New: Complete Overnight Service Shutdown

[Gotham Bus Co.]

7 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

This is less about actually scrubbing the cars clean and more so about keeping out the homeless, who are seen as mass viral vectors since they don;t wear masks, don;t follow hygiene protocol, are all at high risk of infection due to medical issues, and quite frankly, scare the hell out of everyone now. Maybe one positive out of all of this horror is that the city will finally get real on helping the "subway homeless" through court mandated treatment, supportive housing, etc. 

The "subway homeless" will simply become "bus homeless."

[RailBus63]

7 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

This is less about actually scrubbing the cars clean and more so about keeping out the homeless, who are seen as mass viral vectors since they don;t wear masks, don;t follow hygiene protocol, are all at high risk of infection due to medical issues, and quite frankly, scare the hell out of everyone now. Maybe one positive out of all of this horror is that the city will finally get real on helping the "subway homeless" through court mandated treatment, supportive housing, etc. 

Exactly this - it is also about restoring a sense of order to the system and instilling confidence in riders who will need to use it, as well as for the safety, health and well-being of employees.  The images of homeless encampments on trains became a national news story and no doubt would have depressed ridership even more had it not been addressed.  The city and state do need to seriously address the health and shelter issues which have driven those poor people into the subways as part of the overall drive to end the spread of the virus. 

[QM1to6Ave]

13 hours ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

The "subway homeless" will simply become "bus homeless."

It's significantly harder to sleep for 8 or 10 hours on a bus without the B/O kicking you off (or getting PD to kick you off) than on the subway.

[I love NY]

https://www.facebook.com/Save-247-NYC-subway-service-196333320930429/?ref=bookmarks

[QM1to6Ave]

THe MTA website says there is an "Essential Connector" program where essential workers who can prove they are essential can take 2 trips on For Hire Vehicles each night between 1-5 am. Anyone have any more details on this plan? I don't see any links to the program on the website

[SevenEleven]

3 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

THe MTA website says there is an "Essential Connector" program where essential workers who can prove they are essential can take 2 trips on For Hire Vehicles each night between 1-5 am. Anyone have any more details on this plan? I don't see any links to the program on the website

I'm sure everyone involved is hashing out the details. Try back next week and see what's up.

[B35 via Church]

On 4/30/2020 at 11:19 PM, QM1to6Ave said:

Maybe one positive out of all of this horror is that the city will finally get real on helping the "subway homeless" through court mandated treatment, supportive housing, etc. 

I don't see the city all of a sudden becoming sympathetic to the plight of the sect of homeless people that choose to fester the subways... Which segues into:

22 hours ago, Gotham Bus Co. said:

The "subway homeless" will simply become "bus homeless."

It'll make it conspicuous to more people just how bad the homeless situation in the city is.... While I am seeing isolated cases of that around this time of day on the B35 & B46, it will be a microcosm to what you'll see freely/increasingly roaming the streets.....

[RailBus63]

4 hours ago, B35 via Church said:

I don't see the city all of a sudden becoming sympathetic to the plight of the sect of homeless people that choose to fester the subways... Which segues into:

It'll make it conspicuous to more people just how bad the homeless situation in the city is.... While I am seeing isolated cases of that around this time of day on the B35 & B46, it will be a microcosm to what you'll see freely/increasingly roaming the streets.....

I don't know about generating sympathy for the homeless on the subways, but this crisis is definitely shining a strong light on the homeless issue in general.  I also believe that there will be a demand to address it in some manner because I don't see how people will be able to resume 'normal' activities with fears of infected homeless people wandering the streets.  I only hope that it is done compassionately and that citizens hold our leaders and institutions accountable to look for real solutions and not just get the homeless out of sight.

[GojiMet86]

I see that Governor Andrew Cuomo is holding his press conference in what seems to be Corona Yard.

[T to Dyre Avenue]

On 5/1/2020 at 7:14 AM, RailBus63 said:

Exactly this - it is also about restoring a sense of order to the system and instilling confidence in riders who will need to use it, as well as for the safety, health and well-being of employees.  The images of homeless encampments on trains became a national news story and no doubt would have depressed ridership even more had it not been addressed.  The city and state do need to seriously address the health and shelter issues which have driven those poor people into the subways as part of the overall drive to end the spread of the virus. 

Agreed. Something has to be done about the incessant homeless encampments on the trains and in the stations. Something should have been done ages ago. As far as I’m concerned, if this is what it takes, then so be it.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

16 hours ago, SevenEleven said:

I'm sure everyone involved is hashing out the details. Try back next week and see what's up.

