A Tale Of Two Cities: Chicago and New York – Part 1 Of 2
THE COMMUTE: Hey, let’s give Chicago top billing for a change. I’ve always wondered why Downtown Chicago retained its Els when New York City decided to get rid of them in Downtown and Midtown. I think...
View ArticleA Tale of Two Cities: Chicago and New York – Part 2 Of 2
THE COMMUTE: My First Bus Ride After spending 45 minutes exiting Chicago O’Hare International Airport, since there were no clear airport exit signs, I finally arrived at the PACE bus stop to get to...
View ArticleMTA Reveals Plans For The 2013 Fare Hike
The Metropolitan Transit Authority released a proposal outlining options pertaining to the fare hike that is due to take effect in March of 2013. The MTA is looking at combinations of hikes for the...
View ArticleOn Fare Hike, The Day To Speak Up Is November 7
THE COMMUTE: November 7, 2012, is when the Brooklyn hearing for the 2013 proposed fare and toll hikes is scheduled. If that evening is inconvenient for you, another will be held on the November 13,...
View ArticleBites Launches Hurricane Sandy Resource Page, Featuring Live Video And...
We know what a pain it is to cut through the media frenzy and find the latest info when a storm rolls in. So we’re making it easy for you. Check out the Hurricane Sandy resource page. To keep you...
View ArticleSubways, Buses To Shut Down At 7 P.M. Sunday
Governor Andrew Cuomo has ordered the shut down of all subway, bus and railroad service at 7:00 p.m. today, in advance of strong winds and rain from Hurricane Sandy. Outbound Access-A-Ride trips are...
View ArticleMTA Deserves High Marks For Returning Service As Quickly As Possible
THE COMMUTE: It is not too often that I compliment the MTA for a job well done. Regular readers of this column know most of my commentary toward the MTA usually is negative, but not this time. First,...
View ArticleBK Chamber Of Commerce President Says MTA Hikes Disproportionately Hurt...
Citing the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, rising fuel prices, and rising tolls on bridges, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President Carlo Scissura blasted the proposed MTA fare hikes slated for 2013...
View ArticleProposed Fare And Toll Increases — Residents May Submit Their Comments To The...
THE COMMUTE: If you did not attend the Brooklyn Transit Fare Hike Hearing held at the Marriott Hotel in Downtown Brooklyn last Monday because of the nor’easter, you have another chance. Another hearing...
View ArticleWhy Was The Turnout At The Fare And Toll Hike Hearings So Low?
THE COMMUTE: Last week, I wrote that fewer than 50 people showed up at the Brooklyn fare hike hearing, held the same day as the nor’easter, which possibly explains the low turnout. However, how do you...
View ArticleMTA Refuses B4 Restoration To Assist Stranded Sandy Victims In Plumb Beach
The MTA denied a request yesterday to restore ’round-the-clock B4 bus service to Plumb Beach just one month ahead of schedule, even though scores of residents remain stranded by Superstorm Sandy. Bay...
View ArticleBetter Coordination Of Transportation Modes Is Key To A Well-Balanced System
THE COMMUTE: About a week before Hurricane Sandy, I got a delightful surprise in the form of an email from a senior MTA executive who worked at the Chicago Transit Authority earlier in his career...
View ArticleThe MTA Shows Its Bias Against Buses Again
THE COMMUTE: I previously wrote about the MTA’s bias against buses and their preference for the subways. Legible bus maps for all boroughs were not available until the early 1980s. Buses were harder...
View ArticleMTA Approves Fare Hike! Will Be $2.50 Per Ride, And $15 For Verrazano Bridge
Whether by car, bus or subway, getting around in New York City is about to become a little more expensive. The MTA Board approved the agency’s 2013 budget this morning, which included a set of mass...
View ArticleMTA, Parking Changes For Christmas Holiday
Taking public transit this Christmas? Make sure you account for the following change: Buses and trains run on a Saturday schedule on Christmas Eve. Reduced hours will be enacted for December 25. On...
View ArticleEXCLUSIVE: Bus Service Restorations, Improvements To Be Implemented January 6
YOU READ IT HERE FIRST: The MTA will announce next week that most bus lines identified earlier this year for service restorations, investments and improvements will take effect on January 6. Other...
View ArticleB4 Service To Be Restored Sunday: Here’s The New Route & Schedule
As we announced last week, the B4 is slated for a full service restoration beginning this Sunday, marking the first time since 2010 that the line has operated 24/7 east of Ocean Parkway. This week, the...
View ArticleOur Mass Transit Future – Part 1: What Is Wrong With Select Bus Service?
THE COMMUTE: Last week, I mentioned how the benefits of Select Bus Service (SBS) have been exaggerated and the disadvantages minimized, and how the MTA continues to push forward with additional...
View ArticleOur Mass Transit Future – Part 2: What Happened To Democracy?
THE COMMUTE: In Part 1, I discussed what is wrong with Select Bus Service (SBS). Other than the case of Merrick Boulevard in Queens where it was defeated, SBS is being forced down our throats, whether...
View ArticleOur Mass Transit Future – Part 3: What Happened To Democracy?
THE COMMUTE: In Part 1, I discussed the various Select Bus Service corridors presently in operation and how their success or lack thereof has not been adequately measured. In Part 2, I mentioned one...
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