MTA

According to the annual financial outlook report by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, recent and much-needed improvements by the MTA may mean fare increases could come sooner than the ones that are already scheduled, Newsday reports. DiNapoli’s report pointed out that even if it gets the hoped-for additional government funding, recent improvement efforts that address subway performance could add up to $300 million annually, requiring an unscheduled fare and toll increase of about 4 percent. Currently, a 4 percent hike is planned for 2019, and another for 2021.
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The history of the New York City MetroCard

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

November 8, 2017

The history of the New York City MetroCard

By Emily Nonko

No New Yorker's life is complete without a MetroCard slipped into their wallet. For $2.75, it'll get you from Brooklyn to the Bronx, and everywhere in between. But the lifespan of the MetroCard is perhaps shorter than you might think--the flimsy plastic card, complete with the Automated Fare Collection turnstiles, only became an everyday part of subway commuting in 1993. And in recent years, all signs point to the card becoming extinct. The testing phase of a mobile device scanning and payment system began this fall with plans to roll out a fully cardless system by 2020. And so in honor of the MetroCard's brief lifespan as an essential commuter tool, 6sqft is delving into its history, iconic design, and the frustrations that come when that swipe just doesn't go through.
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MTA will give workers iPhones to brief riders about subway delays

E-train at the World Trade Center station, via Wikimedia

November 8, 2017

MTA will give workers iPhones to brief riders about subway delays

In a pilot program aimed at improving communication with commuters, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will give some of its workers iPhone 6s devices. The MTA will distribute about 230 phones to platform workers and train operators by the end of the week, as the Daily News learned. Text messages from the rail control center will be sent to the workers, detailing the cause and severity of delays. Workers will then pass on the information to riders, which will include available alternative routes.
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Transit

MTA to install flood-proof doors at subway stations

Photo courtesy of the MTA on Flickr

October 30, 2017

MTA to install flood-proof doors at subway stations

On Friday, the MTA unveiled custom doors designed to protect the city’s subway system from future floods. In October of 2012, Hurricane Sandy crippled Lower Manhattan, as well as most other parts of the city, with a 13-foot surge of water. Now, five years later, the MTA is installing custom-made, marine doors, equipped with inflatable gaskets to seal out water to be installed at the bottom of the subway’s stairwell (h/t WSJ). In addition to these doors, other stations will get metal hatch doors below street subway grates, fabric curtains to block flowing water and a system of interlocking stop logs at the entrance of some stations.
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Cubic MTA payment system. Rendering courtesy of Cubic Corporation.

October 26, 2017

MTA approves $574M MetroCard-replacing e-readers; new video and renderings

Cubic, the San Diego-based company who was awarded the job of creating the MTA's new cardless fare system, has just announced that the $539.5 million contract award (with additional options worth $33.9 million) has been approved by a vote of the MTA Board. As 6sqft previously reported, Cubic is the same company that developed the MetroCards that replaced subway tokens over 30 years ago. The new MTA system is modeled on the one that has been in use in London’s Underground and commuter railroads.
See the new fare payment system in action

Photo courtesy of Roman Kruglov on Flickr

October 26, 2017

Report breaks down how much time New Yorkers waste waiting for delayed subways

The Independent Budget Office released yet another incriminating report this week about New York City's subway system. Not only are the subway's growing delays costing the city up to $389 million each year, but the IBO also found that delays end up setting back New Yorkers nearly $1.23 million every day in lost work time, totaling about $307 million every year. And now, the budget office on Wednesday released a report that breaks down the length of time passengers wait on a station platform for every subway line, except shuttles. According to the report, the average number of passenger hours lost to delays systemwide during the work week between 7am and 10am this year grew by 45 percent from 2012, up from 24,000 hours to 35,000 hours.
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MTA will test floor-to-ceiling protective barrier on L-train platform

Photo of the L-train via Wikimedia

October 25, 2017

MTA will test floor-to-ceiling protective barrier on L-train platform

As part of its NYC Subway Action Plan aimed at enhancing the straphanger experience, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will install a floor-to-ceiling screen at the L-train’s Third Avenue station to prevent people from jumping or being pushed onto the tracks. As a pilot program, the new screen doors will be put into place in 2019 during the train’s shutdown and are expected to be ready in 2020 when the L-train resumes service. As the New York Post reported, the authority is still working on a design that could work in different sized-stations in the future.
More ahead

Former MTA official suggests a surcharge on rents to pay for transit maintenance

One night, workers removed 41,800 pounds of scrap debris, photo via MTA

October 24, 2017

Former MTA official suggests a surcharge on rents to pay for transit maintenance

Although it’s obvious New York City’s subway system remains in desperate need of repair, it’s less clear how these renovations, and the required infrastructure maintenance, will be funded. During a “Fixing Mass Transit” event hosted by Crain’s, a former official with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Michael Horodniceanu, suggested creating a “transit-maintenance district.” By adding a $1.50 charge to the core business district’s $60-to $70-per-square-foot rents, more than a billion dollars could be raised for transit upkeep, Horodniceanu said (h/t Crain's).
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MTA’s new cardless fare system will be rolled out by 2020

Image: Phil Hollenback via Flickr.

