Ha! Good luck in getting Governor Cuomo to step and provide responsible leadership to the MTA. He's foo busy showboating and planning to run for president. The Governor, and all the hacks in the Legislator, are all fixated on the short term to actually plan and lanything for the long term.
4
Geeze, give the governor a break. We need federal dollars and he is not a magician.
1
The subways are a marvel. People want a perfect system without paying for it.
Stop casting blame and start giving out some credit for a change.
But if you want to know how to improve the subway system, start with the state legislature, not the governor. He's not supposed to be the King. If he takes too much control he's called a dictator, if he let's the legislature have more control, he's too weak.
He can't ever win, and neither can deBlasio. Meanwhile, take a look at your federal government before criticizing these two.
Stop casting blame and start giving out some credit for a change.
But if you want to know how to improve the subway system, start with the state legislature, not the governor. He's not supposed to be the King. If he takes too much control he's called a dictator, if he let's the legislature have more control, he's too weak.
He can't ever win, and neither can deBlasio. Meanwhile, take a look at your federal government before criticizing these two.
1
Problem #1: union rules must change. Anyone who has ever observed a crew of 20 subway maintenance workers will see 4 working, 8 talking on cell phones, 3 eating chicken-parm heroes, and 5 supervisors looking at clipboards. And for this they get a living wage and outrageous pension benefits. Enough.
7
Hearing that Cuomo is considering a run for the Presidency (for several elections now) I always wonder what makes him think he should? I don't know anyone and I mean ANYONE who likes him or thinks he's been particularly good for NY. We vote for him because we want a Democrat and that's all...
3
Get rid of him immediately! He's a DINO. Replace with a REAL Democrat ala Roosevelt type.
2
The title of this column is a perfect example of the futility of what passes for political advocacy in public services. Blame Cuomo - this one additional poke from the NY Times will completely change Albany's financial calculations and suddenly release the full $8 billion in capital the State is budgeting to the MTA for years in advance...what a ridiculous fantasy.
The only available "advocating" strategy is apparently to put one's weight, whatever that may be, on the side of finger-pointing at either the Governor - who's been stuck with the MTA as the result of a decades-old political deal - or the Mayor - who refuses to commit any new City resources to a service that is entirely for the City, but can't lift a finger without compromising his nice, clean municipal budget. As a helpful hint to the State, this group wants Cuomo to allow neglect of bridges, airports and other transit to go on unabated, so Manhattan workers can save 20 minutes on their morning commute. This is utterly typical of the titanic waste of money and effort on "advocacy" politics throughout this country, for decade after decade - pulling in one impossible direction or another without offering any way out of the same old deadlocks.
If anybody cared about budget priorities they'd (a) broker an understanding about State/City funding of subway maintenance, and (b) determine by referendum exactly what priority, and thus how much money, it should get in the capital budget. More than schools, or housing?
The only available "advocating" strategy is apparently to put one's weight, whatever that may be, on the side of finger-pointing at either the Governor - who's been stuck with the MTA as the result of a decades-old political deal - or the Mayor - who refuses to commit any new City resources to a service that is entirely for the City, but can't lift a finger without compromising his nice, clean municipal budget. As a helpful hint to the State, this group wants Cuomo to allow neglect of bridges, airports and other transit to go on unabated, so Manhattan workers can save 20 minutes on their morning commute. This is utterly typical of the titanic waste of money and effort on "advocacy" politics throughout this country, for decade after decade - pulling in one impossible direction or another without offering any way out of the same old deadlocks.
If anybody cared about budget priorities they'd (a) broker an understanding about State/City funding of subway maintenance, and (b) determine by referendum exactly what priority, and thus how much money, it should get in the capital budget. More than schools, or housing?
1
This is a good article except one thing ... no mention of the mayor at all ... he has to except some responsibility, doesn't he ???
Orange, NJ
Orange, NJ
3
Between the re-striping of the streets "for bicycles", turning five lanes into one (put two trucks unloading into lanes 1 and 3), and the subway, it is almost like folks were trying to make Manhattan impassible. Sadly, I have traveled, and between Airports, and mass transit, I can say that I just assume easy connections between air and rail exist, and that rail is fast and clean everywhere...everywhere but at home. Meanwhile, we have MTA, Port Authority, and TBTA, all of which are over lapping, useless, and bloated. I never thought I'd say this, but I no longer miss living in Manhattan.
4
Stories like these encourage those who might think of NYC as a tourist destination to realize it's a bad place to live, and we wouldn't want to visit there either.
2
[Cuomo] has done an excellent job funding projects to help people flee New York City, but has been content to keep an arm’s length from a crumbling subway system that carries 1.7 billion passengers a year.
3
We have to understand that this is the small price we have to pay to give him a record to run on in his bid for the Presidency in two years.
1
If he thinks he has an excellent chance at the presidency, he's wrong. His own state will disown him and his avoidance of problems that has made being less-than-honest his day to day policy. Remember the Ethics Commission?
Way back in the 70's , 80's, early 90's when i lived in NYC, there were plenty of breakdowns, delays, signal troubles, outages. What we have now are about a million more NYers, most of whom ride the rails. So it seems like it's worse than say, 30 years ago. NYC is toast. They can't just tear up streets in Manhattan, or high rises to build more mass transit- impossible. You would need at least several new lines running in Manahattan into Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, which , if were possible to build, would cost near $50 billion in today's dollars. $50 billion just to relieve the current congestion. Ain't no way, no how that the Feds will pick up the tab, and the State couldn't afford it. So NYC- you're stuck, get used to the sardine cans you're riding in and allow an extra hour each way for travel. Yoga and taking contortion classes will defintely come in handy.
2
My understanding is the root of this is the rift between de Blasio and Coumo on funding in general. The city has the cash and the state doesn't. A lot of the money relationships - including how the MTA is funded - go back to the 1970's when the state had money and the city didn't. So, since the city is bursting with people and everyone on the planet wants to live here, wouldn't it make sense for the city to fund more mass transit out of its own pocket. Couldn't the governor and mayor work out a deal to tax Uber and real estate developments to fund the MTA?
1
He cannot fix it -- and there are reasonable questions as to whether the people of New York City can or will move effectively toward a sustainable transit system, paying the prices that will cost.
The subways are old, and have fundamental problems (including structural problems) that new signaling and cars cannot fix. Adding new subway lines, anywhere, has become prohibitively expensive ... yet new lines are badly needed.
The result is what you see proposed -- lipstick on a pig "solutions."
The subways are old, and have fundamental problems (including structural problems) that new signaling and cars cannot fix. Adding new subway lines, anywhere, has become prohibitively expensive ... yet new lines are badly needed.
The result is what you see proposed -- lipstick on a pig "solutions."
1
You mean, he doesn't want to fix it. He should then stop taking the credit for the 2nd Ave subway and other "successes". Typical politician, taking credit when the going is good; hiding in the closet when things go wrong. Sounds like the playbook from Trump. Please, Cuomo, don't run for President in 2020. You'll just be a Democratic version of Trump. Lord help us.
1
Frustration with how darn long it takes to get anywhere was a contributing factor in my family's recent decision to accept a job elsewhere. When we leave, I will miss a lot about NY, but my new commute will be 11 minutes.
the NYC subway in summer - an unventilated oven - reminded me of Dante's Inferno - where suffering souls go to be punished
but hey - it's an essential part of the grimy city experience
I'm sure someone will fix them in NY's inventive way - I like the world's first and still functioning cogeneration system for heating - that steam coming out of the manholes in winter - is that still there ?
but hey - it's an essential part of the grimy city experience
I'm sure someone will fix them in NY's inventive way - I like the world's first and still functioning cogeneration system for heating - that steam coming out of the manholes in winter - is that still there ?
Yes, the steam is still here. It blasts out of the ears of frustrated subway riders.
2
I think the subways should charge more for individual rides. Also there should be a discount for city residents who buy monthly passes. Indeed, bus and subway rides should be free to those who live in the city and live below the poverty line.
4
He is busy bring in new businesses than compete head on with established business that do not get the subsidies. Money that the ridership does not see. You can not bill the riders the cost, that would push many poor New Yorkers over the edge, Business will not pay for it, or pay their employees more, so they could afford a higher fare. And the state, Como can not run for pres. if he raises the taxes.
1
"If we want to keep public transit running for another century", Governor Cuomo must make necessary investments now.
"If we want to keep public transit running for another century", We should vote out governor Cuomo at the next election. Period.
"If we want to keep public transit running for another century", We should vote out governor Cuomo at the next election. Period.
2
Dissolve the subway worker's pension fund and invest those billions. See, that was easy.
2
The NYC subways were a mess from the moment they were opened. They will remain a mess forever -- but a NYC mess. Crowded, chaotic, dirty and messy but always alive and exciting -- the art that decorates the walls is good, too -- always NYC -- they will never, ever be destroyed by gentrification!
