METRO NORTH NEW HAVEN RAIL COMMUTER COUNCIL
(Established in 1985 under Connecticut Public Act 85-239, now Sections 13b-212b and
13b -212c of the Connecticut General Statutes)
MINUTES OF OCTOBER 15, 2008
Metro North Headquarters
Madison Avenue
New York, NY
Present were: Jim Cameron, Chairman; Rodney Chabot, Connor Murphy, Drew Todd, Bob Jelley, and Roger Cirella, members of the Council; Gene Colonese and Jeff Parker, CDOT; Howard Permut, President, MNR, Joe Kanell, Jeff Watson, George Okvat, Tom Tendy, Tim McCarthy, Brian Tobachnick, Donna Evans, Ed Lydecker, Scott Ornstein, Robert MacLagger, MNR; Bill Henderson, Executive Director, PCAC, Jim McKenna, MTA Police; Martin Cassidy, Stamford Advocate.
The meeting began at 6:00 pm.
Chairman Jim Cameron introduced Howard Permut, the new President of Metro North. Mr. Permut outlined his background, saying that he had been involved with public transit for 35 years, had come to the MTA in 1979, and then moved to Metro North when it was founded several years later. He served as Director of Planning and ultimately was Senior Vice President of Planning, Development and Procurement.
He first outlined what he wanted to accomplish: Maintenance of a high level of service, and bringing the New Haven line to the same level of service as the Harlem and Hudson lines. For improvements he said he wanted 95% consist compliance, improvement in customer communications, and use of technology in a lot of new areas.
He spoke of the Metro North 5 year plan called Vision 2013, which Peter Cannito started. He noted that Donna Evans runs the Vision 2013 planning, and will have the plan finished by the end of 2008. He said that Vision 2013 consists of the following elements:
Achieve zero injuries; transport 100 million customers/year; achieve 98% on-time performance; achieve 95% customer satisfaction; increase employee teamwork, development and improve communications; provide timely and effective communication to customers and external stakeholders; demonstrate commitment to incorporating sustainability; achieve increased efficiency; and achieve increase in non-passenger revenue.
He spoke next about major challenges. One is the financial challenge brought on by the severe downturn of the economy. Another is the fact that Metro North does not operate all of the elements of the full transportation picture; the best example is parking at railroad stations, which in Connecticut is generally handled by towns. He went on to say that the busing of passengers from Danbury to the Harlem line, which provides more rapid transit into New York City, is a good example of Metro North’s meeting the challenge, even though it does not control the bus service. The third challenge he mentioned was succession planning. He said that a lot of Metro North employees will be retiring at about the same time, and that it was important to plan for their successors.
Mr. Permut next spoke of the things he has done since becoming president: 1) he said that the transition from Peter Cannito to him had been seamless; 2) he spoke of good on-time performance, even though there were difficulties with bad storms in the late summer; 3) he said that ridership was at the highest level ever. It is up 4.8% this year through September. He said that Metro North continues to have 85-90% of Connecticut commuters to New York City. But he warned that ridership may not continue to increase, because of the faltering economy; 4) he said that Metro North has made real progress on consist compliance. On weekends, it is 100%. During the morning peak, it is 94% and during the evening peak it is 91%; 5) he spoke of schedule improvements; 6) he said the improvements to the junction in New Rochelle between Metro North and the Amtrak Hell Gate route was a 5 year project handled by Metro North that got completed on time and within budget; and 7) he spoke of the hand-held ticket machines being used by conductors. He said this system was designed entirely in-house and is the only such system being used in the United States. He said that all conductors now have the machines and that they are moving toward being able to accept credit cards on trains. He also noted that it is possible to communicate with conductors via their ticket machines.
There followed a question and answer period. Mr. Cameron said that he had heard that in addition to the mock-up of the new M-8 car that was displayed in New Haven, Stamford, and Grand Central, there was also a second mock-up in Japan. Tim McCarthy of Metro North said that the mock-up in Japan was actually a real rail car. He said that the leg clearance on the three opposite three seats in the US mock-up was incorrect, and that the mock-up in Japan has the correct amount of leg room.
Drew Todd asked about provision for bicycles on the new M-8s. Mr. McCarthy said that Metro North had ordered bicycle hooks and will install some on M-7 cars to see how they work. He said that each pair of M-7s will have one position for two bicycles. Robert MacLagger said that Metro North was working on the design of the bike hooks. Mr. Cameron said that the Rail Council was not in favor of bicycles on trains until there were enough seats for all passengers, but that the Governor had taken a different position. Mr. MacLagger went on to say that the Railroad was still considering bicycles on trains only off peak. He noted that folding bikes are treated as luggage and are permitted on any train. They are also looking at modifying policies to permit bikes on reverse peak trains.
Bob Jelley asked about service to Yankee Stadium for next season, and Mr. Permut said that service was expected to begin early next baseball season. [Note the further information on Yankee Stadium service in my attached notes of Mr. Permut’s talk to the New York Metro North Council a week later.]
Mr. Jelley also asked about plans for rail service to football games in the Meadowlands next season. Mr. Permut said that negotiations with New Jersey Transit had been successfully concluded and that Metro North was still in discussions with Amtrak for provision of such service, and he expected that football game service from the New Haven line to Secaucus Junction, with bus service to the football stadium, would begin next summer.
