MINUTES

 

April  23, 2003

 

SACIA   /   Stamford CT

 

 

Meeting called to order 7 pm  by Chairman Rodney Chabot.

 

Vice Chmn. Jim Cameron (Acting Secretary)  noted the absence of a quorum.

 

March Minutes were approved.

 

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

There was further discussion of CDOT's proposed 15% fare increase. 

 

Mr. Chabot questioned the high fares ($380 monthly) for New Haven riders and asked if some concession could be made for longer trips.  CDOT's Mike Donnarumma said fares were based on distance. He further noted that, spread over the 5 years since the last fare increase, the proposal works out to 3% per year… less than the fare increases in the 1990's.

 

Vice Chmn. Jim Cameron told the Council of his testimony at the first of three hearings on the fare proposal, including ideas for increasing revenue without raising fares: collect all tickets, cut marketing budget until service improves and enough seats are available, renegotiate MTA contract.  Cameron further proposed a new class of ticket for standing passengers unable to get a seat on crowded trains.  “We cannot ask passengers to pay first-class fares and not given them a seat,” he noted.

 

Cameron inquired about making reverse-commute rush hour trains "peak fare" rather than off-peak.  MNRR's Gene Colonese suggested that only 20-30% of those riders use one-way tickets, the rest being on monthly tickets that already receive a 50% discount.

 

Cameron asked about uncollected tickets on trains, especially with heavy boarding at intermediate stations like Stamford and Norwalk.  Colonese said MNRR had no statistics on how many tickets may go uncollected but said that conductors would be re-educated about mandatory seat-checks to prevent free riders.  Mr. Fred Chidester of MNRR noted that only on some trains are seat-checks mandatory.

 

Mr. Colonese explained the new three-tiered fare structure effective May 1, 2003 to encourage advance purchase of tickets.  Highest fares would be tickets bought on trains with penalties rising from a current $2 to as much as $3.50 per ticket.

 

Tickets bought on the Internet and by Mail-and-Ride would offer an additional 2-5% savings over those tickets purchased at stations or ticket vending machines (TVM's).

 

Mr. Joe Magee asked if Transit Checks could be used for such mail or web purchases and Mr. Colonese agreed to find out.

 

There was discussion by members of the Council about the new penalties and whether riders would be adequately warned before they take effect.  Mr. Chabot suggested PA announcements on all trains before the May 1^st start date.

 

Vice Chmn. Jim Cameron asked Mr. Colonese and Mr. Donnarumma about media reports by NY City Comptroller Alan Hevesi that the MTA had been keeping two sets of accounting books to fabricate a deficit to justify a fare increase.  Both said they had insufficient information to comment.  Cameron asked if it was appropriate for the Council to move forward in endorsing the fare request pending the investigation.

 

Mr. Jelly noted that CDOT's Bureau Chief Harry Harris had previously told the Council that "MTA accounting always was obscure".  Chmn. Chabot asked CDOT for more information on the Hevesi charges next month.

 

Lacking a quorum and being unable to take a vote on the fare proposal, the discussion was tabled.

 

SHORE LINE EAST

 

February average daily ridership 1446, up 24% from 2002.

Year to date average daily ridership 1450.    On time performance in February 95.7%, down 2.26%, year to date 82%, down 12.28%

 

 

Mr. Jelly asked about electronic signs at State St. Station in New Haven.  Mr. Donnaruma said computer bugs are being worked out

 

There was discussion of the cancellation of Shore Line East trains to New London as part of a deal with Amtrak protecting its agreement with the State of CT Dept. of Environmental Protection.  Under that written agreement Amtrak can run no more than 35 trains per day over bridges between Old Saybrook and New London.  Currently Amtrak now operates 37 trains, soon going to 40.  Under an agreement with CDOT, Amtrak will carry monthly Shore Line East ticket holders on Amtrak trains in exchange for SLE agreeing to drop trains to New London.   Mr. Donnarumma said about 20 riders a day would be affected and that SLE maintained the right to resume service if it chose to.