4
And how often do you take Uber cars to get around the city?
Obviously Mr Cuomo is part of the privileged class that doesn't need to hustle and bustle everyday when trying to get to work on time. The subways are the worst I have ridden in the world. Between the delays, the dirt, it is a daily disgust we have to go through so we can get to work.
The third world doesn't need to envy New York at all...
Years and years of abandonment, it didn't happen all of a sudden
The third world doesn't need to envy New York at all...
Years and years of abandonment, it didn't happen all of a sudden
8
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's political positions - many of the past ones were laudable - include his continuing attempts to label Mayor di Blasio as a failed politician and the city as a failing metropolis. That behavior is strongly in evidence with his turning his back as governor on his ownership of the MTA. He leaves the people of this city is increasingly dire conditions regarding mass transit. These are the political tactics of mis-direction, & so blatant that I, a lifelong Democrat, call Andrew Cuomo a slimy, sneaky, egregious snake. I had hoped he would rise from the governorship a wiser, more sensitive man in order to achieve the national prominence he seeks. He obviously is slashing and burning his way through possible Democratic opponents to his hoped for next higher place in the sun. Andrew Cuomo will never get my vote, for anything, ever again. He has besmirched the name Cuomo so revered by many Democrats who saw Mario Cuomo as the "philosopher-king" who would bring the ideals of a Republic to all.
You did a good job, Andrew, of smashing those hopes and falling down, down, down into the role of a good ole boy who'd screw the people of this state for his own political benefit. You've become a shadow-Trump. All you need now is orange hair to complete the transformation.
You did a good job, Andrew, of smashing those hopes and falling down, down, down into the role of a good ole boy who'd screw the people of this state for his own political benefit. You've become a shadow-Trump. All you need now is orange hair to complete the transformation.
2
I am continually disappointed how far the Andrew has fallen from the Mario.
5
Cuomos don't use public transportation, silly.
6
The real solution is for NY to keep more of its federal tax dollars instead of having to subsidize the Evangelical Welfare Empire that is the South.
25
Keep your money, if it indeed really comes this way. Also keep your loud mouth parochial neighbors who are fleeing to the South like lemmings. We still like our cleaner air, lower taxes, courtesy and manners, yards without fences and green spaces in our own backyards.
Yes, when we gather three and occasionally four generations at the dinner table, we all hold hands and give thanks for our blessings. Some are motivated by deep faith, others by tradition and respect. Perhaps we should also ask for strength to understand parochial Yankees.
Yes, when we gather three and occasionally four generations at the dinner table, we all hold hands and give thanks for our blessings. Some are motivated by deep faith, others by tradition and respect. Perhaps we should also ask for strength to understand parochial Yankees.
8
"We still like our cleaner air, lower taxes, courtesy and manners, yards without fences and green spaces in our own backyards."
But you'd better hurry if you want to see their monuments to the Confederacy, segregation and white supremacy!
But you'd better hurry if you want to see their monuments to the Confederacy, segregation and white supremacy!
5
Agreed. Thanks for calling out another "tolerant" New Yorker.
1
Hate to say it but Cuomo needs to keep his mouth shut when it comes to sanctuary cities. If he starts a fight with Trump we're going to lose billions in federal aid we need for many projects. Kiss Trumps butt because I'm tired of the endless delays and hours wasted.
4
Mr. Sifuentes argues that it is "most important" that state funding be provided "instead of making riders shoulder the cost through ever-increasing fares." Why? Must residents of Rochester and Buffalo shoulder the cost of a subway they don't use? Why is that better? No doubt the state provides funding for all sorts of city enterprises but extra money given to the MTA is money that won't go to another city need. It is easy to build the case for more money. It is much harder to provide it without cutting some other expenditure.
2
Oh please. If you want to play the tit-for-tat game, you're almost guaranteed to lose. Where do you think all the state's tax dollars come from?
6
actually, new yorker citiers end up sending more of our tax dollars out to the rest of the state than we get to keep for ourselves. in your scheme, if we got to keep all our dollars, our subway would be funded and we'd have more money for subsidized housing while the rest of the state rotted.
5
Then keep your dollars and find your own water source and build your own hydroelectric plants.
1
I have taken the subway in many cities around the world ... in North America, Western and Eastern Europe and Asia .. the NYC subway is the worst of all by far with no discussion whatsoever. The worst ! And recently they increased the fares ! for what ? to dance with the rats on overcrowded platforms waiting for trains which never arrive ? What a shame.
7
In the last one or two years I have noticed the following phenomenon. When a light is about the turn red, the traffic keeps going even if there is no room at the other end of the intersection.
As a result, cars get stuck within the intersection, and block traffic.
They also tend to block the pedestrian crossing so that pedestrians are forced to move into the rushing traffic to cross, thereby risking injury.
I somehow do not feel that this is a problem for which Mr. Cuomo is responsible. It is Mr. Di Blasio's responsibility to see to it that cars do not block intersections this way, traffic moves smoothly and pedestrian rights are respected.
May I respectfully ask that he enforce the law?
If the drivers of these cars are fined, it could even be a source of revenue for the city.
As a result, cars get stuck within the intersection, and block traffic.
They also tend to block the pedestrian crossing so that pedestrians are forced to move into the rushing traffic to cross, thereby risking injury.
I somehow do not feel that this is a problem for which Mr. Cuomo is responsible. It is Mr. Di Blasio's responsibility to see to it that cars do not block intersections this way, traffic moves smoothly and pedestrian rights are respected.
May I respectfully ask that he enforce the law?
If the drivers of these cars are fined, it could even be a source of revenue for the city.
6
This is an op-ed about the subways specifically and public transportation in general. You're welcome to get out of your car and join the discussion.
7
Absolutely. We put life and limb at risk crossing an intersection. God forbid any type of disaster - no way emergency vehicles will get through.
Enforcement of traffic laws could and should fund the MTA
Enforcement of traffic laws could and should fund the MTA
Thank you for this article. I've written numerous complaints to the MTA over the last year, having no confidence in their impact given that the MTA presents as a faceless bureaucracy accountable to pretty much no one. I'm now glad to know where to target the venom.
10
Since the subway is entirely within the city of New York, why not hand over control to the mayor? Let the governor keep control of the rail.
7
We had a Congressman, Henry Waxman, who killed our subway extension through the Wilshire Corridor (Beverly Hills). Now it won't be ready for another 10 years.
2
Cuomo needs to go. He spends billions on useless projects or projects that should be on much lower priority than fixing the crumbling NYC subways system. These projects of much lower urgency includes Fulton center, basically a billion dollar shopping mall and an Oculus, and Billions on LAGuadia Airport, which is causing tremendous aircraft noise in Brooklyn and Queens. And 2nd Ave Subway, which could happen after fixing what is seriously broken. We don't need a selfish politician like Cuomo, who only cares about his own press, while putting NYC residents in endless daily commute misery.
10
The NYT had a great report on the MTA subway signals system upgrade cost.
But the idea that we should spend $20 billion to outfit a new electronic signalling and switching system is pretty nuts given the advances in self-driving cars we are about to see roll out in the next decade. If a $25k car will be able to navigate the surface streets and avoid pedestrians, I'm sure we could tweak it to navigate on rails.
Let's do back of the envelope, let's say there are 400 operator cars in the system times say $25k for the self-driving technology per car--only $10 million. Let's add x5 for government bloat and corruption, x5 for adapting the technology to trains and x2 for margin for error and you get $500 million.
Still just a fraction of $20 billion. And we could lose the driver/operator, leave a door conductor for safety and save money over time.
In the meantime, how about the City government do something about the following:
De Blasio admitted to intentionally slowing down surface street traffic to promote the use of the subways. For instance, the City narrowed 7th avenue south fairly arbitrarily. Why? How about just change to a bus-only lane instead?
The NYPD should kick the homeless off the trains and out of the stations. Deal with them in a humane fashion, but you can't let people squat in subway cars. People should remember that NYC needs business and high earners' taxes to run on budget. It's the lifeblood.
But the idea that we should spend $20 billion to outfit a new electronic signalling and switching system is pretty nuts given the advances in self-driving cars we are about to see roll out in the next decade. If a $25k car will be able to navigate the surface streets and avoid pedestrians, I'm sure we could tweak it to navigate on rails.
Let's do back of the envelope, let's say there are 400 operator cars in the system times say $25k for the self-driving technology per car--only $10 million. Let's add x5 for government bloat and corruption, x5 for adapting the technology to trains and x2 for margin for error and you get $500 million.
Still just a fraction of $20 billion. And we could lose the driver/operator, leave a door conductor for safety and save money over time.
In the meantime, how about the City government do something about the following:
De Blasio admitted to intentionally slowing down surface street traffic to promote the use of the subways. For instance, the City narrowed 7th avenue south fairly arbitrarily. Why? How about just change to a bus-only lane instead?