Mr. Jelley said that some years ago, the DOT had spoken of plans to divide the New Haven line into 3 sections, as opposed to the present 2 sections (New Haven to Stamford and Stamford to GCT). He noted that the Christmas schedule this year shows a number of extra trains stopping just at New Haven, Milford, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield, and Westport, and then running express to GCT. He asked whether that marked the beginning of a plan to divide the New Haven to Stamford service into two sections. Mr. Permut in effect said that there was no overall plan to divide the New Haven to Stamford portion of the New Haven line into two sections. He said that the provision of expresses from the outer five or six stations on the New Haven line was based on need, and the expectation that customers on the New Haven to Fairfield or Westport section of the line would fill a train. He said that the objective was to run full trains.
Mr. Jelley also asked about replacement of the 4th track from the Housatonic River to New Haven. Mr. Permut pointed out that that was a matter for the DOT, not Metro North. Jeff Parker of the DOT said that there was talk of reconstructing some portion of the fourth track in connection with the construction of the station in West Haven.
Roger Cirella asked about passing tracks on the single track Waterbury branch and Mr. Permut noted that it would be desirable to have some way to provide two-way service on the Waterbury branch.
Rodney Chabot said that he was very pleased at the improvement in consist compliance and said that Metro North had done very well with its limited number of cars. Mr. Permut commented that consist compliance was made more difficult by inadequate shop space in Connecticut. He noted that 95% consist compliance is a general standard.
Drew Todd said that in his view the Long Island Railroad had better customer information signage than Metro North. Mr. Permut said that he was hoping to expand customer information signage if there was sufficient money. He noted that signage in Connecticut was a separate issue, because the money must come from the State of Connecticut. But he went on to say that he was hoping to be able to get information about trains on to peoples’ blackberries.
Mr. Cameron asked about the quality of conductors, and commented that the Council gets many reports of unsatisfactory conduct by conductors. Mr. Permut said that Metro North conductors were always rated very highly by passengers in the annual surveys and that they are the highest rated part of the service. He said that Metro North worked closely with the unions and is very pleased with its conductors.
Connor Murphy asked what the procedure was when conductors are involved in incidents. Mr. Permut said that sometimes, after investigation, the result was merely discussion with the conductor, but there was also progressive discipline. Tom Tendy went on to say that he keeps a history of complaints on conductors. In answer to a further question, Mr. Tendy said that conductors are required to identify themselves when asked.
Mr. Cameron thanked Mr. Permut for having come and spoken to the Council.
STAMFORD GARAGE
Mr. Cameron asked whether there was any change in the timing of the new Stamford garage. Mr. Parker said that there was no change form what Commissioner Marie had told the council in September.
SEPTEMBER OPERATIONS REPORT
Ed Lydecker commented about the September report. In response to a question, he said he would get information on Waterbury ridership. Mr. MacLagger said that the method of getting ridership data was changing.
WATERBURY BRANCH
Jim McKenna spoke about fighting crime on the Waterbury branch. He also said that cameras are being installed at Waterbury station.
The meeting adjourned at 7:15 pm.
The next meeting will take place at the Union Station in New Haven at 6:00 pm. on November 19, 2008.
Bob Jelley
Secretary
Phone: (203) 498-4306
e-mail : rjelley@wiggin.com
NOTES ON HOWARD PERMUT’S TALK TO THE NEW YORK
METRO NORTH RAIL COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 23, 2008.
Rodney Chabot and your secretary listened to Howard Permut again when he spoke to the New York Rail Council a week after he spoke to us. In general, his prepared talk was very similar to what he said to us. There were the following additions:
In talking about the financial challenge, he noted that there had been a cash flow problem the prior week but that the MTA had successfully sold bonds. He said that the operating budget is “out of whack”, because Metro North does not have the income to support its operations. He said that the capital budget runs out in 2009 and that there is a hole of about $15-$20 billion after 2009.
In talking about the challenge posed by upcoming retirements, he said that a lot of the Metro North personnel were retiring in the next five years.
He said that the Railroad might not be able to improve service, because of financial problems. He also said that the financial problem has put a hold on permitting use of credit cards to buy tickets on trains.
He spoke about the planned Yankee Stadium service. He said that for weekend games, there will be direct Harlem and New Haven line trains going to and from Yankee Stadium. For weekday daytime games, there will be direct service going to the games, but after the games, there will be shuttle service to 125th Street, where passengers will transfer to regular Harlem and New Haven line trains. For weekday evening games, there will simply be regular service to 125th Street and shuttles from 125th Street to Yankee Stadium. After evening games, there will be direct service from Yankee Stadium to the Harlem and New Haven lines. His explanation for the shuttle trains was that it was too difficult to move trains between the incoming Hudson line and the outgoing Harlem line or visa versa during the evening peak. He questioned whether the use of 125th Street would result in overcrowding at that station, and said that it might be necessary to run shuttles to and from GCT.
In answer to a question, he said that while the Hudson and New Haven lines have the capacity to run trains to Penn Station, a Metro North study had shown that there was no way of getting Harlem line trains to Penn Station. He said that the M-8s on the New Haven line will be able to go to Penn Station but the M-7s on the Hudson line cannot.
