Subject:

New York City Transportation

  • Blogs

    May 9, 2012

    LIRR: Smooth Operator or Rife With Problems?

    The Long Island Rail Road isn't just fraught with fraud: Looks like the MTA's plan to hook up the LIRR to Grand Central Terminal might be delayed a third time, the New York Post reports. What this means? The long-awaited, $7 billion connection wouldn't be complete until 2019, four years after the ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 29, 2012

    Occupy Wall Street Affiliates Chain Subway Gates Open For Fare Strike

    A group calling itself the "Rank and File Initiative" claimed credit yesterday for opening up more than 20 subway stations throughout the city for free entry. Chaining open emergency gates at stations on the F, L, R, Q, 3, and 6 lines during rush hour yesterday morning, the anonymous activists post ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 6, 2012

    Long Live the G-Train? New Petition Tries to Preserve Park Slope Extension

    Well, here are four words we never thought we would type: Save the G-train? Brooklyn's straphangers, known to love the looping line as much as they hate it, are now rallying in support of the G: District Leader Lincoln Restler has organized a petition to keep the MTA from cutting off full Church Av ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 1, 2012

    Transportation Advocates Fight Planned MTA Fee Increases

    The MTA will increase fares again in 2013 -- meaning that riders will be hit with the fourth such fee hike since 2007. While this isn't exactly breaking -- the New York legislature long ago gave the green light to transit rate increases every two years -- what's worth mentioning is that transporta ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 8, 2012

    New York's Ugliest Rat Calls Seventh Avenue Station Home

    via Rat Free Subways​Let's face it -- as New Yorkers, we have certainly seen our fair share of ugly rats. They're in the parks, in the subway, and if you're particularly unlucky, in your apartment building. But this rat -- this rat is the ugliest, at least according to the Transit Workers Un ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 6, 2012

    The MTA's Evening Shutdown of 4, 5, and 6 Trains For Track Repair Starts Monday

    Back in November, it was announced that the MTA would implement a new measure, which they're calling "FASTTRACK," in order to repair lines that are constantly running and, it seems, constantly in need of fixing in some way or another (some of them have been around a long time, you know!). They said ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 14, 2011

    MTA to Start Doing Weeknight Subway Line Repair Closures

    ​The latest coolest thing the MTA is doing: closing the subway on weeknights. According to NY1, the MTA has plans to close some lines for repairs for up to five consecutive weeknights from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. This is a shift from the MTA's usual M.O., which is to shut down lines on the weekend ( ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 25, 2011

    We're Really Freaking Happy With the Subway, Apparently

    ​Despite our own Steven Thrasher's harrowing experience on a smoke-filled 4 train last night, the MTA believes that we are mostly happier with New York City transit than we used to be (and apparently we do, too). According to the results of their just-released 2011 Customer Satisfaction Survey ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 4, 2011

    Transport Workers Union Denied Injunction Against City's Use of Bus Drivers to Transport Arrested Protesters; Suit Not Dismissed

    Today the Transport Workers Union, which last week voted unanimously in support of Occupy Wall Street, went to court to fight against the city's use of city bus drivers to transport arrested protesters. Following the Brooklyn Bridge arrests on Saturday, the Union said the NYPD had commandeered numer ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 3, 2011

    In 2012, You Will Love the L Train a Little More (or Hate It Slightly Less?)

    ​According to a statement today released by State Senator Daniel Squadron, the MTA will be improving weekend service on the L train, with more frequent trains expected starting in mid 2012. Squadron had requested a review back in July of the service; the results show that the much-maligned lin ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 29, 2011

    Transport Workers Union Votes Unanimously to Support Occupy Wall Street

    Occupy Wall Street is in its 13th day, with support growing among factions veering from the "grungy unemployed hippie stereotype." There's the event led by two CUNY professors to protest the treatment of the protesters at the hands of the NYPD (Critical Mass has written they'll join in this rally, w ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 27, 2011

    Hurricane Irene Cost the MTA $110 Million; Fare Increases Still Planned for 2013

    ​The MTA is out $110 million, reports the New York Post, thanks to Hurricane (later, Tropical Storm) Irene. That breaks down into $50 million to fix Metro-North's damaged Port Jervis line, $10 million spent on shuttle buses that ran as the line was down, and $50 million in operating costs, inc ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 24, 2011

    Weekend Subway Service Has Gotten A Little Better, But That Won't Stop Us From Complaining

    ​One of our favorite things to do on the weekends is gripe, bitch, and generally complain as much as we possibly can about how shitty the subway service is. A lot. But new data reported in the New York Post shows the bane of our existence actually made a small step toward becoming less of a b ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 16, 2011

    MTA Introduces New Subway Map to Make You Less Angry on Weekends

    A portion of one of the new Weekender maps​Have you heard of "the Weekender"? No, it's not this. It's a new online mapping system that the MTA hopes will help make you less angry on weekends! Basically, this is the MTA's admittance to you that, yes, they mess up a lot of your plans on weekend ... More >>

