(New York City� -� June 19, 2000):� ��The latest customer satisfaction survey from Metro-North, presented today to the Metro-North Board, shows that commuters are fed up with intrusive cell phone conversations during their rides on the rails.
Responding last year to the CT Rail Commuter Council�s idea of a designated cell-phone-free �Quiet Car� on each train, Metro-North agreed to survey riders on the issue, testing the effectiveness of it six month Courtesy Campaign.� (see attached statistics)
�The survey results confirm our suspicions,� said Jim Cameron, Vice Chairman of the Commuter Council and chief proponent on the Quiet Car idea.� �The survey shows that� 87% of respondents are �bothered� by cell-phone calls some, most or all of the time.� Its clear that Metro-North�s not doing enough to deal with this problem.�
A majority of commuters (76%) said they carry cell-phones and 90% admit to using them.� But most riders (62%) said they keep their calls brief and discreet.
�I don�t think it�s the cell phone caller who makes a quick call who�s the problem,� says Cameron.� �A quick� �Hi Honey, I�m on the 7:05 and will be home soon� isn�t the issue.� The real problem is the 5% of riders who talk for five minutes or more, in a loud voice and are inconsiderate of their fellow riders.�
Unfortunately, the Commuter Council�s call for a cell-phone-free �Quiet Car� was not specifically tested in this survey.� �While only 27% of riders said they supported limiting cell phones to certain cars, what we�re proposing is the opposite,� said Council Chairman Rodney Chabot. �We�re not asking to segregate cell phone users� we want to isolate those seeking silence!� The Metro-North survey asked about designated �Noisy Cars� but we�re proposing only a single Quiet Car.��� Cameron notes that Quiet Cars have been immensely successful on Amtrak and European trains.� �Given time, this problem will only get worse and the idea of a Quiet Car will win out I�m sure,� said Cameron.
For more information on the Commuter Council and the Quiet Car campaign, visit the Council�s website at:� www.trainweb.org/ct
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Metro-North Customer Satisfaction Survey� -� 1st
Quarter
PERCENT OF CUSTOMERS WITH
CELLULAR PHONES
� 76% of customers carry a cellular phone with them.
� 24% do not.
FREQUENCY
OF USE TO SEND OR RECEIVE CALLS ON THE TRAIN
�������� (Definitions were supplied by MNR on the questionnaire)
� 10% Never
� 55% Occasionally� (for emergencies or at most once a week)
� 29% Moderately (more than once a week, but less�������� than once every trip)
� 6% Frequently (one or more calls per trip)
LENGTH
OF CALLS MADE OR RECEIVED :
(Definitions were supplied by MNR on the questionnaire)
� 62% Brief (Under 1 minute)
� 33% Moderate (1-3 minutes)
� �5% Long ( 4 minutes or more)
TYPE
OF CALLS PHONE USUALLY USED FOR:
� 65% Family-related
� 57% Business-related
� 43% Emergency
� 28% Social/recreational
� �3% Other
IF
ONBOARD PHONE USE BOTHERS CUSTOMERS
� 13% never bothered
� 55% sometimes bothered
� 20% bothered most of the time
� 12% bothered all of the time
QUESTION:� DO YOU THINK METRO-NORTH SHOULD: �(CHOOSE ONE OR MORE)
Options����������������������������������������������� % YES�� % NO ANSWER
Continue to educate riders
�� on considerate usage��������������������������� 81%����� 4%����� 15%
Limit cell phone use to door areas������������ 34%���� 35%���� 31%
Limit cell phone use to designated cars����� 27%���� 41%���� 32%
Prohibit cell phone use on trains���������������� 6%����� 56%���� 38%
Do nothing�������������������������������������������� 10%���� 39%���� 51%