The NYPD should kick the homeless off the trains and out of the stations. Deal with them in a humane fashion, but you can't let people squat in subway cars. People should remember that NYC needs business and high earners' taxes to run on budget. It's the lifeblood.
I now live in the Tampa Bay area where mass transit is the way the natives pronounce "mess transit". The NY subway gets the population equivalent of small countries around for 1 flat fare. Try that in London. It has been doing this job for over 100 years. The cars are air conditioned. The Tube in London and Metro in Rome are not (and how the Metro in Rome smells on a good summer day!). I rode the subways for 45 years and never had anything stolen. I was on the Metro in Barcelona 2 seconds when a pickpocket grabbed my cellphone. NEW YORKERS -- THIS SYSTEM WORKS! Learn to love it despite its warts. There is much uglier out there. I will admit they could improve things by getting rid of Metro cards. The darn things never work for me without swiping at least 3 times!
8
It's true that the NY subway takes on a tremendous load but that doesn't mean people should just be content to just let it rot into disrepair. The whole thing is basically a 100-year-old system that is still holding on by a thread. If steps aren't taken to modernize it, it will one day break down completely and create a full-blown commuter crisis.
The sheer volume of commuters it holds is impressive but only emphasizes the need to have it working at prime efficiency. Nearly the whole city relies on it.
The sheer volume of commuters it holds is impressive but only emphasizes the need to have it working at prime efficiency. Nearly the whole city relies on it.
13
And what do you pay in Clearwater in state income tax? $0/year, correct? What about municipality income tax? Another $0/year, right? How are your property taxes?
3
True, Andrew. I hate to be a pessimist, but it surely will collapse under the weight. I don't know if you were here for the 2003 strike which lasted 5 days; everyone needs to imagine it being forever with many more people now than then.
it is time to re-privatize the subway and buses. divide into three systems like in the old days and let them compete with each other.
----"Governor Cuomo can think big when building bridges or airports. He should apply the same grand vision to our vital public transit system. "
JFK airport is suitable for a 3rd world country. what is the op-ed writer thinking?
----"Governor Cuomo can think big when building bridges or airports. He should apply the same grand vision to our vital public transit system. "
JFK airport is suitable for a 3rd world country. what is the op-ed writer thinking?
3
I just can't really and truly complain about the subway system. I grew up in Texas without any sort of real public transport and since then I've lived in San Francisco, London, Boston and have scene the gamut. Also, I've ridden on a dozen other systems in other countries. Sure its congested sometimes and maybe delays happen but generally it works and had worked for me here for 17 yrs. I feel like a first-world hipster complaining that its not "good enough".
Sure, I definitely will not accept the MTA's bull or Cuomo's ineffectiveness and we need to push for better overall infrastructure. But, its too convenient to complain about in my opinion.
Sure, I definitely will not accept the MTA's bull or Cuomo's ineffectiveness and we need to push for better overall infrastructure. But, its too convenient to complain about in my opinion.
6
You need to have a much less narrow world view. Go see Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, London and even Thailand, places where most Americans don't consider "developed countries) (except Tokyo and London), have public transit that are at least 80 years ahead of the one in NYC. The complaints about NYC subway are legit and justified, I have lived in NYC for 22 years and it's been terrible for too long, and now instead of getting better, it's getting so much worse. I suspect you either works for Cuomo's office or it somehow makes you feel better about yourself by stating the opposite of what's so obvious true.
8
Not to mention that in no other city is the subway a de facto homeless shelter. You wonder where the NYPD are FDNY are? On numerous occasions when I complained to MTA personnel about agitated or very decompensated homeless people who were endangering and/or creating severe discomfort for passengers on the platforms and inside the train (e.g., urinating and defecating inside the car), I was told that most of the time the MTA does not even bother to call the police, because the police are reportedly extremely reluctant to come and pick up such people, and as a rule refuse to do so. I don't know if that is true, but this is what multiple MTA personnel have told me over the years. (Once, however, the MTA conductor accused me of being intolerant when I pointed out a passed-out homeless man who had urinated all over the car, saying that he was a "customer" as much as I was.... Only in New York!)
Yes, the homeless deserve care, but the subway is not the ideal venue for that. Much less is it acceptable for psychotic, often intoxicated homeless people to be running the show on the subway, with no authority daring to touch them. (And in case you wonder, I'm no conservative - I was a Bernie supporter. But being a liberal should not mean being blind to reality, being compassionate should not mean being stupid and masochistic).
Yes, the homeless deserve care, but the subway is not the ideal venue for that. Much less is it acceptable for psychotic, often intoxicated homeless people to be running the show on the subway, with no authority daring to touch them. (And in case you wonder, I'm no conservative - I was a Bernie supporter. But being a liberal should not mean being blind to reality, being compassionate should not mean being stupid and masochistic).
22
You haven't been in Paris and Rome, where the homeless sleep and urinate in the stations and corridors. Or in Barcelona, where the pickpockets are legion (and recently walked off with my cellphone). As bad as we might think the NY system is, it has for over 100 years moved the equivalent of the population of some small counties around in a day, for a relative bargain. Give credit where credit is due.
4
You haven't been to SF. Being from NYC, I thought it was bad until I used BART. Dirty old trains, expensive rides, homeless camped out everywhere. Be happy with the NYC subway
3
I have used the subway in all 3 cities you mention. Nowhere is it as bad as in New York.
4
Try Boston in a snowstorm. Or in the rain. Or on a sunny day. Trust me, every bit as bad.
1
Besides the chronic delays and breakdowns, is there anything that New York is going to do to address the all pervasive human excrement and urine smell in our subway. The odor is so overwhelming, both on the platforms and inside the trains that one wonders what kind of city we live in. Using elevators, if they are working by any chance, is like a nightmare. One cannot breathe in those elevators because of the stench. I visited London and Paris and nowhere it smells like it does in New York. New York is becoming a third world city. Please clean up our subway and trains so that we can at least breathe while we commute morning and evening!
14
Well THAT is definitely Di Blahsio's fault.
Governor Cuomo is only interested in flashy projects to polish his national image. Another incompetent Governor ready to make a run for the US presidency....
14
This is almost exclusively a money issue. The subway and commuter fares don't even come close to cover the full costs of operating the subways and the LIRR and Metro North (to say nothing of the costs of necessary capital improvements). $20 billion to upgrade the signal wiring alone; billions more for ADA improvements; and many many billions for the Gateway project and bringing the LIRR into Grand Central. Where is the money for all of these and other improvements and upgrades going to come from? Not the federal, state or city governments because few are willing to pay the necessary higher taxes or fares. Taxes on upper income residents may work but it will certainly be insufficient.
In the end, the only realistic answer is to lower expectations and just live with the delays and inconveniences.
In the end, the only realistic answer is to lower expectations and just live with the delays and inconveniences.
2
The signal system keeps getting the blame for delays, but we've had the same system in place for decades. An overlooked reason for delays is, what I believe is, a lack of oversight.
I've noticed many cases of train dispatchers disregarding the schedule. Trains arrive early and are not held, even for an arriving trains across the platform. Other times, trains arrive late, and the dispatcher holds them even longer for no discernible reason. This often results in missed transfers, and during my commute, I can count on one hand the number of times over the past few months, that the train I needed to transfer to either didn't leave too early, or didn't arrive 10 to 15 minutes late.
Dispatchers need to be held responsible to strictly adhering to the schedule and making it easy for people to make transfers. This is something that doesn't require upgraded signals or money.
I've noticed many cases of train dispatchers disregarding the schedule. Trains arrive early and are not held, even for an arriving trains across the platform. Other times, trains arrive late, and the dispatcher holds them even longer for no discernible reason. This often results in missed transfers, and during my commute, I can count on one hand the number of times over the past few months, that the train I needed to transfer to either didn't leave too early, or didn't arrive 10 to 15 minutes late.
Dispatchers need to be held responsible to strictly adhering to the schedule and making it easy for people to make transfers. This is something that doesn't require upgraded signals or money.
8
What they need to keep the trains on time are doors that chime, and then slam closed--HARD. People need to learn not to hold the doors and a nice dark bruise is a good way to do that. That's what I remember about the Prague metro from my visit 20 years ago (that and the escalators went much faster than they do here).
2
The real problem lies in the fact that the Governor "runs" the subway, but he doesn't ride them -- At least not when there's no photo-op involved.
At moments like these, it almost makes one yearn for the days when his father, Mario Cuomo, was around-- a tough-talking, no-nonsense player with a heart of gold, who never forgot his Queens roots.
Granted, this mass transportation problem doesn't rest entirely on the Governor alone.
The subway system here has been in decline for so long, it's almost hard to put a date on it, but with the city's booming population and expansion, its frailty has become ever more apparent -- the infrastructure simply wasn't built to accomodate the masses it is now forced to handle.
And then, there's the matter of cost.
