ELECTED OFFICIALS, ADVOCATES ANNOUNCE 24 HOUR "RIDERS RESPOND TRANSIT TOUR" TO GET FIRSTHAND FEEDBACK FROM SUBWAY RIDERS
NYC Council Member Rodriguez, NYS Assemblyman Dinowitz, Riders Alliance, TWU & More Will Travel Subways to Hear About Riders' Concerns Prior to Aug. 8 City Council Hearing on Subways
New York, NY - Elected officials are ready to ride the rails to hear directly from subway commuters in advance of a City Council hearing on August 8th. After months of delays, derailments, power outages, track fires and more, officials and advocates will take to the tunnels to get feedback, suggestions and concerns from riders, while getting a full picture of the system that sustains our city.
Standing outside the City Hall R Train Station, the coalition announced the 24-Hour "Riders Respond Transit Tour." The tour will take place from 7 AM to 7 PM on Thursday August 3rd and Friday August 4th, touching all five boroughs. It is organized by NYC Council Transportation Chair Ydanis Rodriguez, in conjunction with NYS Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Chair Jeffrey Dinowitz, who each chair committees with oversight over the city subway system.
They will be joined by elected officials, advocates and volunteers, travelling from station to station to document feedback about riders' commutes, assess the state of the system's infrastructure and gain a feel for each line in the city. The results of the tour will be shared at the NYC Council Transportation Committee Hearing on the NYC Subway System, scheduled for August 8th. The full route can be found attached.
"Lost over the past few months of subway woes has been the point of view of riders," said NYC Council Transportation Chair Ydanis Rodriguez. "It is our duty as representatives of those who take the subway each day to learn about what they're going through and hear their suggestions for improving the system. As we prepare for our subways hearing at the Council on August 8th, this tour will help to gather information and data crucial to getting a more complete picture of the system. I'm glad so many of my colleagues and interested organizations have signed on to this effort and I'm expecting a very informative tour."
"New Yorkers are fed up with the burden shifting between New York City and New York State. Councilman Rodriguez and I, as leaders of two committees that have oversight of the MTA at both levels of government, are working together to identify problems and create solutions. There are many issues with our city's transit including ADA accessibility, platform overcrowding, fire-causing trash on the tracks, derailments, and other problems that have combined to create the crisis we are in today," said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Chair of the NYS Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions.
This event is supported by a growing list of elected officials and advocates, including NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat, Brooklyn and Manhattan Borough Presidents Gale Brewer and Eric Adams, NYS Assemblywoman Carmen De La Rosa, State Senator Brad Hoylman, Council Member Carlos Menchaca, Riders Alliance, Straphangers Campaign and TWU Local 100 and many more.
"New York commuters have spoken and it's far time we take note and heed their concerns regarding our subway system," said U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). "I commend MTA Chairman Lhota on yesterday's release of the MTA Subway Action Plan, this is a first step. Unfortunately, however, the plan excluded escalator and elevator services in some of the deepest stations in New York City, many of which are within my district. When escalator and elevator services are out of order, riders are often left without resolve and must find last minute alternate means of transportation, which is of grave concern for seniors, persons with disabilities, and families with young children. It is critical that we take a comprehensive approach and find solutions that address all parts of our system's infrastructure. I commend Councilman Rodriguez and each of the elected officials who are responding directly to the needs of commuters throughout the city and hearing their concerns firsthand."
"Every day, millions of New Yorkers are experiencing unprecedented delays and problems with our subway system, yet feel that their concerns are ignored," said NYC Public Advocate Letitia James. "The Riders Respond Transit Tour is a critical opportunity to connect with subway riders and see concerns firsthand because we can no longer sit by and allow these daily failures to go unaddressed. In order to facilitate real change and improvement, we must first hear from those who ride our trains everyday and I look forward to the progress that will come from this.
"Now more than ever, we all need to come together and work constructively to tackle this crisis. The success of our city rests on our transportation system - it's what keeps our economy moving," said Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. "When delays disrupt travel, and when New Yorkers are stranded underground, there are real human impacts. To solve this crisis, we need an all-hands-on-deck-approach that puts commuters first. That's why this rally and listening tour are so important."
