Train Service Troubles Anger Rockland Commuters, Officials

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — Rockland County Executive Ed Day held a press conference Wednesday with state and local elected officials to discuss the plight of West of Hudson rail commuters who continue to suffer during the crisis at NJ Transit. Commuters are upset about the unreliability, poor conditions, overcrowding and high cost.

NJT continues to cancel Rockland County's only two express trains on the Pascack Valley Line, despite Metro-North Railroad’s (MNR’s) formal request to not do so.

Due to equipment and engineer shortages along with mechanical and other maintenance problems and a mandated project to improve safety, NJT also continues to subject New York State West of Hudson customers on both the Pascack Valley Line and Port Jervis lines to multiple other daily train cancellations, delays and poor conditions.

“Metro-North uses our tax dollars to pay NJ Transit to operate this service, and there is no other option,” said Randy Glucksman, Chair of the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council. “NJ Transit needs to figure out a way to make our constituents “whole” and deliver the service that it is contractually obligated to provide.”

While the problems are happening across NJT’s entire network of service, it is especially affecting customers in Rockland and Orange counties because of the extremely limited service offered (especially on Pascack Valley) and lack of other transit options, officials said.

“We are looking to Metro-North, who holds the operating contract with NJT for rail service they provide to NY State customers, to step-up oversight of the service, to not allow NJT to cancel the Pascack Valley Line express trains, to expedite NJT's restoration of the Pascack Valley Line's three suspended trains, and to prioritize MTA’s purchase of new equipment for West of Hudson rail service,” said Day.

Commuters are upset about the unreliability of the service, being late to work or not being able to get home in time, poor conditions, such as no air conditioning or operable restrooms, overcrowding and standing room only due to trains without enough cars, and the high cost of their commute, which they say is not worth the price they pay.

As of June, for the service that NJT operates in NYS on the Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines on behalf of Metro-North, more than 160 trains have already been canceled or terminated this year, and more than 330 trains have been more than 15 minutes late. MNR’s June Operating Report indicates that these cancellations and delays have already exceeded their annual goals for these incidents, with the number of cancelled trains already double of what it should be for the entire year.

Pascack Valley Line monthly commuters pay just 20 cents a day less than Tarrytown's Hudson Line customers, who have more than triple the service and a one-seat ride into Manhattan ($307 versus $311 a month). Riders from Tarrytown have 60 trains a day into Manhattan with more than 17 express trains. In comparison, Pascack Valley line riders from Rockland have only 17 inbound trains total, with only one express trip, plus a required transfer to get into Manhattan. Each year Rocklanders pay MTA more than $40 million more than they receive in service.

“Rockland commuters have been shortchanged time and time again,” said Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski. “This summer’s express train cancellations have once again created an impossible situation for commuters. Enough is enough."

Day has also formally requested a three-year fare freeze for Rockland County's West of Hudson commuters (to include exemption from MNR's planned increases in 2019 and 2021) from both NJT and MNR/MTA.

"The Pascack Valley Line is an important transportation center in the heart of Nanuet,” said Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann in a written statement. “Clarkstown is building upon the strength of this rail line to establish a Transit Oriented Development center around the Nanuet Train Station. That is why it is so disturbing that the recent service cutbacks are negatively affecting our community. All too often residents are literally left standing at the platform only to find the train is not there. This coupled with fare increases is simply unacceptable. I join the County Executive in seeking service restoration and holding the line on fare increases."

PHOTO: Rockland officials demand MTA and NJT fix mounting problems on the West of Hudson lines. / Rockland County Executive's Office