With Albany ever more reluctant to do its share, the bulk of the problem is landing on New Yorker's shoulders, who with the spiraling cost of living, are finding incessant fare hikes difficult to meet.
Sooner or later, the Governor will get the picture that the over-crowding, subway delays, failing tracks and equipment are going to translate into the votes he'll need someday to remain in office.
And probably then, and only then, will he finally do something about it.
At moments like these, it almost makes one yearn for the days when his father, Mario Cuomo, was around-- a tough-talking, no-nonsense player with a heart of gold, who never forgot his Queens roots.
Granted, this mass transportation problem doesn't rest entirely on the Governor alone.
The subway system here has been in decline for so long, it's almost hard to put a date on it, but with the city's booming population and expansion, its frailty has become ever more apparent -- the infrastructure simply wasn't built to accomodate the masses it is now forced to handle.
And then, there's the matter of cost.
With Albany ever more reluctant to do its share, the bulk of the problem is landing on New Yorker's shoulders, who with the spiraling cost of living, are finding incessant fare hikes difficult to meet.
Sooner or later, the Governor will get the picture that the over-crowding, subway delays, failing tracks and equipment are going to translate into the votes he'll need someday to remain in office.
And probably then, and only then, will he finally do something about it.
6
Re "repeated subway meltdowns", how about the closing of the 83 St entrance to the 86 St station on the new 2nd ave line because of the failure of all the escalators. Hopefully repairs are completed today as mentioned on NY1 as a possibility. Maybe the leaky canopies can be fixed too.
2
This middle aged native NYer is seriously considering moving away. It is clear that even if we had politicians committed to fixing the subway's problems, which we do not, that it would take years of investment to make a difference. The subway is in decline and no easy fixes are available. It will only get worse from here. Now, like many others, I'm faced with a Manhattan that I can't afford and a subway system that can't seem to get me there and back in a reliable manner. What choices do we have besides moving away?
9
Nick, unfortunately, I think all the major metros have the unaffordability problem. Believe me, I empathize with you.
3
Wrong target. I have never lived in an American city yet where the transit system wasn't run by a bunch of crooks. That is not the governors fault. My first step would be to fire all top level managers at MTA and install people who are trustworthy. THEN you can fund it and expect the situation to improve.
6
who do you think appoints the board on the MTA?
6
And yet 5-10 years ago, NYC subways did not have these problems. So, if the MTA management were crooks then, at least they were competent. Firing everyone with experience is a simplistic solution that rarely works - just ask Joe Stalin, who "fired" his best generals just before WWII.
2
"...and install people who are trustworthy."
You're joking, right?? -- First, you've got to FIND them.
You're joking, right?? -- First, you've got to FIND them.
2
I still blame the MTA, and here's why:
I accept the fact that problems are going to occur. I'm sure even the Tokyo subway system (a stellar system btw) is not without its occasional breakdowns. The key difference imho is how the MTA manages those problems, when they DO occur.
The MTA is a shining example of ineptitude, unprofessionalism, mismanagement, etc. When problems DO occur, there are either no announcements made, or the announcements are made too late (i.e., if riders understood the severity, and sooner, they would have already headed to the street for a taxi), announcements are inaudible or else the information given us is insufficient (i.e., 'train traffic ahead' is meaningless. 'The train ahead of us has broken down and there is no other track for us to move over to in order to pass that train. We therefore must wait for a repair crew to fix the train ahead of us'. THAT is more meaningful and we'll figure out that we need to find another way to get to our destinations.)
Time and again MTA personnel have NO clue what is happening within their own system. Ask a driver, or a station attendant why trains aren't moving, and they will shrug their shoulders. The MTA communication system, for internal (to other MTA personnel) and external (to riders) is one hot mess. No announcements, inaudible announcements, incomplete announcements, convoluted/confusing announcements and signs, etc. All I can say is...'those poor tourists who have to figure out this system!'
I accept the fact that problems are going to occur. I'm sure even the Tokyo subway system (a stellar system btw) is not without its occasional breakdowns. The key difference imho is how the MTA manages those problems, when they DO occur.
The MTA is a shining example of ineptitude, unprofessionalism, mismanagement, etc. When problems DO occur, there are either no announcements made, or the announcements are made too late (i.e., if riders understood the severity, and sooner, they would have already headed to the street for a taxi), announcements are inaudible or else the information given us is insufficient (i.e., 'train traffic ahead' is meaningless. 'The train ahead of us has broken down and there is no other track for us to move over to in order to pass that train. We therefore must wait for a repair crew to fix the train ahead of us'. THAT is more meaningful and we'll figure out that we need to find another way to get to our destinations.)
Time and again MTA personnel have NO clue what is happening within their own system. Ask a driver, or a station attendant why trains aren't moving, and they will shrug their shoulders. The MTA communication system, for internal (to other MTA personnel) and external (to riders) is one hot mess. No announcements, inaudible announcements, incomplete announcements, convoluted/confusing announcements and signs, etc. All I can say is...'those poor tourists who have to figure out this system!'
13
Well, you can "blame Cuomo" all you want, but you'd be guilty of rather simplistic thinking. How long have you been using the subway system? I've been using it for longer than I can remember, and I can remember back nearly 70 years. The subways have been in better shape, and they've also been in much worse shape than they're in right now. And whatever shape they happen to be in now, it's taken much longer than the administration of one governor to get there. it's his responsibility now, yes, but you can hardly put the whole blame on our current governor.
3
Certainly what you say is true about the different changes in the subway system -- But in the end, the buck (literally) stops at the Governor's office. as long as he's the onw who signs the checks.
1
Transit system needs more dedicated revenue. Much more.
Bring back the commuter tax for starters. Rather than business as usual, city members of Assembly and State Senate should refuse to conduct business as usual until more funding, new work rules, etc. are agreed on. City businesses also need to make sure politicians understand this is priority number one go them.
For projectscts taht will increse property values and taxes use bonds to fund project upfront as was done at the Hudson Yards stop.
Bring back the commuter tax for starters. Rather than business as usual, city members of Assembly and State Senate should refuse to conduct business as usual until more funding, new work rules, etc. are agreed on. City businesses also need to make sure politicians understand this is priority number one go them.
For projectscts taht will increse property values and taxes use bonds to fund project upfront as was done at the Hudson Yards stop.
My mother retired at 78. She had wanted to keep working and was healthy but for osteoporosis. The osteoporosis, however, made it difficult for her to climb stairs. Neither our Brooklyn subway station, nor the Manhattan subway station near her office, had access and egress for riders with disabilities. Reluctantly, she retired. She lived another 12 years, but always regretted having had to give up her job before she was "ready." (So did her employer, whose response upon learning the news was, "Oh my god! Who will do the payroll?)
Upgrading mass transit must include disability access and egress at each and every subway station. Governor Cuomo, this is YOUR responsibility - give NYC funding to make our infrastructure work.
Upgrading mass transit must include disability access and egress at each and every subway station. Governor Cuomo, this is YOUR responsibility - give NYC funding to make our infrastructure work.
19
And, once the money is available, it should be wisely spent, not on featherbedding the TWU local 101. Let the MTA's unionized workers compete with contracted private sector projects and see which is more efficient. Somehow, I don't think that have the spine for that.
6
CUOMO's idea to sell off Penn Station is just another way to hike up fares for commuters. The Feds need to improve our rail system by giving the funds to rail that it did for air travel back in the 1960s. Regional commuting can help towns and cities alike.
2
All true - Andrew "I am a car guy" Cuomo doesn't care about transit. He knows he has NYC sewn up, so why would he care? On the other hand, Bill "drive me to Park Slope" De Blasio shouldn't get a pass, either. Bloomberg showed what a proactive mayor could do about infrastructure, whether it was the water tunnels, the 7 extension or the Second Avenue subway. He persuaded the state, with NYC funding, to expand the system for the first time in decades. He made it an important issue, pushed for congestion pricing to get more transit funding, road the subway nearly every day (even if only a couple of stops), and had it policed properly so that intoxicated and mentally ill passengers would not cause delays. And De Blasio gets to appoint 6 flunkies to the MTA board; why doesn't he use them to highlight the degrading subways? Umm, maybe because he doesn't care either.
17
Andrew Cuomo is a shrewd political calculator. He knows that he can take the voters of NYC for granted. It's that simple. Nothing highlights this better than Cuomo's relationship with the State Senate.
30 years ago, when Andrew was the Boy Wonder of state politics and his father was governor, the Republicans had a lock on the State Senate. Since then seats in Queens, Manhattan, Long Island, and Westchester have flipped. Today, right now, state senators who call themselves Democrats are the numerical majority in that body. Yet, Cuomo tolerates a breakaway group of "Independent Democrats" who align with the pro-1%, anti-NYC Republicans to give them the majority.