October 23, 2017

MTA’s new cardless fare system will be rolled out by 2020

6sqft previously reported on the launch of testing on a mobile device scanning and fare payment system with the goal of eventually phasing out the use of MetroCards in the New York City subway system. New turnstiles have already been installed in the Bowling Green and Wall Street Stations, where riders can make the transfer using scanners that allow them to swipe their phones. According to the New York Times, a rollout of the new fare system citywide is not far off: The new readers will hit 500 subway turnstiles and 600 bus fare boxes starting in late 2018; the remainder of subway stations and buses will have them by late 2020.
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De Blasio unveils five-point plan to reduce congestion on NYC’s busiest streets

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday a five-point plan designed to ease congestion in the city’s busiest neighborhoods. The program, called “Clear Lanes,” includes a series of initiatives like creating new moving lanes in Midtown, clearing curbs during rush hour and expanding NYPD enforcement of block-the-box violations. Beginning in January, in addition to the heavily congested Midtown, rush-hour deliveries will be banned during a six-month test run on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn (h/t New York Times).
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October 13, 2017

Subway delays cost New Yorkers $1.23M a day in lost work time

6sqft recently covered a report released by the city's Independent Budget Office that analyzed the impact of a growing number of subway delays and found that subway downtime could be costing the city up to $389 million annually in lost wages and productivity for businesses. According to the New York Times, the problem is getting worse, and it's affecting everyone's earnings. The cost of subway delays on a typical workday morning translates to $864,000 a day in lost work time for intra-city commuters, $257,000 for commuters who live beyond city borders and $109,000 for subway riders traveling for reasons other than work. The total daily cost: about $1.23 million. Multiplied by 250 working weekdays a year, that adds up to about $307 million that New Yorkers lose in work time every year.
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MTA will replace Grand Central Terminal’s old eateries with more ritzy ones

Grand Central Terminal, photo via NYC & Company

October 12, 2017

MTA will replace Grand Central Terminal’s old eateries with more ritzy ones

At Grand Central Terminal, it’s in with the new, out with the old. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it will replace stores that have served the busy terminal’s commuters for over two decades--Junior’s, Two Boots Pizza, Grand Harvest Wines--with more upscale shops. As the New York Post reported, new stores include Art Bird & Whiskey Bar, run by Oprah Winfrey’s former personal chef, Art Smith, and Tartinery, an open-face sandwich vendor. The restaurant refashioning process is expected to run through 2018.
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MTA may replace subway booth workers with roaming ‘ambassadors’

Subway booth at the Columbus Circle station, via Wiki Commons

October 9, 2017

MTA may replace subway booth workers with roaming ‘ambassadors’

Fresh off their announcement that they've begun the testing phase of a mobile device scanning and payment system to replace the MetroCard, the MTA has revealed that they're also considering doing away with the ye-olde subway booth worker. According to the Daily News, the latest attempt at modernization will replace the workers with "customer service ambassadors" who will roam stations to provide real-time travel info and answer questions.
They're even getting new uniforms

Transit

MTA begins testing of new subway fare system, first step to phasing out MetroCards

Image: Phil Hollenback via Flickr.

October 9, 2017

MTA begins testing of new subway fare system, first step to phasing out MetroCards

With the goal of eventually phasing out the use of MetroCards in the New York City subway system, the MTA has begun the testing phase of a mobile device scanning and payment system. Untapped Cities reports that the first trials of a new mobile fare system are being installed at points where Metro-North commuters transfer to the subway, as an expansion of the Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road's eTix app. At specific stations, riders can make the transfer with turnstiles fitted with scanners that allow them to swipe their phones. The new turnstiles have already been installed in the Bowling Green and Wall Street Stations in lower Manhattan for a test run; the expansion is a pilot for the eventual phasing out of MetroCards altogether.
Find out when and where you can try out the new system

MTA refurbishes and removes seats from E train to squeeze more riders in cars

Updated interior of E train, photo via MTA on Flickr

October 4, 2017

MTA refurbishes and removes seats from E train to squeeze more riders in cars

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on Tuesday revealed the first cars refurbished and reconfigured under their "NYC Subway Action Plan." The authority has removed some seats on a few E train cars to allow more riders to board and limit delays caused by overcrowding. The redesigned trains are part of a 100-car pilot created to increase capacity; seat removal is expected to increase capacity by between 80 and 100 passengers. Subway delays continue to be problematic for commuters: an analysis from City Comptroller Scott Stringer this week found the economic cost of subway delays could range from $170 million per year to $389 million in lost wages and productivity for businesses.
See the new trains

