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We should privatize the MTA into several different companies (with companies running different lines competing each other). the fare will skyrocket but if that means a safer, cleaner, and more on time performance im all for it.
Other ways that could raise money include:
shut down the subway from 1am-5am for repair work. run some overnight-only cross borough bus instead
use a zonal system
charge people for a new metrocard.
Have you lost your mind? A BUS??? Do you even live in NYC? If you did you would ABSOLUTELY not suggest the subway shut down and have buses late night to replace. Have you ever taken a shuttle bus when the train is down? Pain in the ass. Plus many people commute to work starting at 4 am. Privatizing the MTA would not do any good- the system was originally comprised of private companies if you didn't know. If it were private they would all have to coordinate services- otherwise what would we do, get off one train and pay another fare to get on the next? And FYI there are two fare zones out there still, though few are left with the metrocard in use.
I agree that I think the best answer is revenue generated from wrapping trains with ads- similar to the GCT-Times Square shuttle. Ugly, but could be a a huge money maker.
I agree that I think the best answer is revenue generated from wrapping trains with ads- similar to the GCT-Times Square shuttle. Ugly, but could be a a huge money maker.
Ha, they'll just take that revenue, dole it out to the current players, and raise fares anyway. Gotta plug the holes in the bucket before you try to fill it up.
Have you lost your mind? A BUS??? Do you even live in NYC? If you did you would ABSOLUTELY not suggest the subway shut down and have buses late night to replace. Have you ever taken a shuttle bus when the train is down? Pain in the ass. Plus many people commute to work starting at 4 am. Privatizing the MTA would not do any good- the system was originally comprised of private companies if you didn't know. If it were private they would all have to coordinate services- otherwise what would we do, get off one train and pay another fare to get on the next? And FYI there are two fare zones out there still, though few are left with the metrocard in use.
I agree that I think the best answer is revenue generated from wrapping trains with ads- similar to the GCT-Times Square shuttle. Ugly, but could be a a huge money maker.
Whats bad with taking a bus in the middle of the night when theres zero traffic on the highway? what i had in mind were buses similar to the express buses that run on highways between different points in the city, not those crowded shuttles that replaces the train when it is down.
The subway has to shut down at times to do maintenance work. its better to do it at the overnight hours than on weekends because a lot of new yorkers dont have cars at all. in order to make NYC truly a place where people dont need to own cars, theres a real need for the MTA to do less maintenance work on weekends. (that is exactly what they are doing with fast track program but im proposing a system-wide shut down for at least 3 days per week for maintenance work to be done)
since all trains have to run on the same track, I want the trains to be privatized into 1 profit-driven company (like con-ed). But i want bus lines to be awarded to differnet companies through a public and competitive bidding process
Whats bad with taking a bus in the middle of the night when theres zero traffic on the highway? what i had in mind were buses similar to the express buses that run on highways between different points in the city, not those crowded shuttles that replaces the train when it is down.
The subway has to shut down at times to do maintenance work. its better to do it at the overnight hours than on weekends because a lot of new yorkers dont have cars at all. in order to make NYC truly a place where people dont need to own cars, theres a real need for the MTA to do less maintenance work on weekends. (that is exactly what they are doing with fast track program but im proposing a system-wide shut down for at least 3 days per week for maintenance work to be done)
since all trains have to run on the same track, I want the trains to be privatized into 1 profit-driven company (like con-ed). But i want bus lines to be awarded to differnet companies through a public and competitive bidding process
You don't' have to shut down the entire system. Fastrack is supposed to be more then enough.
The subways are the way they are due to decisions made in the 1960-80s.
I feel that overtime the subways will only improve. In all honestly, they have significantly since 1990.
RE: "Whats bad with taking a bus in the middle of the night when theres zero traffic on the highway? what i had in mind were buses similar to the express buses that run on highways between different points in the city, not those crowded shuttles that replaces the train when it is down."
[SIZE=3]Problem is that the bus would have to go along the same route as the subway for its entire run if it's to have any semblance of convenience for travelers.[/SIZE]
Problem is that the bus would have to go along the same route as the subway for its entire run if it's to have any semblance of convenience for travelers.
This would especially be a problem in Manhattan, with the one-way streets.
Aside from that, maybe you could bustitute a low-ridership line like the Rockaway Line or something, but you can't bustitute a line like the Lexington Avenue Line, even overnights.
Whats bad with taking a bus in the middle of the night when theres zero traffic on the highway? what i had in mind were buses similar to the express buses that run on highways between different points in the city, not those crowded shuttles that replaces the train when it is down.
The subway has to shut down at times to do maintenance work. its better to do it at the overnight hours than on weekends because a lot of new yorkers dont have cars at all. in order to make NYC truly a place where people dont need to own cars, theres a real need for the MTA to do less maintenance work on weekends. (that is exactly what they are doing with fast track program but im proposing a system-wide shut down for at least 3 days per week for maintenance work to be done)
since all trains have to run on the same track, I want the trains to be privatized into 1 profit-driven company (like con-ed). But i want bus lines to be awarded to differnet companies through a public and competitive bidding process
I'm well aware that most NY'ers don't have cars. And I'm sorry but what you're suggesting is just really stupid. What would they accomplish by doing a system-wide shut down unless they increased the number of workers to service the system during that time tremendously? It's not practical, financially or logistically. Fastrack is the best thing they have come up with- weeknight repairs, lines shut down WHILE maintaining good service on surrounding lines so that customers still have good transportation options around them.
And again, you want every bus to subway transfer to be eliminated is what you're saying? Because if you think for a second that a private company would cross-honor a fare paid previously to a DIFFERENT company then you're nuts. And to see city streets filled with competing buses that are labeled in a million different ways varying per company? You would never be able to keep track of which bus is express, which goes where, etc. PLUS It would cost an absurd amount of money to get anywhere. For example- once a week I have a bus-train-bus commute that I have to do. So based on your proposal (assuming prices are the same, which in a competing privatized market would never happen) we're looking at $2.50 for bus #1, $2.50 for the train, and then $2.50 for bus two. So $7.50 per way, $15 total to get to work and back home on public transportation. Thanks, but I'll stick with the MTA in its current form.
The MTA SUCKS. Worst train system in the world. Anyone who claims that it is ok has never been to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Paris, London, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Shanghai, Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
ONE WORD for the reason - UNIONS. Every time the MTA has a few extra bucks from a fare hike, the UNIONS squeeze them for it. That's why there is no money to improve the system. The 2nd Ave line is built on a mountain of debt.
In Tokyo, at night, waves of workers go down to the stations and wipe down even the handrails of the stairs. Their trains are spotless. And every station is like shopping mall with supermarkets, bakeries, fast food places, etc. EVERY SINGLE STATION.
Part of the filth of our system is from the class of people who live in this dump we call NYC. Most blue and white collar workers are fine but the ghetto thugs and punk loudmouths have no respect for anything and litter all over the place. One late night, this one gangbanger wannabe started laughing at the mta worker cleaning up other people's crap off the tracks. No doubt he thinks it's more honorable for his single-parent momma to be on food stamps than working.
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