In 2014 the Working Families Party threatened to withhold their endorsement and ballot line from Cuomo because of the State Senate. Cuomo promised to heal the rift and bring a functioning Democratic majority to the state senate. The WFP caved and did not run their candidate Zephyr Teachout. So, she challenged Cuomo in the Democratic primary. Cuomo won overwhelmingly, most with working class and minority votes in NYC, the very same people who use mass transit and are casualties of the Cuomo-Republcan deal on the state Senate.
Cuomo should get the buses and subways running better and devote the money needed. But why should he, when he has your votes for doing nothing. Pataki starved the city too, but he was never elected with our votes. Cuomo needs us but takes us for granted. He's a liar and a hypocrite.
30 years ago, when Andrew was the Boy Wonder of state politics and his father was governor, the Republicans had a lock on the State Senate. Since then seats in Queens, Manhattan, Long Island, and Westchester have flipped. Today, right now, state senators who call themselves Democrats are the numerical majority in that body. Yet, Cuomo tolerates a breakaway group of "Independent Democrats" who align with the pro-1%, anti-NYC Republicans to give them the majority.
In 2014 the Working Families Party threatened to withhold their endorsement and ballot line from Cuomo because of the State Senate. Cuomo promised to heal the rift and bring a functioning Democratic majority to the state senate. The WFP caved and did not run their candidate Zephyr Teachout. So, she challenged Cuomo in the Democratic primary. Cuomo won overwhelmingly, most with working class and minority votes in NYC, the very same people who use mass transit and are casualties of the Cuomo-Republcan deal on the state Senate.
Cuomo should get the buses and subways running better and devote the money needed. But why should he, when he has your votes for doing nothing. Pataki starved the city too, but he was never elected with our votes. Cuomo needs us but takes us for granted. He's a liar and a hypocrite.
4
The city already has plans to open new ferry ports this year in lower Manhattan and the west side, Brooklyn and Queens...and this is great, as it will help alleviate subway ridership. But what is lacking are commuting options from those north of midtown on the west side. How about a ferry from W181 to midtown and WTC, for example?
Perhaps Mike Bloomberg could pay for it rather than spending his time trying to ban and take away AR-15s from people in Montana or New Mexico.
Andy might find some time if he drops his delusion of being President.
Controlling behavior on the subway does not fit into their priorities. Concealed carry and magazine limits in Texas are of more concern.
Andy might find some time if he drops his delusion of being President.
Controlling behavior on the subway does not fit into their priorities. Concealed carry and magazine limits in Texas are of more concern.
3
Not understanding how guns got into this.
1
The subway needs to modernize its fare structure! How come Metronorth and LIRR train fares are based on distance traveled while the subways are still a flat fare for as far as you want to go! Woodlawn to Coney Island is much further that from 125th St to Mt Vernon yet the latter is priced much, much higher!
2
of course Cuomo has ambition and I will say as a former New Yorker now in Indiana that I'll remember his dismal inattention to the subway that I enjoyed riding and working for!!
Fixing things costs money. And in politics money is for the 1% not subways.
4
Gov. Cuomo doesn't fund this for the same reason Gov. Christie didn't fund the ARC tunnel - he thinks it will hurt his national ambitions.
1
Where are the comments?!! This is a subject I can get political about. I agree with all you say. I am actually heartened by the new Amtrak head; he seems like someone if given the authority and money could get it all done.
last summer half the cars in the red line didnt have proper A/C. many of the midtown stations after hours resemble a homeless shelter more than a train station. the cars are always crawling with homeless and mentally ill. and yet fares keep going up, we seem to get nothing out of the increase. the midtown shuttle always has panhandlers ... this isnt some free service the govt provides, we pay for it, such nonsense. (why again is NYC the "greatest city in the world"?)
4
Two words missing from this piece that are big parts of the problem:
1. UNIONS
2. PENSIONS
1. UNIONS
2. PENSIONS
6
"Where’s Governor Cuomo now?"
Well, definitely NOT on a subway! That's for sure!
In some chauffeured SUV, instead... Just like like all the fatcats in NYC and the Port Authority types, in particular!
A modest proposal:
ANY government official in NYC should ride the subways and buses, just like the "little people" have to! When did all government officials become "masters of the universe" who scorn mass transit and many other aspects of everyday public life?
Maybe Cuomo can meet his disbanded Ethics Commission on the subway platform too! Remember them?
Well, definitely NOT on a subway! That's for sure!
In some chauffeured SUV, instead... Just like like all the fatcats in NYC and the Port Authority types, in particular!
A modest proposal:
ANY government official in NYC should ride the subways and buses, just like the "little people" have to! When did all government officials become "masters of the universe" who scorn mass transit and many other aspects of everyday public life?
Maybe Cuomo can meet his disbanded Ethics Commission on the subway platform too! Remember them?
3
Are we to blame Cuomo for not forking over more money for NYC transit? Where did the billions they receive go? NYC receives the money for upgrades and maintenance, but doesn't spend it on those activities. Why not? Again, where is the money going? What kind of pensions and raises do transit workers receive each year? How many administrators are there and what do they do? What are they paid and what do their lifetime pensions look like?
Not a fan of Cuomo, nor de Blasio, but someone isn't asking the right questions. NYTimes??
Not a fan of Cuomo, nor de Blasio, but someone isn't asking the right questions. NYTimes??
There is no Glory in maintenance. The new and shiny get all the press.
Cuomo doesn't care and he doesn't have to care because he is a Dem, NY is a blue state, NYC is blue, NJ and CT are blue, and no matter how poorly he treats them, they will vote blue. So, give him a reason to care. Maybe if the people of NYC would vote DeBlasio out because of his poor performance, then Cuomo will realize, he isn't getting a free ride from the people of NY.
3
In addition to the suggested tweeting, the headline of this piece "Tired of NY's Subways? Blame Andrew Cuomo" would make a great political button.
1
No Cuomo Presidential ambitions for sure.
I'm tired of New York's roads and public transportation period. One of the biggest reasons I never took or sought a job in NYC was the subway, the cost of the commute, and the fact that our trains and subways are not that clean. We're paying more and more for a lot less than what we need. Part of the blame however, goes to the federal government for its refusal to invest in mass transit and that's because of states that don't have it. They don't understand the need for reliable trains and buses.
11
Let's get the City's billionaire's club to adopt the subway lines, like the "Adopt a Highway" project. Instead of team owners getting paid to rename stadiums, why not offer naming rights to subway stations or even lines if a billionaire pays for renovations, clean-ups and other problems? Granted, I would hate to have to call Union Square "Trump Station", but I have no problem naming the B train after Bloomberg, and I still call 200 Park the PanAm Building and the Triborough the Triborough, so let's try it!
10
Stacey, you're the first person I've read that has ever offered a solution instead of just complaining. Thank you
2
It would be nice if Cuomo would attend to the unsexy aspects of mass transit that affect us all instead of ignoring responsibility. The city needs to control it’s own destiny, not be left to the dictates of an indifferent Albany.
Yes he’s built a bridge upstate, but he’s burnt bridges, here, feuding with a fellow Democrat … De Blasio – Rome burns as Nero fiddles. Cuomo has got to go, he’s no friend of this city!
Yes he’s built a bridge upstate, but he’s burnt bridges, here, feuding with a fellow Democrat … De Blasio – Rome burns as Nero fiddles. Cuomo has got to go, he’s no friend of this city!
19
The "commutes" in your hed is out of place. To commute to work is to travel from one state or city to another one, fairly distant. A subway ride from East 77th St or Brooklyn Heights to downtown Manhattan is not a commute. Commuters come into the city on commuter trains, not subways.
That is 100% false. At the age of 14, I started to commute for high school from Staten Island into Manhattan. Bus at 6:20 AM, Ferry at 7 AM, two subways to arrive at school by 8. I never left New York City, but spent 3 hours a day traveling. By your bizarre definition, that is not commuting?
To quote Colonel Sherman Potter: "Horsehockey!"
By the way, because of a zone variance, at age 11, I was commuting 7 miles each way by city bus to sixth grade, over an hour a day. That, too, is commuting.
To quote Colonel Sherman Potter: "Horsehockey!"
By the way, because of a zone variance, at age 11, I was commuting 7 miles each way by city bus to sixth grade, over an hour a day. That, too, is commuting.
6
it takes an hour and a half to get from Brooklyn to Queens by subway...that is a commute.
5
Huh? What does distance have to do with it? Anyone who travels back and forth regularly between home and work is a commuter. Accepted meanings change over time and with usage, and even if the connotation was once traveling from suburbs to city and back again, it is clearly not confined to that now.
2
Additionally in regard to this editorial I would like add that the quality of conditions inside the trains during the ride has diminished to the point of chaos: a parade of (multiple) panhandlers, showtime performers swinging from the hand bars, performers with amplifiers, all of whom who use the long interlude between express stops as their stage?
Where are the Police. undercover or otherwise?
