To the editor,
Like under Bloomberg who wanted congesting pricing to enter the city, that proposal went nowhere. Now, once again, the same idea has surfaced to get people out of their cars to pay to pay for mass transit. Yet, with the way the system works, when it works, how many overcrowded trains do we have? Constant delays and breakdowns will not attract more people to take mass transit.
The same could be said about the buses.
How often have you waited for a bus, then noticed one bus, and a minute later, a second bus arrived?
How long did it take to build a portion of the Second Avenue subway?? Seems like 100 years ago. So how do the smart people think the subways can handle more passengers if the trains have constant problems. Let’s not forget what will happen when the L line is shut down. Better think about that, “brain trust.”
How come mass transit in other parts of the world work so much better, cleaner, efficient, and much much more reliable?? With all the supposed technology we have it lacks vision — and that’s a shame.Jerry Sattler
Brighton Beach
The old brawl game
To the editor,
I remember the day when baseball players were looked upon as role models, especially by inner city youth. Some example that the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees showed in their brawl last week. Mr. Sanchez should be expelled from baseball all together.
He was literally pummeling other players as they were on the ground. What kind of savage is he and others to start hitting one another?
These suspended players have the nerve to appeal their suspensions. They deserve permanent bans for giving the sport a bad name.
The problem is that many of these players are overpaid glamor boys who feel they can do as they please. They feel they’re above the law, especially with their over-bloated salaries and basically part-time work. Let them spend the winter months working with inner-city youth in our public schools.
Of course, this would mean that many would have to clean up their acts and practice morality.
Knowing the way baseball works currently, this outrage shall soon be forgotten and in a few years, some of these brawling malcontents will be admitted into the Hall of Fame.
That will certainly be a blow to the great players of yesteryear who besides their great playing were gentlemen and decent human beings. Right now these disgraceful players need to be admitted to the Hall of Shame.
Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
Discussing buses
To the editor,
New York State Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and 45 of his colleagues recently signed a letter to Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman Joe Lhota expressing concern about declining bus service and ongoing transit crises. Perhaps they are unaware of many bus capital projects funded under the ongoing MTA Five-Year, $32 billion 2015–2019 Five Year Capital Plan. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority–New York City Transit previously awarded contracts for $200 million to purchase and install a new bus radio system along with $150 million for purchase and installation of a new East New York Brooklyn Bus Command Center. Although both projects are already several years behind schedule (what else is new!), riders will eventually see benefits from completion of both the Bus Radio System and Command Bus Center. They will support operations of more than 6,000 buses providing service in all five boroughs. Once in use, they will support proper dispatching and monitoring of service, which assist in avoiding bus bunching.
Transit signal improvements affording buses priority movement on streets saving riders time involves the cooperation and financial support of NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and Mayor DeBlasio.
Boarding of buses in both the front and back has other issues to contend with. While riders are encouraged to exit in the rear, many depart via both the front and back doors. Conflicts will arise between riders attempting to board via both front and back door versus those wanting to exit. How many times have you been delayed by riders who fumble around trying to find their MetroCard, attempt to use a MetroCard with insufficient fare, or look for the right amount of lose change — resulting in more delays before a bus can depart the stop?
MTA NYC Transit as part of the $32 billion 2015–2019 Five Year Capital Plan are also in the process of spending $1 billion for purchasing more than 1,000 new buses. MTA Bus has programmed $300 million to buy more than 400 new buses. Many of these buses will be assigned to routes serving various Brooklyn neighborhoods.
Why not also invest in installing bus holding lights at major bus-to-subway transfer locations? This would assist riders transferring from subway to bus when a train arrives several minutes after scheduled bus departures. Missing a bus by a minute or two during off peak hours (when buses operate with longer intervals) is frustrating to riders.
There are other projects and plans outlined in both the MTA 2015–2019 Five Year Capital Plan and MTA 2014–2034 Twenty Year Capital Needs Assessment Plan for even more investments to support both the NYC Transit and MTA bus systems. All of the above will benefit NYC Transit Bus and MTA Bus express and local riders.
In the end, quality and frequency of service is dependent upon secure revenue streams. We all have to contribute — be it at the fare box or tax revenues generated by different levels of government redistributed back to the MTA.Larry Penner
Great Neck