"There's no silver bullet that will fix the subway overnight, but putting the focus back on subway riders and what they're being forced to cope with will help build support for the investment of money and political will that's going to be needed," said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer.
"The persistent delays, derailments, and track fires facing long-suffering straphangers is indicative of a creaking MTA in need of a major revamp," said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. "We need to listen to the concerns, experiences, and views of subway riders themselves, and that's the aim of the 24-hour
Riders Respond Transit Tour.
I thank the broad coalition of partners that have come together to listen to Brooklynites directly as they ride the rails from Brownsville, Coney Island, and Downtown Brooklyn to Kensington, Sunset Park, and Williamsburg."
State Senator Brad Hoylman
said: "The subway system is the lifeblood of our city, transporting upwards of five million New Yorkers daily. As we navigate through this historic crisis confronting our subways, it's essential that we hear firsthand from these straphangers who are bearing the greatest burden. I'm grateful to Council Member Ydanis Rodriquez and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz for sponsoring the Riders Respond Transit Tour, which will give a voice to the most important but often most neglected stakeholders."
NYS Senator Jesse Hamilton
said, "State and City government must work together to ensue commuters have safe, reliable service. This Riders Respond Transit Tour serves as an important avenue to gathering commuter input and helps all the partners involved take a step forward in overcoming those challenges."
"It is vital for elected officials to understand the daily experiences of their constituents. This 24-hour "Riders Respond Transit Tour" is an important opportunity for my colleagues and I to take commuters' views into account when we are devising solutions for the current subway crisis. It is equally important that subway riders know that their elected officials support them, listen to them, and hear their frustrations, and I hope that this kind of engagement will continue even once the subway crisis has subsided," said Senator Marisol Alcantara.
"As our City and State put forth a plan of action to deal with the crisis we are currently facing in the subway system, I am proud to join Chair Rodriguez and Chair Dinowitz as we kickoff a tour through the system," said Assembly Member Carmen De La Rosa. "Speaking directly to straphangers and seeing firsthand the real conditions of our stations is our responsibility in order to ensure a plan that respects priorities of our communities.
"The recent series of subway delays, derailments, and track fires have plagued New Yorkers who rely on the subway every day to commute to work, get to school, for medical appointments or just to explore the city. As the MTA implements its action plan to improve the system, we need to ensure that we are taking the riders' feedback into account so that we can develop sustainable solutions. This must include input from people with disabilities and the increasing population of older adults who experience significant accessibility issues including elevator breakdowns and a lack of adequate elevator-equipped stations," said Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon.
"Our colleagues in city and state government are committed to improving our transit system. This week, we receive first-hand experience and hear directly from our commuters. A vibrant and fully functional public transportation system is vital to our city and state." Clyde Vanel, chair of the New York State Assembly Subcommittee on Infrastructure.
"I am joining the "Riders' Respond Transit Tour" to learn more about getting our trains and buses to serve the riding public as they expect from the MTA. While the problems we have with the N and R lines in downtown Brooklyn, Sunset Park Borough Park and Bay Ridge are well known to me, this tour will enable my colleagues and me to hear from other riders across the city and to hear their concerns. The Summer of Hell must not happen again," said Assembly Member Felix W. Ortiz.
"New Yorkers deserve a subway system that works," said Assemblymember Dan Quart. "Deteriorating conditions and extreme delays have led to mistrust in our system and frustration among riders. These problems were not created overnight and they will not be solved overnight but quick fixes and Band-Aids are no longer acceptable. We must have an honest assessment of the situation, think bigger in terms of solutions, and get to work to improve our subways."
"Now more than ever the MTA is in need of swift action to ensure that our trains remain operable for the millions of New Yorkers who utilize them daily. I have long been an advocate for finding new funding streams for the MTA, by requiring marginal tolls on East River Bridges, and pushing for increased state support of this vital resource. All New Yorkers should be able to count on reliable, functional, and effective public transportation, and I stand with elected officials and advocates as we evaluate what additional support our subways may need," said Assemblyman Walter Mosley.
