Transit

June 13, 2019

De Blasio plans to extend NYC’s limits on Lyft and Uber and make them permanent

As the city's for-hire vehicles (FHVs) rack up nearly 800,000 rides per day, Mayor Bill De Blasio announced on Wednesday the Taxi and Limousine Commission's new plan to extend last year's cap on for-hire vehicle licenses, the New York Post reports. A second cap will be placed on the length of time FHVs can let their cars cruise the city without passengers in the most congested part of Manhattan, below 96th Street. Last August, the city also suspended the issuance of new licenses. The new policies are expected to increase driver salaries by about 20 percent and make traffic in Manhattan below 60th Street six to 10 percent faster.
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June 7, 2019

How to get around NYC when the Puerto Rican Day Parade hits the streets this weekend

More than two million people are expected to attend this weekend’s National Puerto Rican Day Parade, celebrating its 62nd anniversary this year. The popular event will feature a host of colorful floats and notable marchers, all celebrating the rich culture of Puerto Rico. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. but the festivities are expected to last well into the evening. Read on for more information about the event and everything you need to know about getting around town.
More info
June 6, 2019

Uber Copter coming to NYC this summer, will offer helicopter trips to JFK for $200

In 2017, Uber announced plans to begin testing four-passenger flying taxi services for a division called Uber Elevate in Dallas/Fort Worth, with more testing planned for Los Angeles in 2020 ahead of the 2028 Olympics. But the ride-hailing service will be bringing helicopter service to New York City much sooner. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that starting July 9, Uber will be offering Uber Copter, a new service, available via the Uber app, that will shuttle passengers between Lower Manhattan and JFK Airport.
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June 6, 2019

Judge rules accessibility lawsuit against the MTA can move forward

A state Supreme Court judge has denied the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s request to dismiss a lawsuit over inaccessible subway stations, amNY reported Wednesday. A coalition of accessibility advocacy groups, including the Center for Independence of the Disabled and Disability Rights Activists, filed the suit. They argued that the MTA is in violation of the city's Human Rights Law because only 24 percent of the subway system’s 472 stations include elevator access.
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June 4, 2019

Williamsburg shuttle bus route to shrink as L train slowdown goes mostly unnoticed

The MTA's long-dreaded Canarsie Tunnel repairs are finally underway, and we're all still here. And, as AMNew York reports, we've even discovered other subway lines that function similarly enough to the beloved L train to meet our transportation needs. The result of the current transit non-apocalypse is that at least one of the backup solutions–the "Williamsburg Link" shuttle bus service intended to mitigate an anticipated crush of stranded riders–is being nixed and replaced by a shorter route after experiencing "extremely low" ridership.
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June 3, 2019

Late night service changes will disrupt nearly every subway this week

The weekday service changes coming up this week are arguably worse than the weekend's, with some stretching into next week as well. Most of the planned work will impact late-night service, but there will be some disruption during the day as well, with downtown 1 trains and Huson Yards-bound 7 trains skipping several stops from late morning through the afternoon.
Here's what to expect
May 31, 2019

This weekend’s subway changes are a glimpse at what’s in store next week

The usual roster of service changes is coming to a subway near you this weekend. There will be limited service uptown and in the Bronx on 1 and 2 trains, heavy delays continue on the 5, and for the majority of the weekend, Flushing-bound 7 trains will be skipping a bunch of stops in Queens. The worse news is that those changes won't simply go away at 5 a.m. on Monday—the week ahead has its own list of service changes, and it's a lot longer than usual. For now, check out the weekend's damage below.
Know before you go
May 31, 2019

MTA’s new tap-to-pay system begins replacing MetroCards today

Before you get too distraught--you'll still be able to swipe (and "swipe again") your MetroCard until 2023. But for those techier New Yorkers, as of noon today, you'll be able to take advantage of the MTA's new tap-to-pay fare system when a pilot launches at 16 Manhattan and Brooklyn subway stations on the 4, 5, and 6 lines between Grand Central-42nd Street and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center, as well as all Staten Island buses. The new payment system, called OMNY (One Metro New York), will employ e-readers that can accept contactless credit, debit, or reloadable prepaid cards, along with digital wallet apps on mobile phones and wearables. Additionally, Google announced that they've teamed up with the MTA to enable Google Pay as a payment option.
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May 29, 2019