  • Blogs

    September 9, 2011

    MTA Bus Drivers Create Their Own Sexy Calendar

    via​The FDNY has long done it, so why not the MTA? A group of rather fit, if we do say so, MTA bus drivers from the Jackie Gleason Bus Depot in Brooklyn have formed a group called Men Taking Action/United Transit Employees. And now they are putting together their own calendar. Michelle, or "Mu ... More >>

  • Blogs

    July 27, 2011

    MTA's New Financial Plan Shows Fare Increases in 2013, 2015

    ​The MTA Board met this morning to present and discuss its newest financial plan for 2012 through 2015, a plan still in its preliminary stages. To everyone's likely dismay, it projects fare increases, but also promises no service cuts based on the budget. "[The plan] presents at least a fragil ... More >>

  • Blogs

    July 16, 2011

    MTA Weekend Follies, Again: An Investigation

    ​This should absolutely not come as a surprise, but anyone who uses the New York City subway system will experience some trying times this weekend. Do you take the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, C, D, E, F, G, L, N, Q, or R trains? Sorry 'bout that. For us Williamsburgers, this is par for the course. Th ... More >>

  • Blogs

    July 11, 2011

    New Yorkers Demand Use of Subway on Weekends, Now

    Not quite like Tokyo -- yet.​An article in the New York Times today alerts us to something you've probably known about, at least anecdotally, for a while. Good to have it proven, though, if only so your complaining can be official! Despite New York subways frequently having longer waits, screw ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 28, 2011

    Astorians Mourn Departed Bus and Subway Lines, Want to Bring Back the QM22

    ​Politicians, civic groups, and commuters gathered yesterday by the Astoria-Ditmars subway stop to mark the death-iversary of their dearly departeds: the W train and the QM22 bus line. One year ago, the MTA eliminated the W and V trains and dozens of bus lines, and reduced services throughout ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 25, 2011

    New MTA Campaign Asks "What's New?"

    ​We had hoped the MTA would revive Poetry in Motion, a collaborative campaign between the MTA and Poetry Society of America that brought the likes of Dylan Thomas and Emily Dickinson to the New York City subway walls in the early 90s, but not all of our wishes can be granted, especially when i ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 8, 2011

    MTA Goes After East Village Artist for Painting on Used Metrocards [Updated]

    Some of the artist's work.​The big bad wolf is hungry. Or jealous? EV Grieve today alerted us to the matter of East Village artist VH McKenzie, who has been creating oil paintings on discarded Metrocards that she then sells on Etsy for $48 apiece. The MTA found out about this, and sent her the ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 30, 2011

    Study Finds 83% of Subway Announcements Are Clear and Accurate, But Uh: No

    ​A new survey by the Straphangers Campaign claims that 83% of subway announcements, including routes, stations and transfer options, are both clear and accurate, making it seem instantly to anyone who has ever been on the subway that something is wrong with this study. New trains with pre-reco ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 29, 2011

    Poetry in Motion May Return to NYC Subways

    ​When the G train is 45 minutes late, then stops midway through your route for 20 minutes because the train in front has just broken down, the last thing you want to do is stare at an MTA-sponsored sign that states, "Improvements don't just happen." Which is why we're all a bit happier to lear ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 22, 2011

    The MTA Can Text...Sort of

    ​If you're a Metro-North commuter, the MTA will now text you train schedules and other important information as to the status of your ride. Well, not the MTA, exactly: A technology company named CooCoo is providing the service updates, which are already available for Long Island Rail Road cust ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 27, 2011

    Subway Rider Mutiny Involves Taking Over N Train for Warmth

    ​New York subway riders will not be stopped! Well, technically, they will be stopped. But when they are stopped on a D train at Coney Island because it's freakin' blizzards outside, they will COMMANDEER another train regardless of what the MTA and NYPD say! (This is good, because we really don ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 12, 2011

    Central Park Gets 9 Inches of Snow; There's Snow on the Ground in 49 of 50 States

    via @DevonGrandy/Twitpic​The snow count is in. We got 9.1 inches last night (according to numbers in Central Park, via NY1). That does not a blizzard make, but it's pretty, for the moment! No major public transport delays, though the MTA has issued a Winter Weather Service Advisory. In related ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 15, 2010

    F Train: Now Slightly Less F'ed Up, Officially

    ​We profess a fondness for the F-train, despite its assorted problems. It's OUR train, and thus, while we can talk shit about it, no one else can. But every train has problems, right? At least the F's not the G. And, via the latest New York City Transit report, our little F train has finally a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 4, 2010

    Someday You Really Will Talk on Your Cell Phone in the Subway...Probably

    ​The MTA didn't forget about that cell service on subways that they've been talking about for so long. Yes, true, even though July brought the "green light" for Transit Wireless to proceed with making the networks happen, lack of funding kind of stagnated things. But it's on...again! AT&T and ... More >>