Subway delays could cost the city’s economy up to $389M annually

Image © 6sqft

October 2, 2017

Subway delays could cost the city’s economy up to $389M annually

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer released an analysis on Sunday that found the economic cost of subway delays could range from $170 million per year to $389 million in lost wages and productivity for businesses. The comptroller’s office used data from the MTA that looks at train schedules, passenger volumes and wait assessments by each subway line (h/t NY Times). Stringer’s analysis listed five subway lines that cause the biggest economic losses: 5, 7, A, F, and 4 trains. During a news conference Sunday, Stinger said, "The summer of hell is turning into the fall of frustration for subway commuters."
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MTA bringing 40,000+ digital video ad screens to subway cars and stations

Digital screen rendering, courtesy MTA’s flickr

September 28, 2017

MTA bringing 40,000+ digital video ad screens to subway cars and stations

If you thought those ads in taxicabs were annoying, wait until you see what's in store for NYC's beleaguered subway riders. The Post reports that the MTA has just announced that they'll be serving up ads on digital screens that will soon be appearing in subway stations and cars. Through a partnership with OUTFRONT Media, who will cover the $800 million installation, they plan to install nearly 14,000 screens in stations and platforms, 31,000 in 5,134 subway cars, and an additional 3,900 on LIRR and Metro North commuter trains.
You're kidding, right?

Map shows less than 1/4 of NYC subway stations are accessible

Maps via The Guardian

September 26, 2017

Map shows less than 1/4 of NYC subway stations are accessible

Out of NYC's 472 subway stations, only 117 are fully accessible, a major problem considering more than 800,000 or one-in-ten New Yorkers have a physical disability (and this doesn't take into account those who get injured or are with a stroller). The reason for this is that our subway system was built starting in 1904, long before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. To highlight the issue, the Guardian put together these startling maps that show worldwide metro systems in their entirety as compared to versions that only include fully accessible stations.
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Transit

Photo courtesy of Roman Kruglov on Flickr

September 25, 2017

MTA to provide more honest stats about subway service with new digital dashboard

While your train will probably still be delayed and overcrowded, the reasons behind your slow commute may soon become clearer. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority managers will present statistics to the agency's board on Monday that reflect the rider’s experience, rather than MTA staff. As the Daily News reported, the MTA will unveil a digital dashboard that informs strap-hangers how much longer than usual they will wait for a train and how many minutes are spent on delayed trains. Plus, the new service will provide a tally of major incidents.
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September 21, 2017

Eight months after opening, Second Avenue Subway still doesn’t have its safety certificate

When the Second Avenue Subway opened this past New Year's Day, it was nothing short of a miracle. Not only had the $4 billion infrastructure project been 100 years in the making but in the months leading up to its deadline, there was much talk about delays related to the system’s “rigorous testing schedule" not being met. As it turns out, the testing wasn't met; the Times tells us that when the train opened on January 1st, "the fire alarm system was still being tested and more than 17,000 defects found during inspections had not been fixed." And eight months later, the train is still operating under a temporary safety certificate.
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Governor Cuomo’s new ‘Keep It Clean’ initiative doubles the fine for subway littering

Photo via Office of the Governor

September 7, 2017

Governor Cuomo’s new ‘Keep It Clean’ initiative doubles the fine for subway littering

A week from today, those who litter in the subway system will face a $100 penalty, double the current $50. The increased fine is part of Governor Cuomo's newly announced "Keep It Clean" initiative, which will discourage subway littering through a new public awareness campaign. Each year, 700 fire-related track incidents are caused by littering. And in just the past six months, incidents related to standing water conditions (litter hinders the MTA's ability to pump out millions of gallons of water daily) increased by 56 percent.
Learn more and watch the MTA's new PSA

Photo courtesy of Roman Kruglov’s Flickr

August 30, 2017

City workers missed over 17,000 hours of work due to subway delays this year

New Yorkers employed by the city have missed 17,143 hours of work because of transit delays and malfunctions, according to the Daily News. A new analysis by the Independent Budget Office (IBO), shows that city workers are on track to miss nearly 26,000 hours of work for the entire year, an increase of almost 30 percent from previous years. The report found the incident that caused the most city workers to be late happened in January when city workers lost a total of 1,075 hours after water spilled onto the tracks at West 4th Street-Washington Square station.
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‘Citymapper’ app translates confusing MTA alerts into easy-to-read alternative directions

Graphic via Citymapper

August 28, 2017

‘Citymapper’ app translates confusing MTA alerts into easy-to-read alternative directions

With subway disruptions and delays becoming a part of daily life in New York City, even lifelong New Yorkers sometimes have trouble finding alternative routes when their F train switches to a different line. Thankfully, there’s now an app that aims to make commuting in NYC a little less confusing. Citymapper, a transportation software start-up based in the UK, uses artificial intelligence to recommend new routes in response to MTA alert statuses. As CityLab reported, the app’s “bot” reads the complicated message from the authority and uses the relevant information to offer a clearer route change to avoid the problem.
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Photo via Kev Harb via Flickr

August 25, 2017

The ‘summer of hell’ at Penn Station will finish on time, Amtrak says