From the NY Times:Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced a yearlong pilot program Tuesday that will allow commuter vans to pick up passengers in parts of Brooklyn and Queens with limited access to public transportation or where bus service cuts will take effect next week.
To commuters, there are advantages and disadvantages. The vans will provide them with a means of reaching transportation hubs or other parts of the borough. But because the vans are privately operated, passengers who are connecting to a subway or bus will have to pay $2 to ride the vans as well as public transportation fare, which is $2.25 for a single trip.
“The issue here is not whether it’s more expensive or less expensive; it’s whether the service exists or not,” Mr. Bloomberg said at a news conference near Queens College in Flushing, by a stop for the Q74 bus, one of the lines that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will eliminate on Sunday.
The pilot program will establish three to six new commuter van routes in Brooklyn and Queens. The routes will be determined in the coming weeks, said David Yassky, the city’s taxi and limousine commissioner. It is scheduled to last a year, but it could be expanded depending on the results, he said.
Mr. Yassky said that enforcement would be a key to the pilot program, as well as to all of the industry, which carries an estimated 15,000 passengers daily from outlying areas of Queens and Brooklyn to transportation hubs, the financial center of Manhattan, a mall in Nassau County and other locations.
Last week, during a few hours in central and southern Brooklyn, taxi inspectors and officers from four police precincts seized 35 illegal vans and issued 73 summonses to unregulated drivers. Similar operations are planned with more frequency than in the past, Mr. Yassky said.
If there's such a big problem already documented, is it wise to introduce this program before the problem is resolved?
16 comments:
The MTA does not own the bus routes that have been discontinued, the DOT does.
If the MTA does not want to operate them, why doesn't the DOT put them up for bid?
If Fung Wah can drive you to Boston for $15, they can probably turn a handsome profit driving people from point to point in Queens for $2.
The M.T.A. like the schools, hospitals and jobs have been catering to the illegals and now they are giving these routes to the "Livery" drivers? C'mon people, wake up! Stop blaming the M.T.A. for all these cuts. Those bus and train drivers work 12 hour shifts. Between them and the train workers are the hardest workers at the M.T.A.. Our schools are over crowded with anchor babies and the get the free rides to school. I am sure those "Livery" drivers are most likely here undocumented or let their Visas run out. I am sure they will be pocketing the $2.00 and wont be paying any taxes on them. So you assholes who think this is a good idea, I wish you the best of luck while using them. If they get into an accident, no pay day for you. If the elected officals would just control our illegal allien situation, you would see hospitals, schools and our transit system up and running. I don't think I should have to pay for some anchor baby to attend school. Mayor Bloomturd likes to see union workers go. He has fucked up this city so much and you anti union people are helping him. I would rather pay a union memeber drive a bus then to get into a van with some guy, who most likely can't speak English and isn't a citizen or here legally. So good luck to all you suckers who agree to these vans. You are probably the assholes who voted for Bloomturd.
To Anon #2 I couldn't have ranted better myself. Thanks!
There's also no guarantee that the vans will go onto every route, just the ones they think will be profitable. Will any of them want to go onto the Q79?
We already have those vans in Maspeth and Elmhurst, but it's only for the Chinese; they won't pick up anyone else!!!
I guess Bloomberg made friends with the Asian Bus People. They've been doing this along the bus routes in Queens for years, yet no one complains that they are taking away business from the MTA. The politicians don't want to upset their political base.
Bloomie trying to price out the dollar vans, what a pincher. Next he'll have municipial squeegee service for those traffic lights outside Manhattan that aren't yet served suchly. THANKS MIKE
I back up the China van commenter, you know the ones with the tinted out windows.
We're all fans of the free market and dis the MTA, until it comes time for the free market to provide some transit service. Yank yer heads out yer arses, people!!!
If these vans are efficient, if they feed into MTA services or help relieve congestion on the roadways or otherwise benefit society, what room have you to complain? Except that you're a bunch of xenophobes?
Yes, who cares if the vans are unlicensed, dangerous, discriminatory and a poor replacement for actual service that the MTA is supposed to provide? Let us have the damn illegal vans!
Keep giving America away!! Doesn't anyone in politics care? I'm sick and tired of all the BS that is shoved down my throat. These illegal vans are a menace. The key word here folks is ILLEGAL!!!! If you tried to run a business like they do you'd be arrested and put away but not these poor hard working people. After all, they're only trying to make a living. They usurp our streets and property and nothing is done to them. Send them all back to their countries and see if they get away with it there. I'm sick to death of all of them...I don't care what race they are just get rid of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
let's publicly expose the city streets that the over-sized vans are being parked overnight.
40-22,40-14 and 40-12 203 st,Bayside,N.Y.
Please note that the vans for Spa Castle in College Point DO NOT have commercial license plates.
I'm so sick of Bloomturd City. Where else can you have private vans provide services that should be provided by union workers that have the experience and accountabilty that NYC citizens deserve?
we are slipping into 3rd world status REAL quick.
note that the ten "apollo" ambulette vans that park on 42 avenue at Francis Lewis Blvd,every night are being dispatched from a private residence at 196-30 42nd ave.some vans are parked at 200-01 42 ave. at P.S.130 Q,overnight and weekends.
they are commercial working vehicles
and should use the proper n.y.s. plates.
the D.O.B. is again failing the community.
Is Bloomberg is out of his mind? Yes siree..............................................................................
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