Why are the MTA employees who operate the trains not reporting this when it happens directly outside the conductor's control booth?
Every ride on the system is an assault on the senses and adds to the stress that accompanies anticipated delays and breakdowns:
Panhandlers at turnstiles and stairway entrances and on the platforms, people illegally selling churros and other cooked food items, teens selling candy on the trains, rappers performing with loud playback devices, a trios of men with conga drums, poets selling their books and reciting poetry. and peddlers setting up sprawling flea markets selling their artwork (14th. st A,C, E station).
This MTA has invested millions of dollars for a radio communications network that connects MTA with NYPD and FDNY without dead spots. Why not use it it to intervene in the free for all street culture that has taken up residency there?
A typical ride has degenerated into stressful and infuriating toxic hellhole.
Asking Politicians to manage the train reliability and system-wide conditions it correctly is too much to ask.
47
All that, and more. It seems that De Blasio has told the NYPD Transit Bureau to not interfere, unless someone shoots or stabs someone. At least that's the message they got. And yes, it's a tragedy that there are mentally ill homeless people living in the subway with piles of rat-infested garbage - especially when that empty nester, Bill De Blasio, has so many empty rooms at Gracie Mansion.
3
De Blasio will not stop the pan handlers, will not stop the performers, and will not stop public urination. To do so is racist and/or insensitive to the needs of cultural diversity. Look up some old NYTimes articles. It's clear that NYC has no desire to stop the activities you mention.
10
Not to mention that in no other city is the subway a de facto homeless shelter. You wonder where the NYPD are FDNY are? On numerous occasions when I complained to MTA personnel about agitated or very decompensated homeless people who were endangering and/or creating severe discomfort for passengers on the platforms and inside the train (e.g., urinating and defecating inside the car), I was told that most of the time the MTA does not even bother to call the police, because the police are reportedly extremely reluctant to come and pick up such people, and as a rule refuse to do so. I don't know if that is true, but this is what multiple MTA personnel have told me over the years.
3
In 2011, I returned from London incredibly impressed by the London Tube System. Everything was bright, cheerful, comfortable, exceptionally clean and trains ran on time to the minute. If someone could do this in London -- a city much older than NY, why not hire whoever did this London miracle? Guess what? It turns out that's what we did. Except when he arrived in NYC, he was unable to talk to anyone about funding, including the governor. When he went to Albany, Cuomo refused to meet with him. Six months later he left NYC to go redesign the subway system in Singapore.
113
Jay Walder is who you are referring to as the London Tube fixer. He was the person who left NYC MTA to go to Singapore. He is back in town as the Chairman of Motivate, the entity that bought Citibike from the first operator. Needless to say, Mr. Walder fixed up Citibike right quick.
Politicians, like Cuomo, in particular, are basically incompetent.
Politicians, like Cuomo, in particular, are basically incompetent.
1
I've lived here since 2005. The subways have never been worse. The daily commute has become soul-crushing.
26
Oh, my dear sir, you missed the real fun back in the 70s and 80s when things were really, truly, much *much* worse than they are now! Things could be better of course, and we should never let up on our public officials to work on improving things. But a little perspective is in order.
4
How how true
Yes. Bad in the 80's. but way less people on the trains.
This long-time New York commuter is fed up. This article understates the problem if you ask me. Ten years ago, my intra-Manhattan commute was a reliable 25 minutes. The 2/3 line ran like clockwork. These days, I steel myself for disaster everyone time I go down those stairs. My 25 minute commute now takes an overcrowded, brutish 35 - 60 minutes.
I believe the problems are twofold. First, the oversight has really deteriorated. While Bloomberg technically did not control the system, he regularly hauled the MTA brass to his office seeking detailed reports about performance. It made a difference. The only thing deBlasio wants to know is whether the bathrooms are transgender and the hiring is minority-oriented. Good goals, surely, but not the purpose of the system.
But the second problem is in the structure of the MTA itself. Many people appoint board members, but no one has control. It is designed to be unaccountable--from an era when liberals thought that unaccountable panels of experts would lead us all to utopia. We see how well that worked.
Still, the thrust of this article is correct. A strong executive, like the governor or the mayor, could browbeat the MTA into better performance, irrespective of technical control. But strong executives these days are nowhere in sight.
I believe the problems are twofold. First, the oversight has really deteriorated. While Bloomberg technically did not control the system, he regularly hauled the MTA brass to his office seeking detailed reports about performance. It made a difference. The only thing deBlasio wants to know is whether the bathrooms are transgender and the hiring is minority-oriented. Good goals, surely, but not the purpose of the system.
But the second problem is in the structure of the MTA itself. Many people appoint board members, but no one has control. It is designed to be unaccountable--from an era when liberals thought that unaccountable panels of experts would lead us all to utopia. We see how well that worked.
Still, the thrust of this article is correct. A strong executive, like the governor or the mayor, could browbeat the MTA into better performance, irrespective of technical control. But strong executives these days are nowhere in sight.
29
NY subway cannot possibly be as bad as DC Metro. Almost some kind of breakdown or delay everyday. Money issues because DC, Virginia and Maryland need to approve/provide funding. There's no dedicated funding. Maintenance was neglected for years and now we're paying the price trying to play catch up. It's been a year since last summer of stations being closed for weeks while work is done from line to line. There's been a big drop off in ridership which doesn't help the bottom line.
3
It's only a matter of time before a spectacular subway system breakdown ignites a serious backlash against Cuomo. The hoopla over the Second Avenue subway may have been an exercise in misdirection, but it did tie Cuomo's name to the subway in a way that New Yorkers will remember.
12
It is disheartening that, like chronic victims of abuse, we have resigned ourselves and lowered our expectations to such an extent re the subway in this city. I totally agree with the tenor of this article, but I take exception to the modest proposal that "Installing modern signals should take years, not decades." No, in any normal metropolis it would take months, not years. Shanghai built the world's most extensive (and terrific) subway system FROM SCRATCH in less than 10 years. Here in New York we celebrated like receiving the manna from heaven because the 2nd avenue line, all 4 stations of it, finally opened after decades in the making. It is pathetic. I have used subway systems in Europe and Asia, and even the systems in impoverished places like Greece are way better than this. The subway is a disgrace to New York City and the State.
84
It takes years or decades to do anything in NYC because of the inefficient, entitled, union that prohibits hard work. Everyone must work towards mediocrity in order to not stand out. NJ has the same problem, yet many readers think unions are the answer.
NYC is crumbling because they do not tax wealthy owners that live <50% (or claim to live <50%) in the city AND the unions run the show, for an ever growing price tag. Took my brother over a year just to get air conditioning in his apartment; 3 different unions involved and lots and lots of forms for the city government. Inefficiency, they name is NYC.
NYC is crumbling because they do not tax wealthy owners that live <50% (or claim to live <50%) in the city AND the unions run the show, for an ever growing price tag. Took my brother over a year just to get air conditioning in his apartment; 3 different unions involved and lots and lots of forms for the city government. Inefficiency, they name is NYC.
4
Good luck with that, Cuomo is now wooing Trump for money to fix Penn Station, the subways are not on his wish list. Cuomo is liable to end up selling the subways to Trump.
10
Cuomo is trying to make Trump the fall guy by asking for money, confident he won't get it. I'm as disgusted by Trump as much as anyone but this is a blatantly cynical ploy on Cuomo's part to deflect blame.
1
New Yorkers shouldn't feel lonely in your frustrations and agony over public transportation systems. Here in sunny California we still spend billions uselessly widening freeways that make virtually no impact on congestion but have the added daily attractions of personal injury and spreading airborne toxins.
9
That's because California NIMBYS have stalled light rail for over 50 years now.
While it's true the NIMBYism is a major factor my guess is the overwhelming love and privacy of the automobile and a vast sprawling urban and suburban landscape.
There is nothing that causes so many New Yorkers greater potential difficulty on a daily basis than the health of the subway, the circulatory system of the urban body. Whatever Governor Cuomo's political ambitions might be, he should know that he will be judged by millions and millions of New Yorkers by whether he takes the bold steps necessary to address the subway's urgent needs or ignores out of political expediency the requirements of our proud but crumbling transportation network. This is Job One, Governor.
69
Andy Cuomo? The same guy that Times' Architecture critic Michael Kimmelman and the Times' Editorial Board made the risible claim had "the opportunity to fix Penn Station?" That guy? The one about whom Kate Taylor wrote yesterday, who was whining to Trump to help make Penn Station functional? THAT guy? Hah!
16
Governor Cuomo has a similar problem to "President Trump" and his family, which is that as Trump and family have become better known to the public, the public finds them personally repellent. Cuomo was always known as a boorish, entitled narcissist during his days in Washington. He doesn't appear to have changed. The cowardly way he hid behind the so-called independent Democrats in the NYS Senate for years, refusing to campaign against them, the way he backs away from true corruption investigations, the Chris Christie-like way he steal money from mass transit. All of these guarantee that he will achieve no higher office, no will people ever like him or treat him as a benevolent figure in government. His personal flaws are his own undoing.
