MTA finally gets it: ‘Patience’ wears thin

[East New York]

I disagree... Just because it's public service doesn't mean that the should treat their customers like whatever. This is exactly the problem that the public has with the . A service is a service and they should do as much as possible to have good relations with the public. Good customer service should always be #1.

 

Correct, but you don't build subways overnight. The has to think in the short term as to how they can deal with some of the overcrowding now in the subway and IMO, express buses are not as well advertised as they could be. On Staten Island, there are plenty of folks that see express buses, but they don't know if they can use them or not, or the cost could be a big factor as well. I don't and won't support a lowering of the base fare, but perhaps some folks who would be tempted to use the express bus if it was slightly cheaper would be entertained by a special weekly pass that was slightly more expensive than the subway, but not as expensive as the Unlimited Express Bus Plus Card. Maybe charge $35 - 40 a week for 10 rides on the express bus. The card would only be good for one person though and only for 10 rides a week.

 

I agree about the weekly express card, but $45 sounds more feasible. And the buses don't need to be advertised any more IMO. If people don't know how to call MTA or check the website, they don't need to be on the express bus.

 

As for a lower fare, that can't happen. Well, it can if you want service cuts to go along with it.

[R32 3838]

as much as i hate theses announcements, WTF these people need to shut the F7^*%k up, Queens People are the worst they complain about just anything, Hence Why I hate the and the is not a problem like it used to be since it has R160's plus it has improved with less breakdowns, this is why people should just buy a god damn car, if they don't like too wait too bad, why in the Blue Hell should the MTA say sorry because of of train having issues or some jackass jumping in front of a train or etc.

[mark1447]

People are going to complain no matter what the announcement is. This is NYC we are talking about here..... Some people complain just to hear themselves talk.

 

If they wanna complaint, then dont ride the subway or bus. Thats all! Get a car, bike or walk.

 

I personally dont care what announcement appears in the PA. It could be "due to a problem" or "due to delays", dont care. When I see a huge delay, i pull out my scanner and see whats up at RCC..

 

Crazy stuff always happens in this system. But people need to quit crying over stuff and take an alternative if they dont like it.

 

These changes wont change anyones mind, regardless of what the announcement is.

[qjtransitmaster]

I agree about the weekly express card, but $45 sounds more feasible. And the buses don't need to be advertised any more IMO. If people don't know how to call MTA or check the website, they don't need to be on the express bus.

 

As for a lower fare, that can't happen. Well, it can if you want service cuts to go along with it.

 

the problem is that ppl ARE NOT SAVVY ENOUGH TO DO SO!!!!!!!!!!! Hence why marketing of express bus needs to be more out there.

[Queens Surface]

Sooner or later "Stand Clear of the Closing Door Please" on the R160s will be too nice. Then, I guess it will change to just "Doors Closing".

[DJ MC]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Trainmaster5]

This has been in effect in RTO for a couple weeks already. The automated message was revised/taken out. When I was a C/R no automated announcements for me, I actually took to the PA myself and told customers what exactly was going on (even somewhat graphic at times), why (when applicable), and when we were going resume normal operation (not creeping along or stopped) again.

 

My C/R and I used to do the same thing even before the NTT hit the scene. We were also warned about giving very detailed information about delays. My C/r even went so far as to give out strips of paper with the phone # to command center/RCC. You can guess how well that went over with supervision. I don't know if things have changed in the last year but we were allowed to say "sick customer", "police investigation", "stalled train", basically generic responses. " Suspicious package", "switch/signal problem", "passenger injury" and the like were frowned upon. "Passenger fatality", "bomb scare", or my favorite, "inept supervision", were definite no-nos unless you wanted some time in the street. There were times, I think Two Timer can attest, that we were given NO information at all and we had to get the info from a train going in the opposite direction who had passed through the problem area. For example, I may be at Bowling Green or Fulton St, n/b and the person at RCC who handles radio communications for lower Manhattan doesn't tell us that there's a problem at 86th St or 125th St n/b because it's another console's problem area. When we were lucky I'd get the info from a s/b train and advise people to get off at Fulton St to get around the delay. RCC's SOP is to tell the train crews to play the train delay announcement over and over. I know it bothered the riders 'cause it drove me crazy while never giving a real reason for the delay. It's about time the " please be patient" spiel got the boot. Carry on.

[TwoTimer]

So there you have it. Crews can get time in the street for giving accurate information, and yes we can't hear the entire line even in one borough unless RCC purposely opens the mics up so the whole line can hear the message. For instance...