  • Blogs

    August 11, 2010

    The MTA: Now Busting Even More of You for Tardies

    ​Well, this is awkward. Back in June, the MTA introduced the NYC Transit Delay Verification System, an Internet memo of sorts into which you enter in your subway information and time; the program will confirm whether you were legitimately late, or just faking it because you overslept after a n ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 23, 2010

    Update: MTA "Fixes" One Problem, Creates Another -- and So It Goes

    ​As of yesterday, the MTA planned to lay off two bus drivers currently at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. In a humanitarian move, perhaps realizing that the stress of war need not be coupled with the stress of job loss -- or that they would be getting some very bad publicity -- the MTA changed it ... More >>

  • Blogs

    June 22, 2010

    The MTA Can't Do Much Right Lately: Two Deployed Bus Drivers Laid Off While at War

    ​Reading about the MTA's decisions is often like swallowing a cactus, especially when news of truly unfortunate cutbacks comes in quick succession with news of huge spending. Earlier this morning, we reported that the MTA is shelling out big bucks for tenants temporarily displaced by Second Av ... More >>

  • Columns

    May 11, 2010
  • Blogs

    April 26, 2010

    Commuting Report: Subway Ridership Down, Bikes on the Up

    ​Over the weekend New York City Transit released a whole bunch of data about how we ride the subway. It turns out, ridership for 2009 was down slightly from 2008 (blame the economy and the fact that a bunch of us were unemployed; if you're the MTA, blame construction).

  • Blogs

    March 13, 2010

    MTA Wants High-Speed Wireless Internet on Metro-North and LIRR Trains

    ​According to the Post, the Metropolitan Transit Authority is asking for bids from service providers to make high-speed wireless internet available to riders on Metro-North and LIRR commuter trains serving Westchester, Connecticut and Long Island. The final plan may or may not be free to non- ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 16, 2009

    MTA Passes New Doomsday Budget (Updated)

    The MTA board just voted to pass that new budget with service cuts. MTA Chairman Jay Walder "stressed the preliminary nature of this proposal," says Second Avenue Sagas, which live-tweeted the meeting. SAS says board members stressed their "legal obligation to pass a balanced budget for 2010" befor ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 11, 2009

    MTA Stocking Stuffer? May Shut M and Z Trains, "Dozens" of Bus Routes

    This Christmas season, the MTA is planning a treat for all of us: service cuts! These were threatened during the last "Doomsday Budget" tsimmis, but relinquished when the fares went up. Now MTA is out of money again, and is considering the removal of "dozens of bus routes," and the W and Z subway l ... More >>

  • Voice Choices

    November 17, 2009

    THERE SHE IS . . .

    Who will be the first ever Miss G Train?

  • Blogs

    October 22, 2009

    MTA Chief Considers Off-Peak Pricing for Subways, Buses

    Ride the whole system, all for the low price of [insert current fare here]! That's been the beauty of New York City transit. But the variable pricing afforded by unlimited-ride cards has blurred that distinction, and new MTA chairman, Jay Walder, may erase it: he is looking at "time-of-day pricing" ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 10, 2009

    Train service is going to be really, really bad this weekend, and other bad transit news

    ​The MTA has chosen this weekend to start needed repairs on the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, A, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, N, Q, and R lines (a full list of service advisories is here). Some stops will be skipped, and parts of routes replaced with shuttle bus service. Note: there will be handicapped-accessibl ... More >>

  • News

    November 6, 2007

    Bus Kill

    In the crosswalk, New Yorkers find themselves in the cross hairs

  • News

    January 31, 2006

    Strangeness on a Train

    Annoyance over L train shutdowns, anxiety over what they're for

  • News

    December 20, 2005

    Fault Line

    Deal or no deal, transit workers want more respect, less punishment

  • News

    July 5, 2005

    New York Subways and Terror: What, Us Worry?

    London bombings raise questions about Gotham's transit system

  • News

    March 29, 2005

    Win One for the Gyppers

    With a strong push from city hall, MTA moves the ball for the Jets

  • News

    May 20, 2003

    Transit Hurrah

    The People Who Stood Up to the MTA Bullies

  • News

    December 17, 2002

    Toussaint's Transit Express

    All It Took Was a Little Respect

  • News

    January 23, 2001

    Mixed Signals

    City Promises No Driverless Trains, but Sets Track for Automatic Subway

  • News

    November 21, 2000

    Underground Rumblings

    A Modern Militant Vies to Revive the Transit Union

  • News

    August 8, 2000

    The Taste of Fear

    Subway Surfers Risk Their Lives Atop the City’s Trains. Only Mad Fools Take the Dare. Only the Lucky Survive.

  • News

    June 27, 2000

    Big Apple for Sale

    City Peddles Spare Parts Online

  • More >>

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