45
Not to mention the disgraceful way he dumped his wife, the mother of his three girls, in favor of a somewhat younger Food Network star. He is a complete creep.
1
Why invest in infrastructures, we're already number one, aren't we?
(US is going down..)
(US is going down..)
6
It's too bad the press won't hold Cuomo's feet to the fire on this. But there's always a more interesting story, I guess...
4
This is the same Andrew Cuomo who, as NYS Attorney General, made a name for himself by winning a few (relatively) chump change settlements against student loan giants like Sallie Mae/Navient.
Meanwhile, his AG's Office of Student Recoveries in Albany charged me over $9,000 to settle an old $2,200 SUNY student loan.
Different topic, same principle.
Meanwhile, his AG's Office of Student Recoveries in Albany charged me over $9,000 to settle an old $2,200 SUNY student loan.
Different topic, same principle.
9
If you fix the subway, you'll destroy a time honored New York tradition: complaining about the subway. Having relied on that underground maze for daily transportation, I'd say Mr. Sifuentes correctly identifies the problem. New Yorkers are quick to cast blame for all their subterranean misfortunes but they never seem to notice when the system is actually working. Why would a politician or anyone else wade into a pool of ungrateful hostility? Doing anything is almost as bad as doing nothing at all.
I'll agree about the buses though. The only reason to take a New York City bus is if you're physically unable to walk the distance and an Uber is too expensive. Nice job.
I'll agree about the buses though. The only reason to take a New York City bus is if you're physically unable to walk the distance and an Uber is too expensive. Nice job.
2
feces and urine in subway cars is normal?
This is a microcosm of the "don't trust the big guy" effect. When (and not if) Mr. Cuomo runs for President, remember what a hands-on grounded guy he was all the time he was Governor. The MTA isn't just a shield for the Governor. It gives the Mayor and all other city politicians plausible deniability. Always the finger points upwards, to the next guy above. In the end, even the Feds get involved with their deep pockets and shallow motives.
Time to take back the NYC subway and run it by and for NYC. This time it will be "NYC to Albany: Drop Dead!"
Time to take back the NYC subway and run it by and for NYC. This time it will be "NYC to Albany: Drop Dead!"
8
The state constitution makes that nearly impossible. Want the Mayor to control schools? Requires approval of two legislative chambers plus the governor's signature.
Want to reduce the default speed limit in NYC only? Requires the approval of two legislative chambers plus the governor's signature.
Got the picture, Daedalus?
Want to reduce the default speed limit in NYC only? Requires the approval of two legislative chambers plus the governor's signature.
Got the picture, Daedalus?
Cuomo’s modus operandi is to use the photo op as a visual substitution for the efficient and effective management of New York State government. He is Johnny on the spot for any emergency or catastrophe or ribbon cutting such as a new subway line or a train derailment. He has behaved the same way with the Corrections Department as he has with the subway system. He showed up in Clinton NY with lightning speed to take charge of the manhunt for the two escaped convicts, and disappeared as the search turned into days. A deafening silence also emanated from his office in response to the reports of brutality and lax security in the state prisons. The people of New York are only going to get improvements in their subway service if they show up and confront him when he comes to the City. Create a scene and get some press coverage and you might get some results. He pays attention to pictures and videos of himself.
3
Consider closing the system for a few hours every night, as most other major subways do, to permit cleaning and maintenance (and save the expense of operating the system when it has a very small number of riders).
14
The mismanagement of the subway system is horrifying. I've been in the city since 2003, and it has never been worse than it is today. Trips that should and used to take 40-45 minutes (like to work) will often take upwards of an hour and 15 minutes and twice last month took over 2 hours.
Cuomo needs to be primaried by someone who will actually work to fix the subway system. It is in dire need of money. There are other issues too like the unions who push back against CBTC because it results in switch flippers and train conductors losing their jobs. These jobs are jobs that should not exist and cost everyone else money.
Something has to be done.
Cuomo needs to be primaried by someone who will actually work to fix the subway system. It is in dire need of money. There are other issues too like the unions who push back against CBTC because it results in switch flippers and train conductors losing their jobs. These jobs are jobs that should not exist and cost everyone else money.
Something has to be done.
29
NYC spends ~$149k/day (https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2017-trump-nyc-cost/) to protect Trump Tower. That's $54 million/year that could be used to improve our subway system.
27
The same should be said for Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and the 19 members of the house that represent NYC - where is federal funding to help? New Yorkers earn incredible amounts of money and pay a humungous amount of income taxes, where is Congressional leadership in returning these funds back to their districts to pay for public infrastructure? Funds in the ARRA are likely still available for this, how can New Yorkers let the rest of the country rob them?
7
Hint: It's called the Electoral College.
4
Thank you for the article on the NYC subways. As we are learning, we need to prod our elected officials to do the right thing over the political. I hope others write in to Cuomo about the NYC subways as they are getting worse by the day.
3
New York needs a skyscraper tax. All buildings above a certain value, typically large skyscrapers, would be assessed a special property tax dedicated to the MTA. The owners of the buildings would get seats on the MTA board in return. It is in their interest for as many people as possible to be able to commute into the city and work in their buildings. They could figure out how to make the MTA work most efficiently, and recoup the value of their tax payments.
The political management of the New York City transit system has been a vexation ever since the Third Avenue El was torn down in the 50's on the promise of a Second Avenue subway. After 50 years and billions of dollars, a portion of the promised new subway has finally opened.
Clearly, neither Republicans nor Democrats can run transit systems. New York City should turn to the planners and engineers of the Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing metros for inspiration and assistance.
Clearly, neither Republicans nor Democrats can run transit systems. New York City should turn to the planners and engineers of the Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing metros for inspiration and assistance.
9
Maybe the system should go private like the Interstate program being adopted by a lot of states. Most recently in Massachusetts. My son tells me it's too early to make a judgment but so far so good. Just so long as it's not sold to AMTRAK.
1
What is really sad about this situation is that New Yorkers as a whole pay a lot of taxes into the system, in addition to ever increasing transportation costs. The divestment of infrastructure is the single greatest failure of our nation. The end of the 19th century and more than half of the 20th was devoted to building our nation. Back then, leaders realized that in order to reach our full potential as both a society and an economy required a well built, efficiently operated, and progressively maintained infrastructure.
Subway service seems to get worse the more we pay. Leaving home extra early, only to still end up late, only to be docked, and racing to the sitters after work because they charge extra for lateness is extremely stressful and costly. I don't mind paying higher fares, but we never seem to see where the money goes. After riding subways and railways in other countries (some better than others), it's obvious that it doesn't have to be this way.
Subway service seems to get worse the more we pay. Leaving home extra early, only to still end up late, only to be docked, and racing to the sitters after work because they charge extra for lateness is extremely stressful and costly. I don't mind paying higher fares, but we never seem to see where the money goes. After riding subways and railways in other countries (some better than others), it's obvious that it doesn't have to be this way.
47
Andrew Cuomo has a 'D' after his name. Therefore, he receives 90% of the votes in New York City. What incentive does he have to do anything for New York City residents? If he is planning to run for higher office (and he is), it makes more sense for him to burnish his credentials as a moderate alternative to the GOP. Every state in America has bridges, and many have airports and train stations. How many have subway systems?
23
Cuomo, like Chris Christie is so busy planning for his shot as being POTUS, he has forgotten that his responsibility is to the residents of the state he governs. Haven't we all worked with someone who was actively looking for a new job, and even though they still show up for work, they have effectively checked out and are just bidding their time. And like Christie, Cuomo may find that New Yorkers won't tolerate his alternatively claiming credit for minor achievements and deflecting blame for major mishaps forever.
24
I think that's a probably correct but highly cynical viewpoint. However, that doesn't mean the answer is to do nothing. The fortune of New York State is intimately linked to that of her largest city and her surrounding communities. We subsidize our upstate neighbors. I'm happy to do that. Except when Albany puts up a fuss about paying for our for our economic lifeblood using our own money - like the billions they raided from our schools. Our subway system is crumbling and we need it desperately to be repaired and modernized.
I would be nice if Mr. Sifuentes suggested ways to put pressure on the governor to fulfill his promise:
Contact your Assembly person, State Senator as well as council person, (mostly Democrats), to make our voices heard in the Governor's Office.
Contact your Assembly person, State Senator as well as council person, (mostly Democrats), to make our voices heard in the Governor's Office.