 

19 hours ago, QM1to6Ave said:

THe MTA website says there is an "Essential Connector" program where essential workers who can prove they are essential can take 2 trips on For Hire Vehicles each night between 1-5 am. Anyone have any more details on this plan? I don't see any links to the program on the website

Supposedly, there will be a number posted. I posted what info I received in my group. As SevenEleven said, they should have more details next week.  The good news is that the express buses will continue to run as they have. We have been monitoring the cleanliness of the express buses. If there any issues, do let me know.

[B35 via Church]

6 hours ago, RailBus63 said:

I don't know about generating sympathy for the homeless on the subways, but this crisis is definitely shining a strong light on the homeless issue in general.  I also believe that there will be a demand to address it in some manner because I don't see how people will be able to resume 'normal' activities with fears of infected homeless people wandering the streets.  I only hope that it is done compassionately and that citizens hold our leaders and institutions accountable to look for real solutions and not just get the homeless out of sight.

That sounds nice & benevolent & all, but the city's homeless overall is going to end up increasing... That quote-unquote stimulus will only last but for so long for a lot of folks.... The sense of normalcy has evaporated anyway & people will be on the defensive, regardless.... To be frank, I'm not wasting time wishing or hoping that a] citizens start demanding action from the self-serving leaders of this city/state to do *something* about the homeless problem & b] much of anything to actually materialize from it.....

This city has been slowly going to the dogs for quite some time now; it's a wonder as to why folks are GTFOH... This crisis will expedite it.

4 hours ago, GojiMet86 said:

I see that Governor Andrew Cuomo is holding his press conference in what seems to be Corona Yard.

SMH.... I seldom ever believe in coincidences & the choice of locations to have this press conference is no exception.....

He's making a complete mockery of this shit by doing that....

[CenSin]

With the current events putting people in precarious situations, it's hard to imagine anyone being concerned about anything but their own socioeconomic well-being. People become much less charitable as they wonder about their own employment prospects or the cutting of social safety nets. It certainly sounds great to talk about helping the homeless, but given that neighborhoods citywide object to the erection of any homeless facilities, it’s obvious where the real priorities lie. Nobody wants to walk the walk, but everybody wants to talk the talk.

“Got a dollar to spare?”

“F*** no. Gonna need these dollars to stretch into 2021 with this diminishing economy.”

Edited May 2, 2020 by CenSin

[RTOMan]

Well im late PMs on the Fox and ill see it first hand.

BTW they have been kicking them out of 179th street everyday since last Monday at 0100 hrs and NOT letting them back in.

They was asking nicely on Monday, then Friday they didn't ask they just TOLD them, Leave now (unless you need medical help)

[GojiMet86]

So where are they heading to now?...

[RTOMan]

19 minutes ago, GojiMet86 said:

So where are they heading to now?...

The streets or if those want to to shelters..

This philosophy at the time shall be dominant...

[subway4832]

How would they do this from an operational standpoint? Are trains just going to pingpong between terminals light until 5AM?

[I love NY]

 

My letter to the Senator Hoylman.

In the world NYC is equivalent of 24/7 subway service!!!

First of all thanks for your commitment to save the 24/7  NYC subway service.

I am Italian and NYC has been my favourite city in the world since I was a child. I love the skyscrapers, the 24/7 delis, the multi-ethnic aspect, the bridges, Central Park, Broadway, Times Square, Harlem, Soho, Chinatown, St Patrick's Cathedral, Lady Liberty, Ellis Island, Coney Island, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, the 24/7 Staten Island ferry, the New York City FC (https://www.facebook.com/Forza-NYCFC-New-York-is-blue-516557112076346/) and a thousand other things, but ABOVE ALL I love the CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS and my myth has always been the 24/7 SUBWAY SERVICE!!!  

NYC has a 24/7/365 subway service since October 27,1904 and even before the birth of the subway there was a 24/7 service of the Manhattan Railway Company (the elevated railway) since 1878 (this is a 1881 map: https://www.loc.gov/item/98688705/)!! I hope that Cuomo and De Blasio (Italian origin....) know this and that next 1-5AM shutdown will be ONLY TEMPORARY (AND SHORT) for the Coronavirus!!

NYC is a myth in the world also and above all for its mythical subway and if it is a myth more than Paris Metro or London tube it is ONLY for its 24/7 service!!! It is the TRUE ALWAYS BEATING HEART of the city.