"The MTA must solve New York City's public transit emergency in cooperation with the riders and workers who are most impacted by service disruptions and system failures," said Council Member Carlos Menchaca. "Transit users must be listened to and treated with respect. In Sunset Park, Brooklyn on the R-line I have called for better communications before and during scheduled maintenance, translated signs in multiple languages (i.e. Spanish, Chinese and Arabic), and an increased number of shuttle buses along 4th and 5th Avenue . The current crisis is not just one of equipment repairs and capital projects. The MTA also has a customer service emergency and must change the way they operate."
"Unfortunately, the subway crisis has been brewing well before the summer of hell," said NYC Council Member Rafael Espinal. "While shocking incidents of subway failures have gained recent attention, New Yorkers expect train delays and crumbling infrastructure to be a part of their daily routine. It is time we listen to commuters and take swift action to remedy these issues to give New Yorkers the peace of mind they deserve."
"As the Summer of Hell continues, riders are demanding solutions-and their elected leaders are paying attention. The transit tour demonstrates powerfully that our representatives are taking on transit as issue number one," said Nick Sifuentes, Deputy Director of the Riders Alliance.
"The Straphangers Campaign applauds Councilman Rodriquez for taking initiative and launching a listening tour of New York City's subway system," said Jaqi Cohen, Campaign Coordinator for the Straphangers Campaign. "As our city experiences this current transit crisis, it is critical for our elected leaders to hear about daily subway experience from riders themselves."
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**Route Below**
Thursday: Manhattan & The Bronx
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Time
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Station (Train line)
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7:00-7:30am
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242nd St (1)
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Travel time: 15 min
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7:45am-9:00am
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168th St (1/A/C)
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Travel time: 10 min
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9:10am-9:40am
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125th St (A/B/C/D)
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Travel time: 10 min
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9:50am-10:20am
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59th St (A/B/C/D/1)
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Travel time: 30 min
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10:50am-11:35am
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City Hall/Chambers St (4/5/6/J)
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Travel time: 25 min
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12:00pm-12:45pm
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East Broadway (F)
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Travel time: 45 min
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1:30pm-2:00pm
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125th St (4/5/6)
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Travel time: 25 min
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2:25pm-2:55pm
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Mosholu Pkwy (4)
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Travel time: 30 min
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3:25pm-3:55pm
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161st St-Yankee Stadium (4/B/D)
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Break 3:55pm-4:25pm; Travel time: 20 min
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4:45pm-5:15pm
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3rd Ave & 149th St (2/5)
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Travel time: 25 min
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5:40pm-6:10pm
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Grand Central (4/5/6/7/S)
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Travel time: 10 min
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6:20pm-6:50pm
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Times Square (A/C/E/1/2/3/7/N/Q/R/S)
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FRIDAY - Queens, Brooklyn & Staten Island
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Time
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Station (Train line)
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7:00am-7:30am
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Queensboro Plaza (N/W/7)
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Travel time: 15 min
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7:45am-8:45am
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Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave
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Travel time: 20 min
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9:05am-9:35am
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Sutphin Blvd-Archer Ave (E/J)
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Travel time: 25 min
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10:00am-10:30am
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Broadway Junction (A/C/J/Z/L)
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Travel time: 20 min
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10:50am-11:20am
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Jay St./Metro Tech (A/C/F/R)
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Travel time: 60 min
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12:20pm-12:50pm
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36th St (R/N/D)
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Break 12:50pm-1:20pm
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Travel time: 30 min
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1:50pm-2:20pm
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Coney Island (N/D)
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Travel time: 1 hour
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2:20pm-2:50pm
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Metropolitan Ave (G)/ Lorimer St. (L)
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Travel time: 1h 20 min
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4:10pm-4:40pm
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Stapelton (SI Railroad)
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Travel time: 1 hour
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5:40pm-6:10pm
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Union Square (4/5/L)
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