA's Long Island Rail Road committee, who said he rides the train a handful of times a year - and only because he doesn't have to pay.
MTA divisions are currently preparing their preliminary 2009 spending plans amid high fuel costs and declining tax revenues. The reports include how the various divisions will meet a prior directive to cut spending by 6% over four years, starting next year when savings must total about $80 million.
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By Pete Donohue Daily News Staff Writer
Sunday, July 27th 2008
An MTA advisory panel has floated a novel idea to Gov. Paterson: Appoint regular rail riders to the board.
"There are quite a few [current board members] who don't ride mass transit on a regular basis," said Gerard Bringmann, chairman of the Long Island Rail Road Commuter's Council.
Bringmann said the group wants Paterson to appoint "someone who feels our pain and is in the trenches with us; someone who knows what it's like to be on a train without air conditioning or on a platform where messages are garbled or nonexistent."
The council, part of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, expressed its view in a letter to Paterson, who must fill a vacancy caused by the death of Frances Powers. The missive was prompted by recent comments by David Mack, chairman of the MTA's Long Island Rail Road committee, who said he rides the train a handful of times a year - and only because he doesn't have to pay.
MTA divisions are currently preparing their preliminary 2009 spending plans amid high fuel costs and declining tax revenues. The reports include how the various divisions will meet a prior directive to cut spending by 6% over four years, starting next year when savings must total about $80 million.
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