Dollar Vans Debate Continues

The Brooklyn Paper advances the discussion of dollar vans -- which may replace the B71, as I previously mentioned -- with dueling editorials from David Yassky and John Samuelsen.

Yassky, the the former City Council member and now head of the Taxi and Limousine Commission, takes a pro-dollar van view:

The commuter vans that have served parts of Brooklyn and Queens over the years inspired the plan’s foundation, but there are several important differences, among them the fact that the vans will pick up and drop off riders at fixed stops, rather than roaming freely as the vans now often do. The vans will also be required to carry adequate insurance and be driven by specially certified drivers, also in contrast with troublesome unlicensed vans.

At the center of the decision to create this plan is the fact that the MTA’s service cuts have left us with two choices: do nothing, or take action to provide assistance to thousands of New Yorkers. Mayor Bloomberg has made it abundantly clear that doing nothing is simply not an option, so we are taking action.

Samuelsen, the newly elected president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, takes a negative view:

The Bloomberg scheme would create an unsafe, unregulated shadow transit system, undermining New York City Transit and the MTA. It’s a tremendous mistake and an affront to every transit worker in the city. Most important, it’s clearly against the will of the people: every rider wants a clean, air-conditioned city bus rather than a seat in an unregulated dollar van.

[...]

The “dollar van” doesn’t accommodate the disabled who use wheelchairs or have the ability to “kneel” to make it easier for a senior citizen to climb on board. A “dollar van” will not pick up an elderly person with a cane, because these operators make money by moving fast, and these passengers take up time and, from their point of view, waste money.

Dollar vans to replace the B71?

Gary Buiso of The Brooklyn Paper reports that the Taxi and Limousine Commission--now headed by former Brooklyn City Councilmember David Yassky--has approved a plan to turn the former B71 route into a dollar-van route.

As best I can tell, this doesn't mean we'll actually have dollar vans running up and down Union Street. The TLC just approved the concept. No dollar-van operator has actually said he or she will take the route.

Writes Buiso:

The Taxi and Limousine Commission quietly approved the privatization initiative that will allow livery vans to operate along bus routes eliminated by the cash-strapped state agency — including the B71 route that once journeyed from Columbia Street through tony Carroll Gardens and Park Slope on its way to Crown Heights.

[...]

Under the plan, the vans will only be allowed to pick up passengers at specified locations — but drop-offs can be at locations negotiated by the driver and commuter.

Some neighborhood activists are dubious about this proposal:

“Oh my god, it’s insane!” said Maria Pagano, president of the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association. “You’ll have guys dive-bombing in and out on Union Street between school buses.”

Roy Sloane, president of the Cobble Hill Association, added that the “public-private partnership” leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

“The government should be providing essential services that don’t necessarily make a profit,” he said. “The government and this administration seems to be keen on privatizing all the services that [they] used to provide.”

What do you think?

Update on Bus Cuts

The Brooklyn Paper is reporting that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, at the public hearing on Wednesday that we told you about, released a revised list of proposed service cuts. Unfortunately, the news is still worrying-to-bad for residents of the Columbia Waterfront District. The MTA still plans to eliminate the B71 bus and restructure the B61.

The Wednesday hearing was one of eight held last week in the five boroughs and Westchester and Nassau counties. The NY Daily News is reporting that seven of the 16 members of the MTA board didn't bother showing up to most of the hearings, and only three members attended them all. Pair this with the recent purge of of rider and worker representatives from the board, and we've got a situation on our hands.

Save Our Buses -- Stop the Cuts

At the urging of the Public Services Committee, CoWNA recently wrote to Councilmember Brad Lander, Assemblywoman Joan Millman and State Senator Daniel Squadron and asked three questions.

Question 1:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority proposes to eliminate the B71 bus. This is one of only two buses that serve our community, and its loss would be significant. CoWNA thanks you for opposing this proposal. We ask what step you are taking to save the B71.

Question 2:

MTA also proposes to restructured the B61 route. CoWNA worries that this will undermine the service gains from the January 2010 restructuring of the route. We ask what steps you are taking to ensure that any future restructuring does not lead to the return of chronic delays.

Question 3 (for Millman and Squadron only, not Lander):

The State Senate and Assembly let six rider and worker representatives be eliminated from the MTA board. CoWNA believes that with service reductions and layoffs on the table, rider and worker voices need to be heard. We ask what you are doing to return these six representatives to their positions before the board takes action on service cuts and layoffs.

We'll let you know their answers when we receive them.

Crain's: Brooklyn braces for loss of bus lines

Great article on the possible elimination of the B71 and B75 buses from -- of all places -- Crain's New York Business:

Brooklyn Braces for Loss of Bus Lines

MTA cash crunch comes home to roost in Carroll Gardens

By Amanda Fung

For Phyllis Straka, there's just nothing like the bus for getting around in Brooklyn.

"I'm a senior citizen on a pension, so a car services is too expensive," says Ms. Straka. As for the F train stop on Smith and Ninth streets, it's too far for her to get to on foot.

Beginning this summer, she and her Carroll Gardenes neighbors may have no other choice. As part of a desperate attempt to save cash, the Metropolitan Transporation Authority has put two popular area bus lines, the B71 and the B75, on the chopping block.

"These buses are the lifeblood of the neighborhood," says City Councilman Brad Lander. "Carroll Gardens has a lot of seniors, and those seniors can't ride the subway. These buses are absolutely essential for families."

Read more.

But here's a key part:

MTA officials point out that they have proposed an alternative service for each line, which involves extending the B61 and the B77 to replace the B75 on Ninth Street and Prospect Park West, and having riders use the B65 instead of the B71.

But the latter bus isn't really all that easy to replace. It is the only east-to-west connector from Carroll Gardens to Cobble Hill and Park Slope, according to Craig Hammerman, district manager of Community Board 6, which represents the neighborhoods, who adds that there is no subway alternative.