 

With how congested the Lex is, its divided into basically two zones: 125-42, and 42-BB. Grand Central tower can hear both sections, individual trains cannot unless an incident happens at most three stations away in each direction. And if there was an incident in lower Manhattan or midtown, and for example, my was sent local from 125 because of congestion on the express track (using the word congestion is also prohibited), it was tough trying to keep customers on my train, and I knew delays on Lex spread like a disease. For west side people that usually get off at 42nd and shuttle over, can I actually get to 42 before I get to the blockage? If not, I tried to get everyone off at 59 or 51, and announcements would start at 86th. That's proper c/r'ing. But of course that's assuming that RCC opened up the airwaves to trains far uptown (even trains in the Bronx so people can avoid Lex altogether), more than 15-20 mins of runtime away. Passengers often think that we know, and just decline to tell anyone. That's against the rules, and is often hard to catch, but also can lead to days in the street.

[B35 via Church]

You mean to tell me those messages are actually taken literally by people...

"there is train traffic ahead of us, please be patient"....

As if patience is really the end result of after having heard these announcements.... That is laughable to me....

 

Outside of notifying stops & tellin ppl. to stand clear of the doors..... Whenever I hear any of those "informative" automated announcements on a train (even the ones reminding folks about backpacks being subject to search or w/e), I automatically assume a 10 min. delay/addt'l wait.... so whether I hear 5 or 50 playbacks of any announcement thereafter, it doesn't make a bit of difference to me..... Sometimes, I'll say somethin snide like "yeah ok", or "that's 10 more minutes"..... I get ppl. that start chuckling right afterwards.....

 

I've gotten quite good at doing word find's & sudoku's while standing....

This way, I'm not staring at the same BS Ad's, the ceiling, or the top of someone's dandruff filled and/or lice filled head....bad enough I gotta smell their malodorous halitosis ridden breath...

 

Basically what I'm sayin is, I brace myself for the worst.... It's never anything good when you hear an automated announcement anyway.....

[INDman]

I disagree... Just because it's public service doesn't mean that the should treat their customers like whatever. This is exactly the problem that the public has with the . A service is a service and they should do as much as possible to have good relations with the public. Good customer service should always be #1.

 

Since the is in the business of transporting people, customer service should not be #1, safety for both their employees and customers should always be #1 with anything else a distant second. Apologizing for any delay is just stupid and condescending. All that should be said is "Due to ____ this train is being held momentarily, as soon as it is safe to do so the train will proceed." And the information given about why the train has stopped should be vague as to not alarm anyone. If a dangerous situation exists, that is something different.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Since the is in the business of transporting people, customer service should not be #1, safety for both their employees and customers should always be #1 with anything else a distant second. Apologizing for any delay is just stupid and condescending. All that should be said is "Due to ____ this train is being held momentarily, as soon as it is safe to do so the train will proceed." And the information given about why the train has stopped should be vague as to not alarm anyone. If a dangerous situation exists, that is something different.

 

That is such a load of **** and you know it. I'm not saying that safety isn't important because it is and it should be the priority, BUT, I hate when people use that safety crap to cover up poor service because there are some workers that I would certainly consider to be reckless. The B/O on the last X10 on Sunday nights going back to Staten Island has almost gotten into several accidents in the few times that I have used him already because he speeds like a madman and lets passengers off in dangerous areas for no reason instead of letting them off at the stop, so spare me with the "safety" BS please because it's very hypocritical and condescending. I'm sure you'll have an excuse for his behavior as well but it most certainly can't be safety, because if it was, he wouldn't be letting passengers off of the bus in the weeds on a service road when the bus stop is across the street where they are safe from oncoming traffic.

 

Passengers have to ask him to stop at the regular stop... Really??

[SmallParkShuttle]

That is such a load of **** and you know it. I'm not saying that safety isn't important because it is and it should be the priority, BUT, I hate when people use that safety crap to cover up poor service because there are some workers that I would certainly consider to be reckless. The B/O on the last X10 on Sunday nights going back to Staten Island has almost gotten into several accidents in the few times that I have used him already because he speeds like a madman and lets passengers off in dangerous areas for no reason instead of letting them off at the stop, so spare me with the "safety" BS please because it's very hypocritical and condescending. I'm sure you'll have an excuse for his behavior as well but it most certainly can't be safety, because if it was, he wouldn't be letting passengers off of the bus in the weeds on a service road when the bus stop is across the street where they are safe from oncoming traffic.

 

Passengers have to ask him to stop at the regular stop... Really??

 

Then get his information and make a phone call, write an email, make the TA look into it.

 

I was at my home station when I discovered a 6"x 10" hole in the platform, right at the edge, just before the rubbing board. I could see the roadbed through the hole. Total trip into the tracks hazard. I missed my train to go notify the station agent about it. It was repaired by the next morning.

 

The power is yours!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Then get his information and make a phone call, write an email, make the TA look into it.

 

I was at my home station when I discovered a 6"x 10" hole in the platform, right at the edge, just before the rubbing board. I could see the roadbed through the hole. Total trip into the tracks hazard. I missed my train to go notify the station agent about it. It was repaired by the next morning.

