TAZ Route 144 still suspended due to S89?

[FamousNYLover]

I not sure if this goes to US Transit or NYC Bus Forum since it involves (NYCT) S89.

 

Does anyone know when TAZ144 resume? Is this true?

 

Route 144 Service Suspended Due To Illegal Competition - Will Resume July 2009

Illegal competition from - (NYCT) has led us to suspend our service. Under federal law, (NYCT) is not allowed to use federal resources to compete against a private carrier's pre-existing services. We expect to restart Route 144 operations during July 2009. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

http://www.transportazumah.com/144

[LRG]

Wow, that's crazy. Leave it to the TA to crush the competition for others. B):confused:

[EE Broadway Local]

What I don't get is the S89 makes only one stop in New Jersey - the 34th Street HBLR station, though it's a bidirectional route.

 

As long as the S89 isn't providing local service in Bayonne, shouldn't the NYCTA/MTA have the same right as NJT in providing interstate service? Or is it a different case that a route like the #125 uses the Lincoln Tunnel and makes one stop in New York City (at the PABT)?

 

This situation may change when HBLR opens to Bayonne West Eighth Street.

[ML111]

The answer is much more complicated than whether the MTA should utilize their interstate operating authority more efficiently - the original issue actually involved their lack thereof of interstate operating authority (as the TA originally operated without any US DOT legal information - as in the DOT number - on the vehicles they used) - the situation was corrected later by assigning a core group of O5's and O7's that operate the route with the US DOT number.

 

As for the service itself, remember that the MTA operates this service with the understanding of NJ Transit that the service with the sole purpose of feeding commuters from Staten Island into the Jersey City waterfront area, where many Staten Islanders work. Any other stop location or route operation within the state of New Jersey would require an extensive financial compensation package/application for additional operating rights for the TA - and would result in the TA having to spend (and lose) a substantial amount of money (as remember that the TA's services are cross-subsidized by the state of New York, but would not receive funding on such a service because of the service crossing state lines). Although there is demand for service into areas such as Journal Square in JC, the funding (from the Port Authority or any other public entity) and the pure mess that would ensue from the start-up and daily operation would not be worthwhile for a public agency to undertake.

 

As for NJ Transit services into New York, that is a completely different subject, as all of NJT's vehicles are licensed to operate into New York to feed into destinations within Manhattan (i.e. Port Authority, Downtown Manhattan and the GWBBS) and have the financial structures to support, sustain and minimize subsidization with its fare zones and ridership demands. This also goes to say that the bus operation is the single most important link from New Jersey into Manhattan each weekday, the ridership and demand requires the service and is given a high level of priority.

 

As for Yuki's original question, Joel Azumah's operation on the 144 was suspended because the MTA basically under-cut his operation by providing the service as a private agency with its lower fares, frequent service and the fact that he sued the MTA because of the illegal move on their part to compete against his operation (it is illegal for a public agency to compete against a private operator , where the private operator would ultimately be at an unfair disadvantage without compensation, public hearings or agreement between parties). Most likely, his service will take a while, if at all to resume because of the fact that he has to charge a higher premium, provide a less frequent schedule and provide a higher quality of service in order to compete.

 

I do hope this clarifies everything.

[LRG]

Where's a thanks button when you need it?

[B35 via Church]

Destructive competition at its finest....