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Photo of the current slow-moving swipe line regularly seen on crosstown buses by Paolo Mastrangelo on flickr
Bloomberg's "Moving NYC" campaign plan (see the full proposal on his campaign website) points out that since many of the crosstown lines are used in large part by subway riders taking advantage of the free transfer, the cost of letting riders walk on to the heavily-trafficked bus routes would not be too taxing. The plan states, “Any loss in revenue will likely be offset by the gain in travel times, which may reduce operating costs by allowing the authority to run fewer buses." Not specifically mentioned was how pleasant it would be to not have commuters trying out five empty Metrocards only to have the driver give up and allow the person on anyway.
Some of the other more eye-catching election year initiatives included in the plan are:
- Extending the V line from the Lower East Side into Brooklyn
- Express F line service
- "Countdown Clocks" on train platforms being spread beyond the L line and throughout the ststem
- Reopening LIRR stations in several Queens neighborhoods
- Expanding the bus rapid transit experiment that was tested out on the Bx12 across Fordham Road in The Bronx
- An HOV lane on the westbound Gowanus Expressway
- A "robust, high frequency inter-boro ferry service"
- Expanding the CityTicket program to all LIRR and Metro North stations at all times so Bronx and Queens riders pay reduced fares
On that last point, Bill Thompson was quick to offer a reminder of how much MTA fares have gone up under the mayor. He also mentioned that he has been calling for a CityTicket expansion sounds like something they've heard before. A Thompson spokeswoman said, "This plan is full of empty promises and stolen ideas such as CityTicket which was proposed by Bill Thompson in 2006 and 2009."
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I hope the ferry service and CityTicket at all times actually go through.
Didn't we just have a fare hike and reductions in service? Where would this funding come from?
Really - sounds awesome until you realize who's paying for it.
agreed. let's privatize the mta, so the riders would pay 100% of the cost. the market will make better decisions about the necessary expenses than the bureaucrats. i would then gladly support publicly-funded discount program for poor people.
great idea if you want to pay $7 every time you ride the train.
I'm very curious to find out where did you get "$7" from?
@yq - be careful what you wish for. All of the subways, buses and trains started out as private enterprises. After the corporations sucked as much revenue out of them as they possibly could, they let them decline until the government was forced to take them over in order to keep providing essential services. Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.
The reasons for sale of at least of the companies - BMT - according to wikipedia:
Those who forget history indeed.
Brilliant idea, the fare would go to $5. It sure would keep the riff-raff away.
First of all, why 5 dollars?
Second, privatizing the lines does not mean that we can't give subsidies to people based on need.
Personally, I'd gladly pay more for better service. And would be happy to help others who can't afford the ride.
Let's just start with the G going back up to 71st one of these days, and running more than two or three trains per day?
Things would speed up too if people exited the bus instead of the front.
*exited the bus in the back...
Yeah, I wish. Like people would ever be that courteous.
But the thinking behind free crosstown buses is that people have already paid a fare and are just transferring.
Dipping the old metrocard is sloooow compared to tokens and coins, don't forget.
Oh these bullets on the proposal made me chuckle...
"Countdown Clocks" on train platforms being spread beyond the L line and throughout the ststem
Reopening LIRR stations in several Queens neighborhoods
This asshole has been in office almost 8 fucking years and this is the best he can come up with?
give him a little credit - he tried congestion pricing.
what's funny is that the countdown clocks is a huge mta project they've been trying to do since the 90s. the mayor saying it won't make it come any faster
What a waste of money. When you see the train, it's there.
The mayor has no meaningful influence on the MTA.
You are correct-which is why he should just keep his fucking mouth shut.
yeah, right. all talk and zero action.
"This asshole has been in office almost 8 fucking years and this is the best he can come up with?"
Better public schools, less crime, cleaner streets, fuel efficient govt cars, fuel efficient yellow cabs... the list goes on and on. Bloomberg has done more for NYC in the past 8 years than any mayor ever.
My response was In reference to the fucking MTA... Thanks for taking it out of context. Glad you are happy with Mayor Mike. I am not. The closing of firehouses, senior centers, coupled with increased homelessness all the while allowing not one BUT TWO sports stadiums to be built with taxpayer dollars are a few reasons why I think he sucks. What about the rampant overdevelopment? Cleaner Streets? You must live in Manhattan, because the streets in Queens are filthy. Fuel efficiency? Yeah those fuel efficient cars sure are treating those pedestrians they run over really well. But this reply was about this ANEMIC approach the MTA. I think he has been a fairly mediocre mayor. You must be in a higher tax bracket than I-hence the overwhelming support of this succubus...
True. I am rich. Sorry.
GOP what whitecastlerock says is making sense, and he/she is correct, but you are too funny. Good come back :-)
I'd like my .25 per fare since June back before we go giving out free rides on the buses kthxbye.
This is how Bloomberg wants to get my vote? Reopening underserved stations (if they're underserved, why reopen them?), free crosstown buses (transfers work w/my monthly metrocard)? Cityticket?
Is he really that disconnected? Is he trying to win votes from the NY Post/Daily News readers?
"Reopening underserved stations (if they're underserved, why reopen them?)"
Uh... what? The proposal is to reopen stations in underserved neighborhoods. That means neighborhoods that do not have full service from the railroad. If they were reopened, they by definition would no longer be underserved.
Put more simply: "underserved" just means that trains don't stop there. It is not the same word as "underused."
Sorry, I know this whole language and vocabulary thing can be tough.
I'm not voting for him, but this is a good set of proposals. Free crosstown buses and smaller buses for off-periods are excellent ideas that could have a big impact. Too bad the Mayor has limited authority on the matter.