After a successful pilot program, city’s first shared e-moped service expands its fleet in Brooklyn and Queens

After launching last summer with an initial fleet of 68 mopeds, Brooklyn-based tech startup Revel has released 1,000 new electric mopeds throughout Brooklyn and Queens today. The new models will replace the old ones and expand the service area from only Bushwick, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint to more than 20 neighborhoods, including Astoria, Red Hook (where Revel has also opened a new 10,000-square-foot warehouse), Crown Heights, and Bed-Stuy. Since launching their pilot program last July—the first of its kind in New York City—there have been 34,000 Revel e-moped rides with 4,000 riders using the mopeds.
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May 24, 2019

Plans to renovate and expand Port Authority Bus Terminal may soon move forward

As 6sqft previously reported, in 2017 plans to address the overcrowded Port Authority Bus Terminal–the world's busiest–became focused on renovating the existing midtown Manhattan building rather than relocating it a block to the west. Despite constant squabbles, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the bus terminal, agreed on a timeline, and a study was undertaken to determine costs and a schedule. Options included building a terminal for intercity buses underneath the Jacob K. Javits center, which itself has undergone major renovations. Now, as Politico reports, the two-state organization is moving forward with plans to replace the overtaxed terminal, with a focus on three options as outlined in an unreleased “scoping document.”
Options, this way
May 22, 2019

Everything you need to know about getting around NYC this Memorial Day Weekend

If you're hitting the road this Memorial Day Weekend, best not to leave the city between 4:45 and 6:45pm on Thursday, as AAA predicts that car traffic in NYC will be twice as heavy during this time. If you're depending on the LIRR or Metro-North, the MTA will be adding extra trains, and there will be free Q70 bus service to/from LaGuardia until Friday evening. As an extra treat, most weekend subway disruptions will extend into Monday, but the good news is that there are no additional changes on the 1, 7, A, C, G, F, M, and W lines.
Get all the info here
May 21, 2019

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson’s new bill is a ‘roadmap to breaking the car culture’

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson's comprehensive "complete streets" bill arrives just three months after he proposed a five-year plan to make New Yorkers who take mass transit, walk and bike a priority over motor vehicle drivers. Johnson plans to introduce legislation next week that would require city officials to build 150 miles of dedicated bus lanes and 250 miles of protected bike lanes within a five year period, Streetsblog reports. Johnson said, “I want to completely revolutionize how we share our street space, and that’s what this bill does. This is a roadmap to breaking the car culture in a thoughtful, comprehensive way.”
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May 20, 2019

MTA proposes full-fare MetroCards for NYC students

"This is a common-sense policy that makes it easier for kids to get to school and does away with needless complexities that have existed for too long," said NYC Transit President Andy Byford in response to the MTA's proposal to replace half-price student MetroCards will full-fare options for students. The MTA Board is expected to vote on the proposal on Wednesday, which would grant K-12 students who live at least a half mile from their school three-trip, full-fare student MetroCards.
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May 17, 2019

Cuomo reveals new Penn Station entrance, work set to begin next month

On Thursday Governor Andrew M. Cuomo unveiled the final design for the new main entrance to Penn Station. The new 33rd Street and 7th Avenue entrance will provide much-needed direct access to the Long Island Rail Road main concourse and the subway, eliminate congestion by doubling capacity for riders entering and leaving the LIRR level and enhance safety and security. Construction begins next month and will wrap up in December of 2020. The new design is the first we've seen of the $600 million Penn Station revamp since last September when Gov. Cuomo revealed a new LIRR entrance and public plaza.
More of the new designs this way
May 17, 2019

The 1 isn’t running uptown, expect heavy delays on 5 trains, and more weekend service updates