 

Vice Chmn. Jim Cameron asked why the CT Dept. of Environmental Protection was placing the rights of boat owners above the interests of commuters and inter-state rail passengers.  Mr. Donnaruma agreed to provide the Council with more information about the DEP - Amtrak agreement next month.

 

Mr. Jelly asked about the status of the two AM rush hour thru trains on SLE from New Haven to Stamford.  Mr. Donnaruma said one was funded through December 2003 but the other might stop as early as August, pending funding from the Transportation Strategy Board and CT Legislature. Vice Chmn. Jim Cameron asked SACIA's Joe Magee about the status of funding and Magee said he knew of no plans for such service continuation.

 

Mr. Jelly suggested that the Council write letters of support to lawmakers in Hartford noting the trains' success both for carrying SLE riders and alleviating congestion on MNRR trains. Vice Chmn. Jim Cameron agreed to write such a letter on the Council’s behalf.

 

Mr. Cameron asked CDOT why no fare increase had been proposed on SLE.  Mr. Donnarumma said that none was currently planned but that one might be considered by November 2003.

 

Mr. Donnarumma noted that additional parking was planned at Old Saybrook.

 

WATERBURY BRANCH

 

In March there were 7 bus substitutions for trains, 4 for track work.

 

DANBURY BRANCH

 

In March there were 28 bus substitutions, 23 for track work, 2 for equipment problems and 3 for "other" reasons.

 

NEW CANAAN BRANCH

 

In March there were 6 bus substitutions for wires-down problems on near Noroton Heights.

 

 

STAMFORD STATION & GARAGE

 

Between May 12^th and August  29^th the bathrooms at Stamford station will be under rehabilitation.  Porta-potties will be available.

 

Tracks 1 and 3 are back in service at the station as of April 25^th

 

New monitors displaying train departure and arrival information are being installed.

 

Total cost of the Stamford station project to date:  $78,073,159.34

 

The new parking garage will open in mid-July and shortly thereafter the old garage will close for approximately four months of work.  When the new garage opens there will only be one entrance and one exit, causing extensive delays to patrons.   "It will be a disaster", noted Metro-North Police Sgt. J. Mullin.  This limited access will last two to four months.  Discussions followed on possible remedies.

 

SHOP BACKLOG

 

According to MNRR there were 53 cars out of service the day of the meeting, or approximately 15% of the fleet.

 

The rehab program on the old M2 cars continues.

 

TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY BOARD //  COASTAL CORRIDOR TIA

 

Vice Chmn. Jim Cameron reported on recent testimony he gave in Hartford before the Comm. On Transportation as it considered a bill implementing some of the suggestions of the Transportation Strategy Board.  He noted that the TSB has only called for the ordering of 12 locomotives and 40 passengers coaches for service on MNRR in CT and they will be of a design which will not run into Grand Central Terminal.  Cameron noted that Congressman Chris Shays’ representative at a recent meet between the CC-TIA and House Speaker Mora Lyons told the lawmaker that there will be no support for Federal funding for the trains if they cannot run into GCT.

 

GCT  RESTROOMS

 

The new restrooms are on schedule and should open Sept.1^st

 

STATION ACCESS

 

CDOT reported that it is re-educating towns about their responsibility to keep waiting rooms open, even if ticket agents have been replaced by TVM’s.

 

Discussion followed on the challenges of having individual towns manage stations and parking under varying rules and hours.  Mr. Donnarumma noted that many of the contracts for those operations are lengthy… 50 years in the case of Stratford.

 

Vice Chairman Cameron again noted the Parking Governance study underway and encouraged Council members to visit the Council website where a link has been placed to reports on the stations’ upkeep and maintenance.  He noted that most towns, such as Darien, collect large amounts of parking permit revenue but do little to improve the stations.

 

 

STATION KIOSKS

 

There is nothing new to report on the idea of informational kiosks at stations first proposed three years ago.   Mr. Donnarumma noted that informational postings at stations indicating who is responsible for parking, station hours, etc. are being developed but his staff is encountering difficulty finding the names and phone numbers of personnel in each town who care for such aspects of station operation.