5
Suggestion: flood the Governor's office with phone calls (1-518-474-8390/ (212) 681-4573)
Picket the NYC office:,633 Third Avenue, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10017
Contact your assembly member and state senator-and keep contacting them, especially if your State Senator is a Republican or member of the IDC (Independent Democratic Caucus that caucuses with the Republicans) ed by Jeffrey D. Klein, and also includes David J. Valesky, David Carlucci, Diane Savino, Tony Avella, Jose Peralta, Jesse Hamilton, and Marisol Alcantara.:
Picket the NYC office:,633 Third Avenue, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10017
Contact your assembly member and state senator-and keep contacting them, especially if your State Senator is a Republican or member of the IDC (Independent Democratic Caucus that caucuses with the Republicans) ed by Jeffrey D. Klein, and also includes David J. Valesky, David Carlucci, Diane Savino, Tony Avella, Jose Peralta, Jesse Hamilton, and Marisol Alcantara.:
4
Hear hear!
4
Think big when it comes to bridges? Please -- the fact that the new Tappan Zee Bridge doesn't have commuter rail on it shows that Cuomo is a tiny thinker when it comes to public transportation in general. That was a huge mistake and a huger missed opportunity for New York. Cuomo may want to be president, but he's forgetting who he represents in the here and now.
98
The choice, with Cuomo's Brother from another Mother Chris Christie, to raise the deck of the Bayonne Bridge instead of replacing an 88 year old steel arch similarly missed an opportunity to extend the Hudson Bergen light rail that ends in Bayonne out to the transit starved West Shore of Staten Island, and provide an alternative method of getting to Manhattan.
He is a small thinker with a yuge ego.
He is a small thinker with a yuge ego.
7
Politicians doing what they do best of all: claiming credit for the sunrise. Until.. it doesn't.
15
Since the Governor and I both have offices in the same Manhattan office building, I can tell you he is in the city quite often. The difference is that he travels in a black SUV while I use are failing mass transit system.
93
"he travels in a black SUV"
With sirens to clear the traffic ahead.
With sirens to clear the traffic ahead.
Cuomo is a word-merchant and a phony, the worst type of public servant. The public who use the subways should stage massive protests and burn his effigy. It's way past time to organize and force the him to respond in a positive manner.
this essay may help to achieve that goal. thank you, mr. sifuentes!
this essay may help to achieve that goal. thank you, mr. sifuentes!
31
cuomo's stern note to washington promising dire consequences if the penn disaster is not treated with federal money - after his own years of neglect - was on a par with the now chronic denial of responsibility that has become the dems trademark...call it H(R)C disorder.
3
I agree that Cuomo's actions are laughable, but your attempt to gain a few political points is also laughable. Anyone can see that the disease of abandoning infrastructure is a bi-partisan problem. After all, no one has been more negligent than Chris Christie, who will cause the Northeast Corridor to come to a standstill due to vetoing the Gateway Tunnel without a viable/fast alternative, and allowed 273 NJ Transit cars to be washed away in Hurricane Sandy because he couldn't be bothered to implement a plan to protect them (in contrast, 17 NYCTA subway cars were damaged).
4
Cuomo is a political hack, but that doesn't change the fact that Penn Station is owned and spectacularly (mis)managed by Amtrak, over which Cuomo has zero control. The subways are a different story entirely.
2
The influx of new New Yorkers into the insane amount of new apartments will flood the system past the breaking point. The greedy developers should have to fund the infrastructure of the city they build upon.
97
Yes the should provide the funding but politicians need to provide the vision of how the funds will be used, and used efficiently, simply fleecing developers (who will pass the costs on to residents) doesn't help politicians become more accountable, it helps them hide behind shadow victories of making things more expensive to no net benefit.
4
Excellent point!
3
@tma1: "fleecing the developers?"
You have that backwards. Friday and Today are the sale dates, advertised heavily on Bloomberg radio, for triple tax free bonds for the Hudson Yards development. These are bonds that include "interest support payments from the city of New York." So not only do the city and state crowd out their own municipals by allowing them triple tax free muni status, the city actually kicks in for the interest on those bonds.
That is public subsidy for billionaire developer Steve Ross.
You have the fleecer and the fleecee confused, badly.
The City and state also allowed triple tax free muni status for Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yard$ development, as well as the $tadia built by the Yankee$ and Met$. And don't forget the 100% property tax abatement for Jimmy Dolan and Madison Square Garden, now worth $20 million per annum.
Look, if developers were being so badly fleeced, why would every corner of NYC, even the South Bronx, be under heavy development? That argument is utter nonsense.
You have that backwards. Friday and Today are the sale dates, advertised heavily on Bloomberg radio, for triple tax free bonds for the Hudson Yards development. These are bonds that include "interest support payments from the city of New York." So not only do the city and state crowd out their own municipals by allowing them triple tax free muni status, the city actually kicks in for the interest on those bonds.
That is public subsidy for billionaire developer Steve Ross.
You have the fleecer and the fleecee confused, badly.
The City and state also allowed triple tax free muni status for Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yard$ development, as well as the $tadia built by the Yankee$ and Met$. And don't forget the 100% property tax abatement for Jimmy Dolan and Madison Square Garden, now worth $20 million per annum.
Look, if developers were being so badly fleeced, why would every corner of NYC, even the South Bronx, be under heavy development? That argument is utter nonsense.
3
Want to fund the subways? Tax the people who never set foot in them: the glass tower crowd. In this very paper you can see ad after ad for multi-million dollar apartments and believe me, for their owners taking an Uber is slumming, much less rubbing shoulders with the rabble in the subway. Each day, the situation in this city increasingly resembles Fritz Lang's 1929 movie "Metropolis", where the workers live underground and only emerge during the day to serve the needs of wealthy surface dwellers in their sky-palaces.
95
It's not about funding, it's about the vision and leadership to improve and sustain the system - absent this leadership and vision what good is the funding? It will just end up as more government waste and more reasons not to do business in New York - taxes and regulations need to serve a purpose not a punishment or barrier to success.
6
i guess no one should ever pay for the services they themselves use?
workers should be insisting their own tax dollars be spent on the MTA, not subsidized housing for people who don't work and free college tuition for people who never have.
workers should be insisting their own tax dollars be spent on the MTA, not subsidized housing for people who don't work and free college tuition for people who never have.
1
Tax the glass towers themselves! Their value is because people can commute into them.
3
The state and city are too busy providing colossally expensive subsidized housing and free college tuition, rather than focus on the basic responsibilities of state government, which are, first and foremost, public safety, transportation, and K-12 education. The failure of the subway system is a direct result. The money spend on subsidized housing would easily have paid for modernizing the entire transit system with room to spare, and would actually have provided a service that the people who pay New York's taxes could use. It is infuriating to be a New York taxpayer and see taxpayer funds be used for everything other than helping working people get to and from work.
32
Apparently, you are using the "let them eat cake" approach. If there were no affordable housing, NYC would only be home to the Auber-wealthy. Is that a good plan?
10
Yep, all week on Bloomberg I have been hearing about subsidized housing: they have been flogging the sale, last Friday and Today, of Hudson Yards Refunding Bonds. Triple tax exempt, with interest subsidized by good old NYC taxpayers.
You moan and whine about housing subsidies, but willfully ignore the biggest costs of all, corporate welfare. Not only does billionaire Steve Ross get subsidy on top of municipal bond equivalent bonding, as Bruce Rattner did with the Atlantic Yards, but both the Yankee$ and Met$ got tax free municipal equivalencies for their bonds, too. This crowds out actual municipalities' bonds, forcing them to pay more in interest to sell them. Then there's Jimmy Dolan's in perpetuity 100% property tax abatement on Madison Square Garden, worth $20 million a year now, and one that goes back over 25 years. That alone adds up to almost enough to upgrade Subway signal systems to the 21st Century.
Unlike subsidized luxury housing, subsidizing college tuition actually pays off in higher salaries and additional income tax revenue. Look at the REAL greedheads, the Billionaires who threaten to bolt NYC if they don't get tax breaks on corporate HQs.
You moan and whine about housing subsidies, but willfully ignore the biggest costs of all, corporate welfare. Not only does billionaire Steve Ross get subsidy on top of municipal bond equivalent bonding, as Bruce Rattner did with the Atlantic Yards, but both the Yankee$ and Met$ got tax free municipal equivalencies for their bonds, too. This crowds out actual municipalities' bonds, forcing them to pay more in interest to sell them. Then there's Jimmy Dolan's in perpetuity 100% property tax abatement on Madison Square Garden, worth $20 million a year now, and one that goes back over 25 years. That alone adds up to almost enough to upgrade Subway signal systems to the 21st Century.
Unlike subsidized luxury housing, subsidizing college tuition actually pays off in higher salaries and additional income tax revenue. Look at the REAL greedheads, the Billionaires who threaten to bolt NYC if they don't get tax breaks on corporate HQs.
85
I'd like to repeat Paul's comment, only underlined and in bold-face. Even Rick Sifuentes is afraid to point out who's vacuuming up the tax dollars that aren't being spent on infrastructure and education; you know, the public good.
2