Finally in 2019 I realized my dream: to visit NYC!! Everything was wonderful, but my dream was to take the subway in the late night hours and this is my story:

The last August I have been in the most important city in the world and I could see that it is truly the CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS. The more beautiful thing was seeing the late night crowd in the subway. In fact, I took the N train at 1.58AM in a normal weekday at 23rd Station on the Broadway and at 2.14AM, after the last Manhattan station (Lexington Avenue/59 Street), my car (it was a R68 car with 70 seats...) was standing room only, with some peolple standing!!! And the train had other 7 cars.... And, when I am arrived at my station (Queensboro Plaza station) at 2.17AM, there were many persons waiting the train. In another normal weekday, I took the 7 train at Times Square at 2.53AM and in my car (it was a R188 with about 20 comfortable seats or max 28 total seats) we were about 20 persons and after the last Manhattan station (Grand Central station) and before of the first Queens station (Vernon BLVD/ Jackson Avenue) at 3.00AM I have seen that also in the contiguous car there were about 20 seated persons. Now, I don't know how many people there were in the other 9 cars, but surely on that train there more than 120, 130 persons.... And also this time, at Queensboro Plaza station (at 3.07AM), there were many persons waiting the trains on the both levels (even in Manhattan direction)!

This is my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Save-247-NYC-subway-service-196333320930429/?ref=bookmarks

P.S. I hope that you can give this my letter to De Blasio, Cuomo, MTA and have it published on the NYT, NY Post or NY Daily News to make it clear that WITHOUT THE 24/7 SUBWAY SERVICE NYC ISN'T THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, BUT ONLY A CITY LIKE SO MANY OTHERS!!!

Thank for your possible reply.

An Italian New Yorker.

[RTOMan]

4 hours ago, subway4832 said:

How would they do this from an operational standpoint? Are trains just going to pingpong between terminals light until 5AM?

That is correct picking up employees and essential Personnel only..

[checkmatechamp13]

On 4/30/2020 at 1:53 PM, LaGuardia Link N Tra said:

At least they’re doing something about the homeless issue. I’d argue that all of this deep cleaning that the  is doing now should’ve been done ages ago. 

While I understand that shutting down the system from 1 AM to 5 AM will help with cleaning the subway and getting the homeless out, I don’t think this should ever be a permanent thing given the density of New York. At the very least, I can foresee the 1-5 AM shutdown drag for 12-24 months so that General Orders and other repairs can be done more efficiently, heck. I’d say that this is a chance for the  to rethink their strategies when it comes to G.O.’s. They should bring back FASTRACK given how successful that program was and get rid of flagging wherever possible. 

A 4 hour GO isn't going to allow for much work to get done. If it takes 2 hours to set up and 2 hours to clean up then you basically have no time for actual work. That is why they had FastTrack start at 10pm rather than 12am. 

On 4/30/2020 at 5:29 PM, trainfan22 said:

I'm pretty sure trains will still be running light throughout the system during this closure.

Correct.

On 4/30/2020 at 8:59 PM, JAzumah said:

The plan pays for itself. 

It cost about $325/car/hour to operate a subway train in NYC. Multiply $325 x the number of cars on the line x the average trip time and that is a sizeable number across the system.

The trains are running light during this whole time, but limited to MTA employees and first responders only. There are no cost savings from this aspect of the plan.

[N6 Limited]

So how are the trains being cleaned? 

[Lex]

2 hours ago, RTOMan said:

That is correct picking up employees and essential Personnel only..

Then what's the point?

[Collin]

13 minutes ago, Lex said:

Then what's the point?

Political theater

[paulrivera]

3 hours ago, RTOMan said:

That is correct picking up employees and essential Personnel only..

Yea, these Cuomo era shutdowns never really are true shutdowns anyways...

Besides, it’s kinda plausible for someone to start their trip at 0:50 and reach their destination at 2:50 so might as well keep the trains chugging along 🤷‍♂️

[JAzumah]

I can tell you this. If those trains run without passengers on them, I will make it my business to make sure that the MTA gets absolutely ZERO more dollars for virus relief from the federal government.

We aren't going to play the snowstorm game again. If the trains run, they run with passengers. You can run the train through system checkpoints and remove homeless people as need be. However, we are not going to run shuttle buses on top of trains that are running. We are not going to have the MTA paying for Ubers on top of operational subways.