 

Mr. Chabot asked if the New Haven / State St. kiosk under design might be a prototype for other stations.

 

MEET THE COMMUTER DAY

 

The Council’s annual event will be Thursday May 8^th from 5:30 to 10 am at the  Noroton Hts. Station in Darien.  Chmn Chabot urged that Council members join him and Vice Chmn Cameron who always attend such events, usually without any other Council presence.  Mr. Cameron noted that MNRR, CDOT and Town officials had been invited and that Noroton Hts station had been selected because it represents a good example of a station bringing in big parking revenue but which is falling into disrepair because of Town neglect.

 

DARIEN  GUTTER REPAIR

 

There was further discussion of the repair of a missing end-cap on the gutter at the newly rehabilitated Darien RR Station.  Mr. Donnarumma indicated repair work by CDOT Highways staffers would cost $3000 due to personnel and safety requirements.  As the contractors have signed over the station, the Town would be responsible for the repair cost and it would be taken out of parking revenues.  Mr. Cameron, a Darien resident, objected and said it was ridiculously expensive and, as a “design flaw” should be CDOT’s responsibility and not the Town’s.  He further noted that the railroad bridge in Darien over the Post Rd. was about to undergo a multi-year rehabilitation and perhaps the gutter fix could be rolled into that project instead.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY

 

Mr. Colonese of MNRR noted that the September Customer Satisfaction Survey would not be conducted this year for fear of “biased results”, i.e. commuters angry about the fare increase would skew results lower in other categories.  Mr. Cameron asked why the railroad feared lower grades on such issues as staff courtesy and on-time-performance simply because fares were being raised.  Cameron noted that there has never been a question on “fare fairness” in the surveys and, if one were added, it might dissipate commuter grading of other aspects of train operations.  Mr. Colonese promised the Council input on the next survey, whenever it is conducted.

 

 

ELECTRICAL FIRE - CAR #8814 

 

Chairman Chabot noted that a commuter friend of his reported an electrical arc exploded from floor to ceiling on his train from New Canaan as it entered GCT the first week in April.  Chabot noted that there were no injuries as passengers were standing, waiting to leave the train.  No MNRR conductors were present.  Mr. Donnarumma and Mr. Chidester said a review of paperwork shows no reports of any such incident.  Mr. Cameron asked if the car in question had been inspected, saying there had either been a mistake in reporting or there is a car still in service with a dangerous electrical fault.

 

 

STATE POLICE SECURITY

 

It was reported that CT State Troopers riding MNRR trains will probably be withdrawn in the coming weeks due to a lessening of the national security alert status from orange to yellow.

 

NEW MNRR SCHEDULE

 

Mr. Colonese discussed the new MNRR schedules taking effect 4/27/03 and said there were “few changes” aside from mid-day Waterbury trains continuing in service as far as Stamford.

 

Mr. Chabot questioned the status of the Stamford car wash.  Mr. Donnarumma said the machinery needs new scrubber brushes and will not be in service until they are installed.

 

FARE INCREASE:

 

Vice Chmn. Cameron asked that the discussion of the proposed CDOT fare increase be taken off the table, but lacking a quorum due to Council members departing before the end of the meeting, no vote was taken.  A poll of members still present indicated that most “reluctantly endorsed” the plan.

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:50 pm EDT

 

ATTENDANCE:

 

 

Rodney Chabot         Chairman      

Jim Cameron             Vice Chairman

Ed Zimmerman         Council Member

Peter Millard              Council Member

Pete Myers                Council Member

Joe Magee                Council Member

Bob Jelly                    Council Member

 

Michael Donnarumma          CDOT

Fred Chidester                      MNRR

Gene Colonese                     MNRR

Jonathan Lucas                     Stamford Advocate

Scott Crosby                          Commuter

Sgt. J. Mullin                          MNRR Police