Hyunji Kim, 23, was standing on the platform at the Bayside Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) station for more than 45 minutes on Monday, September 14 waiting for her train to arrive to take her to Penn Station.
However, the train she was hoping to catch wasn’t delayed or cancelled; it happened to be that Monday was the first day of the new LIRR schedules that reduces midday, weekday and weekend service on the Port Washington line from every half hour to every hour.
“I hate it. I’m going to be late for class,” said Kim, a student at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.
During the weekdays, the LIRR removed 14 trains from its schedule on the Port Washington line while adding stops to the remaining trains to make sure that a train stops at each station once per hour. On the weekends, 32 trains were removed from the schedule.
The new schedules implement the second phase of budget-related cuts in LIRR service that were approved by the MTA Board in March. These service reductions along with those implemented last May 17 were required as part of the effort to close the MTA’s $900-million budget gap.
“The service reductions will save approximately $950,000 this year and $3.8 million annually starting in 2011,” the LIRR said in a statement. “However, the LIRR will be monitoring the changes in the new timetable and will make schedule adjustments, as necessary, based on additional ridership and possible crowding on trains.”
Commuters who were waiting for their train on Monday were not too pleased with the new schedules, especially since many commuters in northeast Queens rely on the LIRR since there is no subway line that services the area.
“It’s terrible. It makes it very difficult to plan your trip now,” said Diane Schlanger. “You have to get into the city an hour early now.”
Meanwhile, the MTA has already begun holding public hearings throughout the city about proposed fare hikes that would have many riders digging much deeper into their pockets. One option that is being talked about is increasing the price of the unlimited 30-day MetroCards from $89 to $104.
Queens residents will be able to have their say on Monday, September 20 as the MTA will host a public hearing on fare hikes at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel in Flushing beginning at 6 p.m.
