FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 15, 2018
Contact: John Lyon 845-638-5645

Rockland elected officials to Metro-North and NJ Transit:
"No More Express Train Cancellations!"

New City, NY – County Executive Ed Day held a press conference today with State and local elected officials to discuss the plight of Rockland County and other West of Hudson rail commuters who continue to suffer during the crisis at NJ Transit (NJT).

NJT continues to cancel Rockland County's only two express trains on the Pascack Valley Line, despite Metro-North Railroad's (MNR's) formal request to not do so. NJT also continues to subject New York State (NYS) West of Hudson customers on both the Pascack Valley Line and Port Jervis lines to multiple other daily train cancellations, delays and poor conditions due to equipment and engineer shortages along with mechanical and other maintenance problems. While this is happening across NJT's entire network of service, it is especially impacting to NYS customers in Rockland (and Orange) Counties because of the extremely limited service offered (especially on Pascack Valley) and lack of other transit options.

Commuters are upset about the unreliability of the service, being late to work or not being able to get home in time, poor conditions, such as no air conditioning or operable restrooms, overcrowding and standing room only due to trains without enough cars, and the high cost of their commute, which they say is not worth the price they pay.

"We are looking to Metro-North, who holds the operating contract with NJT for rail service they provide to NY State customers, to step-up oversight of the service, to not allow NJT to cancel the Pascack Valley Line express trains, to expedite NJT's restoration of the Pascack Valley Line's three suspended trains, and to prioritize MTA's purchase of new equipment for West of Hudson rail service," said County Executive Day.

As of June, for the service that NJT operates in NYS on the Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines on behalf of Metro-North, more than 160 trains have already been canceled or terminated this year, and more than 330 trains have been more than 15 minutes late. MNR's June Operating Report indicates that these cancellations and delays have already exceeded their annual goals for these incidents, with the number of cancelled trains already double of what it should be for the entire year.

Pascack Valley Line monthly commuters pay just 20 cents a day less than Tarrytown's Hudson Line customers, who have more than triple the service and a one-seat ride into Manhattan ($307 versus $311 a month). Riders from Tarrytown have 60 trains a day into Manhattan with more than 17 express trains. In comparison, Pascack Valley line riders from Rockland have only 17 inbound trains TOTAL with only ONE express trip, plus a required transfer to get into Manhattan.

"People on the Rockland side of the bridge pay more to the MTA for service and are still treated like the unwanted step-child by NJ Transit," said Senator David Carlucci. "It's time for the MTA and NJ Transit to stop pointing fingers at each other and tell us how they are going to provide our residents with express quality train service."

Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee said, "I am extremely disappointed that despite the limited mass transit options available in Rockland and the high cost to commuters, New York residents who depend on the Pascack Valley and Port Jervis Lines to get to their jobs and return home, continue to experience daily train cancellations and delays, not to mention poor conditions, including overcrowding, a lack of air conditioning, and restrooms that are not functional. As elected officials and government agencies, our job is to listen to those we serve, and to alleviate, not impose hardships. I call upon NJ Transit and Metro-North to ensure that these commuters have access to train service that is reliable, efficient, affordable, and that encourages ridership."

"Rockland commuters have been shortchanged time and time again," said Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski. "This summer's express train cancellations have once again created an impossible situation for commuters. Enough is enough. We will no longer accept the second-rate service that is dealt to us. As I said to Metro-North when these cancellations were first announced: although positive train control is imperative to safety, there must be a plan in place to continue to get commuters to work quickly and efficiently. Rocklanders already have limited commuting options and frequent cancellations and service interruptions add insult to injury. This is simply unacceptable and Rockland commuters deserve better."

"The quality of service that Metro-North provides to our residents via NJ Transit is simply not sufficient, and cutting it further has been an utter disaster," said Orangetown Town Supervisor Chris Day. "As a town that is looking towards downtown revitalization and possible transit oriented development here in Pearl River, it is extremely difficult to do so when the 'transit' we're orienting around is so poorly managed and out of sync with the quantity and quality on the other side of the Hudson."

"Metro-North uses our tax dollars to pay NJ Transit to operate this service, and there is no other option," said Randy Glucksman, Chair of the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council. "NJ Transit needs to figure out a way to make our constituents "whole" and deliver the service that it is contractually obligated to provide."

County Executive Day has also formally requested a three-year fare freeze for Rockland County's West of Hudson commuters (to include exemption from MNR's planned increases in 2019 and 2021) from both NJT and MNR/MTA.

"It is ridiculous that we are subject to fare increases from two different rail operators for the same rail line," said Day. "It is even more ludicrous to expect our commuters to pay any more than they already do for the abhorrent service they receive. Each year we pay MTA more than $40 million more than we receive in service. We are asking MTA and Metro-North to take greater responsibility for what is happening to their customers here on the West side of the river because of the crisis at NJ Transit."

The Town Supervisors of Clarkstown and Ramapo were unable to attend the Press Conference and were represented respectively by Clarkstown Councilman Frank Borelli and Ramapo Director of Planning and Zoning Michael Klatsky. They sent the statements below.

"The Pascack Valley Line is an important transportation center in the heart of Nanuet," said Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann. "Clarkstown is building upon the strength of this rail line to establish a Transit Oriented Development center around the Nanuet Train Station. That is why it is so disturbing that the recent service cutbacks are negatively affecting our community. All too often residents are literally left standing at the platform only to find the train is not there. This coupled with fare increases is simply unacceptable. I join the County Executive in seeking service restoration and holding the line on fare increases."

"Ramapo residents, along with fellow Rockland County commuters, have no choice but rely on NJ Transit to get to their jobs," said Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht. "The drastic decline in service and increased cancellations are causing untold hardship to these commuters. Our residents are bearing the brunt of NJ Transit's crisis, and deserve much better!"

Entire Press Conference is available for viewing here: https://bit.ly/2MNpWMs 

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