 

The power is yours!

 

Believe me I have reported problems in the past and this one I will too, probably tonight, since I've been too busy to sit down and write, but I have all of the details upstairs. He is going to get someone hurt. I don't know what's going on with that guy. He also turns off the bell too. I had him on the X30 for a while and the bell NEVER worked on any of his buses and then you ask him and he claims that it's broken. Then you have run to the front to request the stop, but he drives so crazy that some people can't even get up to go to the front so he just flies by their stop.

[overclocked]

So what would be the most effective way of complaining? I want to get their attention at leaky roofs at Ocean Pkwy and Brighton Beach. After the rain the platforms are filled with puddles of water, the stair is soaked with water and south tiket plaza on Brighton Beach is filled with water. Someone could slip and break some bones, especially with cold weather approaching. So how can I deliver my message in most effective way?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

So what would be the most effective way of complaining? I want to get their attention at leaky roofs at Ocean Pkwy and Brighton Beach. After the rain the platforms are filled with puddles of water, the stair is soaked with water and south tiket plaza on Brighton Beach is filled with water. Someone could slip and break some bones, especially with cold weather approaching. So how can I deliver my message in most effective way?

 

I just finished writing my complaint and sending it about this reckless driver. A few months ago, I wrote in to complain about a missing bus stop because the drivers were refusing to stop, claiming that since there was no bus stop there for the M3, that they didn't know that it was a stop. The stop had been there at Union Square East for years until the service cuts and then somehow it was taken down and not replaced, which made no sense because Union Square East is a major transfer point and both the M1 and M2 LTD stop there.

 

I finally got fed up and wrote in because it was ridiculous for the games to be played when elderly people were waiting and trying to get a bus and they were purposely flying by the stop to be wise guys. I got a response saying that the problem had been resolved and that my complaint had been sent to the DOT. One Saturday after a stop at Whole Foods, I went to look up at the M2 sign because it looked like there was a new M3 sign, and sure enough they had followed up on my complaint, so they do actually follow up on at least some complaints. Here is the link below:

 

http://mta-nyc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/mta_nyc.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php?p_sid=wDNv_MIk&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NDIsNDImcF9wcm9kcz0wJnBfY2F0cz0mcF9wdj0mcF9jdj0mcF9wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1jb21wbGFpbnQ!&p_srch=1

[INDman]

That is such a load of **** and you know it. I'm not saying that safety isn't important because it is and it should be the priority, BUT, I hate when people use that safety crap to cover up poor service because there are some workers that I would certainly consider to be reckless. The B/O on the last X10 on Sunday nights going back to Staten Island has almost gotten into several accidents in the few times that I have used him already because he speeds like a madman and lets passengers off in dangerous areas for no reason instead of letting them off at the stop, so spare me with the "safety" BS please because it's very hypocritical and condescending. I'm sure you'll have an excuse for his behavior as well but it most certainly can't be safety, because if it was, he wouldn't be letting passengers off of the bus in the weeds on a service road when the bus stop is across the street where they are safe from oncoming traffic.

 

Passengers have to ask him to stop at the regular stop... Really??

 

Spare you? Hell no, I don't like you enough to want to spare you from anything and to get on someone's case for being "hypocritical and condescending" is well.... hypocritical since your the most condescending person on this board. Grow up and get over the fact that not everyone will agree with you.

 

As for that bus driver, I have no excuse for him. In fact, he should not be behind the wheel because of his unsafe operation, but his being on the road even after complaints comes from a failure of supervision and management to ensure the safety of employees, customers, and equipment. Within the MTA there is a very week "culture of safety".

[Princelex]

This is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. It's our jobs as C/R's to play and make announcements about what's happening to slow down service and we do our best to be as accurate as we can with the information given to us. I know I do my best to help the passengers but I feel too that I can play or say the right announcement and most people don't give a shit. They only care about getting to where they are going and that's it. I get it cause I'm still a passenger too but I don't think it's the worst thing in the world to be told to be patient because you don't have much of a choice if you are between stations. Would you rather be told to "suck it up and wait till we move"? lol When it's all said and done, if you don't want to be delayed, give yourself extra time when you travel so that you aren't caught up in any mess if at all possible. That's my 2 cents on this situation.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Spare you? Hell no, I don't like you enough to want to spare you from anything and to get on someone's case for being "hypocritical and condescending" is well.... hypocritical since your the most condescending person on this board. Grow up and get over the fact that not everyone will agree with you.

 

When did I ask you to agree with anything? I just said that if you're going to make an argument, then make a good one, but your comeback was a poor excuse and you know it. Now, I'll wait for someone to go off of the deep end about being on the frontlines, etc., etc., etc., and if I work for the currently, as if that matters. Yeah I've worked for them and my uncle works for them. Who cares...

