METRO NORTH NEW HAVEN RAIL COMMUTER COUNCIL

(Established in 1985 under Connecticut Public Act 85-239, now Sections 13b-212b and 13b-212c of the Connecticut General Statutes)

 

MINUTES OF OCTOBER 17, 2007

CDOT OFFICES, UNION STATION, NEW HAVEN CT

 

 

Present were: Jim Cameron, Chairman, Sue Prosi, Terri Cronin, Stan Trybulski, Rodney Chabot, members of the Council; Gene Colonese and Peter Richter, CDOT; Joe Kanell, Scott Ornstein, and Jeff Watson, MNRR; Mark Ginocchio, Stamford Advocate; Roger J. Cirella and Kristan Tulp, Members of the Public.

 

The meeting began at 7:00 pm. 

 

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

 

There wasn’t a report.  Also, the September minutes were approved but Sue Prosi abstained from the vote because she hadn’t read them yet.

 

REVIEW OF SEPT. OPERATING REPORTS

 

Scott Ornstein said ridership was up five percent.  There was one bus substitution on the Waterbury Line and two on the Danbury Line.  Rodney Chabot asked if there was much damage to the car on the Waterbury Line after the collision with the box truck.  Gene Colonese said it was a Bombardier car and that it was repairable.  As for the VRE cars, six cab cars are back and a total of fourteen VRE cars are now in service. 

 

Sue Prosi asked about the SLE train 1640 and why there are so many problems on that line.  Joe Kanell said that MNRR has run into problems lately with the SLE. 

 

FARE SURCHARGE/FARE HIKE-UPDATE

 

Jim Cameron said the Governor vetoed the Bond package.  Senator Andrew McDonald called Jim to ask the Council’s help to pressure the Governor to approve the package and Jim refused.  Jim said it looks like the Fare Surcharge will go forward.  Gene Colonese said that CDOT has put a notice in the CT Law Journal notifying the public of the Fare Surcharge per the statute.  All trips will be charged $1.00.  So a monthly ticket will be an additional $40 and weekly tickets would be increased by $10.  Jim asked if there was a 90 day notice to the public and Gene Colonese replied no.  Gene said there will be public information meetings and that there will probably be two or three of them.  Terri Cronin asked if the surcharge could later be removed but Gene said that a new law would have to be passed.  Stanley Trybulski asked if this was a one way street.  Can MNRR CT increase fares and not NY?  Gene said that our fares are still less than New York.  Sue Prosi questioned the implementation of the hearings and Gene said that CDOT is looking into press releases and also seat drops.  Sue asked if there would be any other notices and Gene said the first week of November.  Jim requested that the public hearings be scheduled at convenient times for the public.  Jim wants the public to understand why these increases are happening. Jim said that the public isn’t going to be happy.  Sue Prosi raised a motion to petition CDOT for a public hearing.  Jim said that there wasn’t any reason for that and there was no second for Sue Prosi’s motion.  Gene said that the hearings would be convenient for the public. 

 

Scott Ornstein said the fare hike for NY riders is scheduled for 03/01/08.  Scott said that there are hearings all over NY.  It is going to be 6.5% across the board for NY not CT.  Jim asked if NY fares are higher than CT and Gene said that NY fares are still lower than CT. 

 

MAIN LINE ISSUES

 

Terri Cronin said that the AM train #1433 from Fairfield had no surveys distributed.  Terri said that the woman with the surveys just keeping clicking the passengers as she counted them but would not give her a survey.  Terri said she called MNRR and spoke to Jeff Olwell and he said that two surveys were going on at the same time.  Apparently, consultants are checking consultants.  Terri felt that the surveys are skewed by their inequitable method of distribution. 

 

Jeff Watson said that there isn’t enough time to do surveys especially on an eight car train.  Scott said that the survey is objective, demographic data used to obtain federal funding.  The surveys are for inbound trains from 4:35am until 1:30am and that every passenger is offered a survey.  Terri said that the trains are usually packed.  Scott said that 80,000 surveys have been mailed in.  Scott also said that the annual Customer Satisfaction survey is subjective.  He also said that many passengers don’t want those surveys.  Jim said that passengers that complete the surveys are angry so they may skew results.  Rodney said that the conductors should make an announcement about the survey and Terri said that they did.  Scott said that one survey is handed out by MNRR and the other by a contracted group out of Vermont.  

