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CHAPTER V MOBILITY AND INNOVATION IN NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION 1. INTRODUCTION important travel option for New Yorkers. Public transportation providers face ever-changing This Chapter describes a range of initiatives that complex markets and policy expectations that require represent the response of New York’s transit operators, new service models and an ongoing evolution in with the support of local municipalities and the New operating practices. The traveling public has an York State Department of Transportation, to the increasing degree of choice in their travel options. changing demands of the evolving transit market. The Population and employment destinations are becoming two broad categories of transit industry response more dispersed. Travel increasingly involves multiple described are: stops for daycare, shopping, medical appointments, etc. The autonomy offered by the automobile is very • New and innovative transit services, attractive, even in congested areas. This is particularly including urban and suburban mobility, rural true where the absence of transfer facilities and and statewide welfare to work services, and; pedestrian facilities presents an obstacle to accessing transit service. Increasing public expectations for • Transit supportive actions taken by public customer service, current and accurate service transit operators, with the support of the information and door to door convenience present a Department of Transportation, such as challenge to the traditional model of urban public customer-oriented Intelligent Transportation transit. Systems (ITS), innovative fare policies, and pedestrian, bicycle and intermodal facility Policy mandates and expectations, such as providing investments that are improving the customer access to the elderly and disabled, access to environment of transit. employment opportunities for former welfare recipients and congestion reduction in areas that are in non- 2. INNOVATIVE MOBILITY AND JOB ACCESS attainment of federal air quality standards additionally FUNDING: require transit operators to stretch scarce resources and test new service types in non-traditional markets. These The Statewide Mass Transportation Operating efforts to meet important policy goals often compete for Assistance (STOA) Program, as noted earlier, is the funding with the need to provide a guaranteed level of predominant source of operating subsidy for New York traditional transit service. State transit services. However, supplemental funding has been crucial in underwriting many of these newer, Providing a baseline of traditional service, including non-traditional, services. Fund sources that have been fixed route commuter, student, elderly, disabled and used to support these services include: community mobility, and operating these policy-driven services makes the introduction of new and innovative The Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) services difficult. Sustaining an ongoing financial Program which provides federal funding for surface commitment to new services is also challenging, as transportation and other related projects that contribute ridership is typically low at the beginning of a new to air quality improvements and reduce congestion. service, growing over time as the public becomes aware Transit operating expenses for services that further of service availability and reliability. these goals are eligible for CMAQ for a three-year demonstration period. In Long Island $300,000 in Despite this array of challenges, New York State’s CMAQ funds is made available annually for innovative transit operators, in cooperation with local mobility projects. The New York City and Lower municipalities and the New York State Department of Hudson Valley Regional Transportation Coordinating Transportation, have endeavored to respond to Committees have similarly set aside CMAQ funds changing markets and expectations with innovative new annually for NYSDOT Regions to support travel services, supportive investments and customer demand management activities or innovative transit convenience initiatives. These initiatives are helping to services. sustain and enhance the viability of transit as an V-1 The Surface Transportation (STP) Program 3. INNOVATIVE TRANSIT SERVICES provides federal funding for State and local projects on any Federal-aid highway including the National 3.1 URBAN/SUBURBAN MOBILITY: Highway System bridge projects on any public road, transit capital projects, and public bus terminals and The following services are innovative in that they serve facilities. NYSDOT has pioneered, with the “capital a non-traditional transit market. Typically these cost of contracting” concept, the use of STP funds to services serve an area where competition from the support ongoing operations of innovative transit private automobile is very high. See Figure V-1 for a services, following the completion of the three year 5 year data review of these services. demonstration period of CMAQ eligibility. Suffolk Clipper: This service, initiated in 1994, The State Innovative Mobility Demonstration (IMD) provides express reverse commute access to Program, established through two State appropriations employment destinations in the Melville-Route 110 in SFY 1993-94 and SFY 1994-95 totaling $1.5 million, corridor. The Long Island Expressway (I-495) HOV supports up to two years of supplemental operating lane provides a travel savings advantage to this service funding for innovative services that increase mobility in competing with single occupant vehicle auto travel. by providing viable alternatives to automobile travel. The Clipper services use the Park and Ride lots at I-495 Thirteen projects were chosen for funding over the life at Exits 58 and 63 and will be expanded to the of the appropriation, including a number of services Mastic/Shirley area. Purchasing of 10 ticket swipe that continue to operate and are described later in this cards will soon be available, negating the need for exact Chapter. bills and coins. Ridership in 2002 continued the decline since the inaugural year as the competition for Community Solutions for Transportation (CST) SOV remains strong. Program formally Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Welfare-to-Work - This State Woodbury Shuttle - N94: MTA Long Island Bus Department of Labor program, initiated in 1998 in began operating this Shuttle in January 1994, providing response to the Welfare Reform Act of 1996, and service between the Hicksville LIRR station and the broadened in 2000, funds transportation services to Crossways and Gateways Commercial parks. Funding provide eligible persons with the means to secure and assistance is provided by MTA Long Island Railroad maintain employment at locations previously (LIRR) and LI Bus to supplement STOA. Woodbury inaccessible due to a lack of affordable transportation. ridership in 2002 level off slightly from the 2001 high NYSDOT administers the TANF/CST program in of over 36,000 per year. cooperation with the State Department of Labor. Program dollars are generated by cost allocating Farmingdale Shuttle - N95: This shuttle began services based on the percentage of TANF eligible operations in 1991 providing service between the LIRR usage. The program will fund up to 100% of the actual Farmingdale station and the Route 110 corridor, serving service cost using this method. SUNY Farmingdale, Newsday and other area businesses. Funding assistance is provided by LIRR The Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) and LI Bus to supplement STOA. Farmingdale Program, established in TEA-21 and administered by ridership in 2002 went over 51,000 for a 4.5 percent the FTA, funds new transportation services to support increase. the transition from welfare to work. The program funding began in 1999 with $50 million, nationally. Glen Cove Commuter Bus Shuttle - This service, Funding was scheduled to increase by $25 million each operated by the City of Glen Cove, provides shuttle year until 2003 when the program will cap at $150 service to local employment locations and feeds the million. The vast majority of program funds are Glen Cove LIRR station. Ridership built steadily until Congressionally earmarked to designated localities. 1999 when it peaked. New York State has received a total of $11.5 million through 2002, and $3.17 million in 2003 funding. JFK Flyer: Service began operating in 1996 between JARC funded projects often use CST funding to fulfil the Rockville Centre Long Island Rail Road station in JARC’s 50% match requirement. Nassau County and the JFK Airport (with 36,000 employees working on-site). Service was revised in 1999, with an extension of service to the Nassau Transit V-2 Hub in Hempstead. Since 9-11 JFK employment 84/Route 6 corridor between 3 park & ride lots in patterns and availability have become strained as many NY/CT border area and the Metro-North Railroad of the jobs previously available are part of the (MNR) Station in Brewster, NY. The service began in Homeland Security forces. The combination of the Fall of 1998. Ridership has grown to the point employment changes and budget cut backs will force where additional runs were added in April 2002. the services to be dropped in 2003 Service currently averages over 200 passengers per day. Most passengers are MNRR commuters to Grand Dutchess County Commuter Train Connection - Central, although a growing number of shuttle users are Dutchess County Transit provides rail feeder bus routes local travelers who are making shopping, medical, and serving the Metro North Commuter