NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The Long Island Rail Road is reversing course following complaints of overcrowding after new service cuts took effect.
"We heard our customers' concerns about our new schedule loud and clear. As a result, we will restore our previous timetable on March 29," LIRR President Phil End said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. "In the meantime, we will continue to strategically add additional trains and lengthen trains to meet evolving ridership levels. We continue to monitor seating availability with unprecedented clarity thanks to new technology. As declining COVID-19 cases and increased deployment of the vaccine allow New York to fully reopen, customers should expect to see more riders returning to trains every day, and we look forward to it."
On Monday morning, all branches started running weekday service on an enhanced weekend schedule, which The Daily News reported would increase wait times between trains by more than 30 minutes during some times of the day.
As the new timetables went into effect, the LIRR was bombarded on social media with photos from riders showing packed trains, with people standing to shoulder to shoulder, making social distancing impossible.
In response to the tweets, the LIRR said, "As we implemented new schedules this morning, we monitored trains using new technology that shows real-time loading on each car on every train across our system, alongside reports from personnel in the field. This enabled us to identify trains where adjustments are needed, and we are working to increase capacity by adding trains where possible during those heavier ridership times. Details will be shared as soon as they are available. Thank you for riding with us."
Criticism of the service reductions was swift.
New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Scott Stringer said, "This isn't safe and it isn't smart. Instead of crowding NYers like sardines, we should be making the investments now to improve service and attract more riders. As Mayor, I'll work with the MTA to increase all-day LIRR/MetroNorth service and lower fares for in-city commuters."
Long Island Sen. Todd Kaminsky tweeted, "To every LIRR rider sitting in a packed, cramped train car right now: I see & hear you. Keep sending your photos in! We must return to the old schedule and get everyone back to work safely."
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday also called on the LIRR to reverse course on the service reductions.
"We don't want overcrowded trains, especially during this period of COVID," Cuomo said. "So I am calling on the Long Island Rail Road to reverse what they've done and increase service. You don't want crowded trains, crowded platforms now... It's smarter to have fewer people on a train during this period even if it's not cost effective."
LIRR President Phil Eng in a statement Monday said, "There were sporadic and isolated incidents of crowding on a few trains in the morning rush."
Eng told WCBS 880 that a lot of the trains had sufficient capacity during the Monday morning rush with 77% of trains below 50% of normal ridership or less.
The LIRR added nine trains for Tuesday morning including on the Ronkonkoma and Babylon branches. The commuter rail system was also going to add extra cars to Long Beach trains.
To address the crowding concerns for the Monday evening commute, Eng said they were adding one train leaving Penn Station around 3:40 p.m. going to Ronkonkoma.
The LIRR said reducing trains would allow the railroad to save $15 million in operating costs, but money in the stimulus bill was expected to cover those losses.
LIRR rider Pat Dormer, of Williston Park, called it a short-sighted move that hurt early-commuting essential workers the most.
"These service cuts were directly targeted at the poor, they were directly targeted at the middle class and they directly targeted people of color who depend on this system," Dormer said.
The MTA said LIRR ridership has dropped by around 76% due to the pandemic and MTA Chairman and CEO Pat Foye said Metro-North lost an even higher percentage.
Foye told WCBS 880 during an interview Monday morning that the service adjustments are temporary.
"The next service adjustments on Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North, assuming ridership comes back, which we are confident it will, it's just a question of when, will be increases in service," Foye told WCBS 880's Steve Scott.
Off-peak fares will remain in effect on all trains, even during traditional peak hours.
"The new schedules will provide continued service on all 11 branches, and will allow us to operate more efficiently while supporting critical infrastructure work, including rail tie replacement, construction of a new train storage track in Massapequa, and work related to the ongoing construction of a third track between Hicksville and Floral Park," the MTA said in a release announcing the service changes.
Subways, meanwhile, have yet to return to 24-hour service, but Foye said he expects that to change once more people get vaccinated.
"We fully intend to bring back 24-hour subway service to the city that doesn't sleep," Foye said. "I don't think it'll be long before 24-hour service is restored. And we're looking forward to doing that."
The subway is closed for two hours each night between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. for COVID-related deep-cleaning and disinfecting at all 472 stations and on thousands of trains.
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