The weather forecast is looking good this weekend, but underground things aren't as bright. The usual roster of subway service changes will hit the tracks, and while some straphangers are lucky enough to avoid planned work on their lines—the C, F, and G are in the clear—others are not so fortunate. The 1 isn't running uptown, the 5 will only be running every 20 minutes, and there are scores of skipped stops and reduced service across the board.
Know before you go
May 3, 2019

The 3 and C are the only trains without planned track work this weekend

As the L train enters the second week of its slowdown this weekend, there are plenty of service changes hitting most other lines. Watch out for skipped stops across the board (but especially on the 1, 2, 4, 6 and D trains) and limited service in Brooklyn and Queens on the A and J trains. You can also expect longer than usual delays on the 2, D, N, and Q trains, which are only running every 12 minutes—and that's all without taking into consideration all the unplanned disruptions that are sure to occur.
See the full damage 
April 30, 2019

Grand Central Terminal’s departure boards are going digital

Grand Central got a questionable makeover yesterday when one half of the retro Departures board was switched to digital displays. The controversial upgrade has been in the works since March and is part of Metro-North’s Way Ahead initiative which will replace the station’s gate boards, digital track indicators, departure monitors and platform displays with a new, modern system that promises brighter, easier-to-read, and more accurate displays that can help curb congestion in the busy terminal.
More info
April 26, 2019

New interactive tool tracks transit ridership in America’s cities

The story of public transit in America is an ongoing one: We need more of it, in more neighborhoods; we need to pay for it; ridership is declining in some places and growing in others. The state of transit often varies wildly depending on the city it serves. Transit Insights, a new visual tool from TransitCenter allows you to compare the country's transit systems in recent years while looking into factors like regional population changes and density, fare prices, operating costs and how many miles the system covers. Transit Insights combines information from the National Transit Database, the U.S. Census and route maps from Transit.Land into a visual format so you can reference information quickly and easily.
What's the story behind your city's transit system?
April 26, 2019

The L train ‘slowdown’ begins this weekend (and all the other service updates you need to know)

After years of planning and months of confusion, it's finally here: the L train shutdown slowdown officially begins at 8 p.m. tonight. L trains will only be running every 20 minutes on weeknights and weekends for the next 12-15 months. During peak weekend hours, the L typically services 8,000 straphangers, but will only be able to accommodate 4,800 an hour under the reduced schedule—that leaves plenty of frustrated riders who will need to look for travel alternatives like the 7, G, and M trains, or the “Williamsburg Link” buses for stops in the Brooklyn neighborhood. Read on for all the service disruptions hitting the subways this weekend.
Know before you go
April 24, 2019

14th Street busway is back on, private vehicles will be banned during L train shutdown

It seems plans for a "busway" on 14th Street are back on, according to a draft release of the de Blasio administration’s plans obtained by amNY. The city will ban most private vehicles on 14th Street to help speed up the flow of buses and mitigate overcrowding during the L train shutdown. While the L train Canarsie Tunnel rehabilitation work is scheduled to begin on April 26, the 14th Street changes won’t kick into effect until June.
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April 19, 2019

Parts of every NYC borough will go car free next weekend for Earth Day

To celebrate Earth Day next weekend, New York City is closing some of its streets to cars. As part of an annual event run by the city's Department of Transportation, 30 blocks of Broadway from Times Square to Union Square will be closed on April 27 to allow pedestrians and cyclists to roam and ride free between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Along the nearly two-mile route, the city will offer some environmental programs and nonprofit organizations will be on-site to educate walkers about climate change and sustainability.
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April 19, 2019

As the Easter Parade hits Midtown this weekend, here’s how subways will be running

If you're heading to the annual Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival this Sunday—beginning at 10 a.m. at Fifth Avenue and 49th Street and marching up to 55th Street—you'll want to take the E to Fifth Avenue-53rd Street, the N and R to Fifth Avenue-59th Street, the 4, 5, and 6 to Grand Central, or the 7 to Fifth Avenue. If you have other plans this weekend, check out our guide to planned service changes so you can get there with minimum headaches.
Know before you go