tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post2246789027433523191..comments2024-02-01T04:37:41.878-05:00Comments on Cap'n Transit Rides Again: Setting the "livery vans" up for failure?Cap'n Transithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-78302150031364487292010-08-15T00:32:48.399-04:002010-08-15T00:32:48.399-04:00By the way, the passenger and driver have to agree...By the way, the passenger and driver have to agree on a drop-off point, correct? A passenger can't demand to be dropped off in Brooklyn from the Q79 shuttle van, correct?George Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15288033149559815848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-77292034989534119462010-08-14T19:03:24.808-04:002010-08-14T19:03:24.808-04:00If the program was designed as Martin stated, ther...If the program was designed as Martin stated, there would be no need for a new license. You would simply waive preaarangement under existing licenses and be able to achieve this. This is not what is happening.<br /><br />In 1919, the city authorized jitney sized vehicles (20 passengers and less) to temporarily operate over the territory of a failed street railway company. The city was sued and lost in the six year saga. There is directly comparable case law that would allow the union to punch this program out. <br /><br />The operators have also been offered no protection against future incursions into their turf. Based on their prior use as a whipsaw against the union as well as the lack of protection from illegal operators in their current service areas, I am skeptical that the city will devote enouugh resources to make it work.jazumahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00890764412679388559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-64170050315990075632010-08-13T17:02:05.344-04:002010-08-13T17:02:05.344-04:00I would like to thank you for your interest in the...I would like to thank you for your interest in the group ride vehicle program. The Taxi and Limousine Commission always welcomes suggestions and comments from the public about our programs so that we can best serve our city. Yet, I feel it necessary to correct some statements made in your blog. You suggested that the “routes” in question were too ridged. In fact, the service that is being proposed is not a route, but instead a service area. Pick-ups can only occur at designated stops, but drop-offs can occur anywhere (including designated stops) as long as the driver and passengers agree. Moreover, in the third paragraph of your blog, you made the incorrect claim that one of the proposed service areas will only run on the discontinued B39 bus route. According to the Notice of Solicitation that we made public via our website, the service area in question will run from Williamsburg through the Lower East Side ending at Union Square. This service area includes the discontinued B39 route, but it serves a larger area than the B39 did. This pilot program was made to offer an alternative to New Yorkers who have been negatively affected by the MTA cuts, and we created this program with those New Yorkers in mind. We are optimistic about it, and are confident that it will be beneficial to those who need it most. <br /><br /><br />Martin Evelyn,<br />Taxi and Limousine CommissionMartin Paints Soldiers Badlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12042946210181865533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-52815087588195278042010-08-13T11:58:16.277-04:002010-08-13T11:58:16.277-04:00Maybe their logic was that many of those passenger...Maybe their logic was that many of those passengers would've left the system anyway.<br />If you consider the B23 and B71, for the effort that it takes for a person to walk to a nearby route, wait for the bus, and walk back to the destination, the person might as well walk to their destination directly and not give the MTA any money.<br />Say a person is traveling from 16th Avenue/New Utrecht Avenue to 16th Avenue/Cortelyou Road. They have to walk over to 14th Avenue or 18th Avenue for the B16 or B8, wait for the bus, and walk back to 16th Avenue at the other end. For the same amount of time, they might as well save themselves $2.25.<br />At the other extreme, you have the Q79, where people would leave the system because the alternative is too inconvenient. Former Q79 customers would have to travel to Springfield Blvd and back to complete the trip, which may cause them to just forget about it and drive or take a car service.George Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15288033149559815848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-83266357801761741192010-08-13T09:44:07.845-04:002010-08-13T09:44:07.845-04:00Good point. I think what may happen is the old-sch...Good point. I think what may happen is the old-school, unregulated dollar vans will fill this gap and yes, leave the 'legitimate' providers holding the bag.<br /><br />In the grand scheme of things, isn't the MTA better served by these dollar vans failing?MRBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16933340665500287146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-29805050867962932132010-08-11T21:21:27.933-04:002010-08-11T21:21:27.933-04:00I thought the whole point of the B39 was to provid...I thought the whole point of the B39 was to provide access for the elderly from Williamsburg to the Lower East Side. Most able-bodied people would just walk up the steps to the J/M/Z trains to travel the same distance without all of the traffic (not to mention it is a 3 minute wait for the train during rush hours vs. a 10 minute wait for the bus)<br />As far as the B23, an idea could be to combine the 16th Avenue portion of the route with the B69 (I think these routes will probably run weekdays only, as these routes are expensive to run weekends) and have the dollar van cover the whole B69 route. The B103 would cover the Cortelyou Road portion of the B23.<br />I agree that they should allow the operators to modify the route, especially considering that, if it weren't for this program, you would probably see them doing it illegally anyway.George Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15288033149559815848noreply@blogger.com