 

 

This is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. It's our jobs as C/R's to play and make announcements about what's happening to slow down service and we do our best to be as accurate as we can with the information given to us. I know I do my best to help the passengers but I feel too that I can play or say the right announcement and most people don't give a shit. They only care about getting to where they are going and that's it. I get it cause I'm still a passenger too but I don't think it's the worst thing in the world to be told to be patient because you don't have much of a choice if you are between stations. Would you rather be told to "suck it up and wait till we move"? lol When it's all said and done, if you don't want to be delayed, give yourself extra time when you travel so that you aren't caught up in any mess if at all possible. That's my 2 cents on this situation.

 

Some of us actually do care and DO appreciate the announcements. However, I do get irritated if I hear an announcement about train traffic repeatedly when it is not at the heat of rush hour and there's been no train for sometime. Perhaps a more specific reason should be given like there's a train broken down ahead of us because train traffic sounds more like there's a bunch of trains backed up or something which in some instances doesn't seem very credible.

 

As for the whole giving yourself enough time line, yeah I give myself an hour and 30 minutes to get to work when my commute should take an hour, so that's immaterial in my case. I do want to know what the specific hold up is because if it is a repeated problem I'd like to be able to explore alternatives so that I can avoid the problem in advance if possible in the future. It's like getting stuck in the same area everyday. If you know of a particular problem no one will want to keep dealing with it over and over if they can avoid it.

[INDman]

 

 

 

 

Some of us actually do care and DO appreciate the announcements. However, I do irritated if I hear an announcement about train traffic repeatedly when it is not at the heat of rush hour and there's been no train for sometime. Perhaps a more specific reason should be given like there's a train broken down ahead of us because train traffic sounds more like there's a bunch of trains backed up or something which in some instances doesn't seem very credible.

 

Have you ever bothered (while on a train) to go up t to the T/O or C/R and ask them what's really holding up the train? I do, and 9 times out of ten I'll get the real answer like the train has door problems, it's BIE, or what ever else the case might be. Has that ever crossed your mind or do you need all your travel information spoon feed to you?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Have you ever bothered (while on a train) to go up t to the T/O or C/R and ask them what's really holding up the train? I do, and 9 times out of ten I'll get the real answer like the train has door problems, it's BIE, or what ever else the case might be. Has that ever crossed your mind or do you need all your travel information spoon feed to you?

 

lol... Well that's an idea isn't it? I board at the end of the car, so that would be a real pain in the *** to go and ask. Not worth it. Would be easier to just give the real reason.

[INDman]

lol... Well that's an idea isn't it? I board at the end of the car, so that would be a real pain in the *** to go and ask. Not worth it. Would be easier to just give the real reason.

 

Hey I don't know where you get on the train, though I thought you don't ride the subway usually. I always ride in the first car or by the C/R position so if something happens, I can find out.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Hey I don't know where you get on the train, though I thought you don't ride the subway usually. I always ride in the first car or by the C/R position so if something happens, I can find out.

 

I don't but occasionally if I decide to leave later, I'll take the express bus Downtown and catch the or at Wall Street. Otherwise it's usually at Grand Central to go to Whole Foods if I don't feel like taking one of the 5th Avenue buses down to Union Square. I only go to the back because I know that it is the least used car in the morning rush because folks are too lazy to walk to the end of the platform, so they crowd the 1st car and the middle car the most. Any other time though I usually use the 3rd or 4th car It's during the rush that most of the delays happen hence why I would just stay in the last car.

[East New York]

Since the is in the business of transporting people, customer service should not be #1, safety for both their employees and customers should always be #1 with anything else a distant second. Apologizing for any delay is just stupid and condescending. All that should be said is "Due to ____ this train is being held momentarily, as soon as it is safe to do so the train will proceed." And the information given about why the train has stopped should be vague as to not alarm anyone. If a dangerous situation exists, that is something different.

 

I have to disagree with part of that. I think safety & customer service should both be top priority. Because MTA is in the business of transporting people, customer sevice should be a priority at all times!

[datDude]

Constant apologetic announcements is probably more annoying..and a blanket taking responsibility for everything including things that may not be your fault is never a good idea. id rather hear tangible information as to if/when things will be moving again, but thats probably not realistic so be patient is fine with me, never bothered me, trains always get delayed in tunnels, most the time for a few secs sometimes mins and mins. I never really cared what they say just long as they say something.

If an announcement saying please be patient gets ppl so upset, maybe they need to relax a little, go get some **** (whichever applies to you) lol.

[INDman]

I have to disagree with part of that. I think safety & customer service should both be top priority. Because MTA is in the business of transporting people, customer sevice should be a priority at all times!

 

What's the sense of getting people where they need to go on time if you lose a few on the way? Plus when it comes to maintenance, i would rather see part of a line shut down and customers rerouted, then employees put in danger.