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COMMUTER COUNCIL PRESSES PLAN

FOR �QUIET CARS� ON METRO-NORTH

(New York, NY � 7/17/01):�� The campaign for quieter commuting by rail took another step forward today as Jim Cameron, Vice Chmn. of the CT Rail Commuters� Council presented his plan for �quiet cars� to the Board of Metro-North.� Railroad officials agreed to study the concept.

Responding to many complaints from riders about loud, disruptive cellphone usage on Metro-North, the Commuter Council last month endorsed Cameron�s plan for one designated quiet car per set of four cars.� Cameron presented the Council�s idea to the Metro-North board at its monthly meeting in NYC, including print-outs of commuter comments from the Council�s website and media editorials endorsing the idea.

�No single issue has brought forth more comments in the ten years I�ve been on the Council,� said Cameron, who commutes out of Darien.� �We asked the railroad to at least consider our plan especially in light of the popularity and success of a similar policy on Amtrak trains.�

Cameron also asked Metro-North to study riders� views on the issue in its next Customer Satisfaction survey, and to commence a public education campaign to raise riders� awareness of appropriate cellphone use.�

Metro-North President Peter Cannito agreed that cellphone abuse is an issue, that more opinion polling is appropriate, and that a public education campaign is a good idea.� But� he expressed skepticism about the viability of the �Quiet Car� on Metro-North due to crowding conditions on the trains.

Cameron promised the Metro-North Board that he would follow up on this proposal in September as part of a larger �Passenger Bill of Rights� concept he will discuss with the Commuter Council.

For more information, visit the CT Rail Commuter Council website at www.trainweb.org/ct

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