Please people this idea will work well. The MTA has good people working everyday to make your ride safe and at a good bargain. We are constantly making changes to improve.
He should have included constructing free transfers between:
- Atlantic Av/Pacific St (2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, M, N, Q, R) to Fulton St/Lafayette Av (C, G)
- Jay St/Boro Hall (A, C, F) to Court St/Boro Hall (2, 3, 4, 5, M, R)
- Junius Av (3) to Livonia Av (L)
to the wish list.
Whatever he does, he still isn't getting my vote. Term limits exist for a reason.
I completely disagree with you. Two terms of four years is a completely arbitrary choice. Who says that's the ideal amount of time for someone to be in office? Who's to say that it shouldn't be less time, or more time? If he changed the laws legally, then I don't see anything wrong with it.
Would I have been pissed if say, Bush, for example, had somehow changed the laws so that he could go longer than two terms? Yes, very much so, but there's not as much I can argue with if something like that is done within the process of law.
Two terms is just a length of time someone decided would be a good idea. But there's no proof that it should be written in stone for all eternity. Ours should be an elastic, dynamic government, capable of redefining itself and its process to suit the times.
he's had eight years and he's putting this out now?
Please.
record homelessness, record unemployment.
OK he can bulldoze the tent cities under the highway ramps but did he see the lines for job fairs?
he's had eight years. enough is enough.
Free crosstown buses? is that the best he's got?
it's time for someone else to do the job, anyone can do the job. the city survived will survive without him, I promise.
Much rather have Bloomberg/Giuliani NYC than Dinkins/Koch NYC.
no surprise there from GOP.
the city again will survive without bloomturd. I promise.
any city journal lovers here, the people with hardons for Heather MacDonald.
Oh, u promise? Great! Now there is hope!
"And if I'm elected, 50% fewer rodents."
There isn't a single item on that list that will make a noticeable difference in the quality of my commute.
How about we do something about the ridiculous flooding that occurs on the N/R line every time it rains. Also the way Jay St. smells every morning is downright unholy.
Oh you should see all the wonderful waterfalls that crop up in some of the outdoor Brooklyn stations (I'm sure these occur in Queens and the Bronx, just haven't seen them personally). In the winter the water freezes into giant icicles and stalactites and stalagmites.
How about proposing changes to things he actually has control or influence over? This is like proposing changes to the NYC water system when you're the head of the DOT.
"How about proposing changes to things he actually has control or influence over?"
OK, basically you're saying that no resident of the city should voice an opinion on how the MTA deals with anything, because none of has control over it.
That's all he's doing. Releasing essentially some ideas for the MTA to consider. Yeah, it's more a political move than it is anything else but if it's well grounded enough to bring consideration from the MTA board (which does include mayoral appointees, so he does have some influence) it's not a complete waste.
It's more that he's proposing these changes as if they were something he would do if he gets a third term. It's not some offhanded thing he thought of while on the treadmill and scratched on a memo pad. This whole thing is a well-planned and funded campaign. He's using (wasting) city tax dollars to make it look like his influence on this issue is greater than it is.
I like the fact that he has an opinion on how to improve service, but I think he's trying to mislead people as to the level of how much he can do to affect the MTA's decisions.
My vote cant be bought and dont forget Bloomie was all for the fare hike. Too little too late. Not long ago you could go club hopping all around the city for a buck a ride. Now there are no clubs and costly slow subway service. R.I.P. NYC.
1> Dump the "Countdown Clock" idea. Waste of money, does nothing to improve service. Even if you had the money, in NYC would break down repeatedly.
2> The main reason for long crosstown transit times is double parkers & bus-stop/lane blockers. I don't know what the current double park ticket is, but on major transverses (all Avenues, 14 St.,23,34,etc) How about making it $500, 2 points and a mandatory tow for the first, & going up from there, including commercials and Papi's Paratransit. And that includes plaque-dinks who park their personals in the bus stops. They'll soon get the idea, and won't block traffic flow.
3> Find some sort of way to let an approaching bus know there's already two buses stopped at the next stop. Let them wait 60 sec, then proceed. The backup at 14th & 1st is ridiculous. Commuters are great at lining up, keeping organized. But 3 or 4 buses at a time is highly ineffective.
4> Institute something like the Oyster in London. No "swipe again at this turnstile", keep it in your wallet, keep 'em moving. Do the Soup Nazi. Can't swipe, back of the line! No Ride for you!
5> Line up and summarily execute all MTA brass & union officials. Replace with non-politically connected people who have an interest in running a system effectively and without massive corruption. The fate of their predecessors will keepthemon their toes. Except for Melamine, sometimes the Chinese have it right.
6> And, fire at least half the MTA. Base salary on performance. Hire a bunch of educated individuals at a lower salary/benefit rate. In this economy, they're available. Do it while you can.
It will be interesting to see how this turns out. Money is always the key issue, especially with the MTA. This article reminded me of the MTA strike a few years back.
Seems like many are not very supportive of Bloomberg at this stage of his term.
The streets in Manhattan are filthy, too. 86th Street on the Upper Eastside is absolutely putrid.
The streets in Manhattan are filthy, too. 86th Street on the Upper Eastside is absolutely putrid.
so is the lower east side. The clean street are near king Doucheberg's townhouse on East 79th st
http://bloombergwatch.com/
Douceberg took controls of school, FAILURE and now he wants control of the MTA. DICKtator Doucheberg makes me puke
I'm considering voting again for Bloomberg, but I'm curious to know how you feel about him before I make up my mind.
Just wondering, is there a viable alternative? Thompson's kind of a dink, and I see nobody who inspires at all. And by viable I mean intelligent manger with some vision & guts, not just breathing and politically viable.