MTA Service Cuts Will Make Seats Scarce

from Runs With Scissors' flickr

If the MTA moves forward with its plan to implement a series of service cuts intended to balance a budget shortfall of $400 million, straphangers are going to have a harder time finding seats. Current MTA guidelines stipulate that seats should be available for all customers during off-peak times. But the agency wants to revise those regulations and run trains less frequently on many lines, meaning many subway cars will be expected to carry between 10 and 18 standing passengers during off-peak hours including midday, evenings, and weekends.

"It's a double whammy," Gene Russianoff, staff lawyer for the Straphangers Campaign, told Gothamist. "You'll have to wait longer for a train, and you'll have a reduced chance of finding a seat." According to MTA documents [PDF], instead of attempting to accommodate 100 percent of off-peak passengers with seats, the agency will aim to fill the cars with 125 percent of the "seated load." Commuters can expect more crowded trains during all off-peak hours on the 7 and L lines, midday and evenings on the 1 and A lines, and Sundays on the J and M lines. And the number of seat-less commuters is actually expected to exceed the proposed maximum of 18 standing passengers on F and Q lines at certain times on Saturdays, and on 1 and N trains at certain times on Saturdays and Sundays.

Although the planned changes aren't expected to bring a full rush hour-style commuting experience to off-peak hours—agency guidelines allow 66 to 105 standing passengers per car during rush hours—they will make commuting more grueling for straphangers who want seats, said Russianoff. "When you are riding outside of rush hours, the whole point is supposed to be that you are not dealing with the intense crowding experience."

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By Ben Muessig in News on February 3, 2010 9:10 AM

Comments [rss]

Mr. Know-It-All

I started commuting from Bed-Stuy to Flushing by bicycle this year. The commute used to take 1 1/2 on 2 trains and a bus now takes 1 hour. I biked this morning in the snow and still got there faster than the subway. If I never see the inside of a subway car or bus again it will be too soon.

Gothampc

It's time for more people to boycott the MTA. (Think the bus strike in Montgomery AL and watch the movie "The Long Walk Home")

If people don't start saying "Enough!" then your future will be like the Tokyo Subway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-X6dC2yrUc&feature=related

Nyctini11

The difference here, look how HARD their "MTA" employees are working AND how polite they're being while doing it. I don't think we would all be 1/2 as angry if we had polite, courteous and NONlazy people working here, but when you are constantly being forced to pay more, for SHIT service and the people running it and responsible for helping us are treating us like dirt, it just sucks. I'd love to see a boycott

mochi227

the other problem is the lazy, stupid, uncourteous USERS of the subway, like the ones who won't move to the center of the car (uh, 98% of riders?). how about instead of an anti-trans fat campaign, Bloomberg institutes minimum IQ requirements for NYC residency. I would like that.

Nyctini11

I'd support that campaign(ughh,if i HAVE to support something doucheberg does)

I agree though, happened to me the other night, 3 dudes standing in front of the doors, get to Port A. doors open, they don't move, so i say...loudly, move already! the one guy hasthe nerve to say, try excuse me! I was like, what am i excusing YOUR ignorant stupidity???

Boogie Down

Hahaha! What's really scary is that every single person in that video is thin. I can't imagine the horror if we tried packing in this city's fatties in that manner.

Gothampc

"I can't imagine the horror if we tried packing in this city's fatties in that manner."

Please remember that Bloomberg is trying to put the city on a diet (restaurants have to advertise calorie info, Bloomberg coming down hard on trans-fat and salt). Coincidence??? I don't think so.

Boogie Down

Ha, good one. However, studies conducted so far have shown that the city's obese population has made virtually no changes in their eating habits since the calories have been posted (I don't have the link, but please take my word for it). The people most affected by these postings are those who probably already eat healthy most of the time and exercise. We are going to get squished. SQUISHED!

lpj

As much fun as standing is, the relevant change here to me is that trains will be running less frequently. How much longer will the wait be?

Nyctini11

i didn't think the A train could get any more crowded, jesus.

Can the cops start fining the MTA for having too many standees please, i mean they're breaking their own rules, someone as to police their pathetic asses.

Abbott

The MTA's going to get the point when groups of anger commuters finally snap and start ripping stations apart.

IvoryJive

"the agency will aim to fill the cars with 125 percent of the "seated load." Commuters can expect more crowded trains during... midday and evenings on the 1 and A lines..."

Ha ha like they could possibly make it any more difficult to get a seat on the A train at ANY time of day. Seriously you can't find a seat on that train at 4am on a Tuesday - it is ALWAYS packed. A friend of mine once told me story about how she got real drunk and on the way home to Brooklyn she had to puke into her purse on the A train, but the funniest part of the story to me was that she had to do it standing up in front of everybody because there were no seats - and that was like 2am on a weekday.

whitecastlerock

Fuck the MTA

NattyB

Hey now.

It's really not the MTA's fault. It's the State Legislature's. The MTA was hit with huge cuts, about 400 - 500 Million, right before they had to put forth their budget. They're doing the best they can under these circumstances. But, it's not the MTA to blame for this.

Nyctini11

Bull shit

mochi227

I would not be surprised if some lines, like the uptown 4/5, have MORE than 105 standing passengers per car.

Kojak

Thankfully the 4/5 won't be cut during peak times. If that were the case, they'd have a riot on their hands.

jt10000

"Current MTA guidelines stipulate that seats should be available for all customers during off-peak times."

ReallY? Who knew?

On the weekends at least the trains I typically take are quite crowded.

jibbly

Depends on the time of day and between certain stations. "Weekend rush hours" that I've noticed are around 6-8PM at the Chinatown stations and brunch hours at Atlantic/Pacific and Broadway/Lafayette. Not that the trains are packed, but surprisingly most seats are taken.

It's a 24/7 city, there's still a small army of people that work during the weekends. Mix in church-goers and brunch-eaters and weekend-staycationers and you've got a pretty big group of people.

jibbly

Forgot to add the tourists. Anywhere between Houston and Midtown there always seems to be a gaggle of Europeans and US tourists flocking to and from shopping destinations in SoHo and the landmarks in Midtown and Central Park south.