 

Jim went on to discuss the Station Repairs and read the e-mail from Jeff Steele.  The e-mail detailed the many repairs that need to be done at the Fairfield train station.  The lights are out and the conduits for the electrical are being used to lock bicycles.  An engineering firm was hired to do the work but their certification expired.  Gene said that these firms have to have safety training and the number one concern is safety.  The e-mail went on to request safety-striping on the platform edge and Gene said that they are working on all those requests. 

 

Sue Prosi inquired about the Stratford station and Gene said that improvements will occur in Stratford. 

 

Kristan Tulp discussed the incident on 9/27/07 with SLE train 1640.  No announcements were made when the train broke down between Norwalk and Westport.  One of the passengers even went on the intercom looking for a conductor.  Kristan said that the conductor was hiding.  Sue Prosi said that it was a “Comedy of Difficulties”.  Joe Kanell said that it was a four car SLE train.  MNRR couldn’t get a back up engine out of Stamford.  He did say that communication was a problem.  There is one conductor for four cars and that conductor was later reprimanded by Joe Kanell.  Joe apologized to everyone.  Joe said that the conductor didn’t respond properly.  Jim asked if the riders had remained calm despite the three hour delay and Sue said yes. 

 

Rodney Chabot asked about the Talmadge hill phone installation and Gene said that they are still working on it. 

 

Roger Cirella, a Waterbury Line Rider, asked about additional diesel locomotives on the line.  Gene said that they are expecting two brand new diesel locomotives next month.  Roger asked about adding an additional morning train from Waterbury in April and not eliminating the current train.  Gene said that an additional train would be added and that the current schedule would remain. 

 

Sue Prosi inquired about the Danbury Line and the gaps in service.  Gene said that they realize there are a number of gaps in service. 

 

STAMFORD GARAGE UPDATE

 

CDOT Deputy Commissioner Martin couldn’t make the meeting and Peter Richter mentioned that there are meetings next week.  The discussions are continuing.  Jim asked if the developer is going to move on.  Peter didn’t have any details but he said there are substantive discussions occurring now.  Bond Bill 1501 isn’t very promising right now.  Sue Prosi said that this bill is delaying a lot of projects and that there are major consequences. 

 

GOV’S COMM. ON CDOT REFORM

 

A meeting was held in Bridgeport and Gene Colonese said it was sparsely attended.  Jim Cameron said he wasn’t sure if the Council should take a position on this. Recommendations are due December 1.  Sue Prosi said there is now a Whistleblower Hotline for anything relating to DOT.  DOT employees are also being surveyed on their job satisfaction.

 

REPORT ON SWRPA T.O.D. CONFERENCE

 

Jim Cameron did attend.  Sue Prosi said that a developer in South Stamford is planning on building four thousand housing units in the South-end.  The plan calls for a high rise building five to ten stories.  The concept is to intensify development near transit hubs.  Developers say it is difficult to get through the regulations.  Location is going to be important. 

 

Black Rock, West Haven and Orange are now hot spots for this plan.  Jim Cameron said that New Rochelle has two skyscrapers and that New Rochelle has its own skyline.  Development is now occurring around trains.  The state is making progress in transportation.  People’s Bank is also investing twenty-five million for a TOD plan in Bridgeport and the state is going to match it. 

 

NEW M8 RAILCARS

 

Jim asked about the updates on the M8’s and Scott Ornstein said they are on schedule.  Terri Cronin and Stan Trybulski are going to the NY Commuter Council meeting 10/18 where a presentation will be made on the M8 design.  There is concern over the sixth seat near the vestibules. Terri asked if there was going to be a seat drop regarding this issue and Gene Colonese said that it was going to be at the end of October. 

 

MEET THE COMMUTER DAY

 

Jim Cameron said that there were not enough people at the meeting to move forward with further plans for Meet the Commuter Day.  He will revisit the idea again next month.

 

OTHER APPROPRIATE BUSINESS

 

Sue Prosi asked about train 1556 6:01 and train 1560 6:48 and the forty-seven minute schedule gap.  Gene said that he would look into it for the schedule change in April.

 

Jim Cameron read an e-mail from a passenger, Thomas Keane regarding busted seats and the no feet on seats rule.  Peter Richter said that the October issue of the MNRR flyer “Mileposts” addressed that concern in the Courtesy Corner of the flyer. 

 

Rodney Chabot pointed out the unreliability of the M-4s compared to the other cars.  Gene said he would visit that issue next time. 

 

Rodney motioned to adjourn at 8:50pm. 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Roger Cirella

Acting Secretary