Fewer complaints from commuters
NEW YORK – Metro-North is beginning the year in a positive note, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials, who held their February meeting on Tuesday.
Metro-North President Joseph Giulietti said overall compliance is high.
“During the month of January, trains operated above goal at 96.2 percent with all service periods exceeding our goal of 93 percent,” Giulietti said. “Total train delays decreased by 50 percent from December and delays due to infrastructure issues decreased by 28 percent as compared to December.”
The fleet was “well prepped to reduce impact” from the February 9 storm, Giulietti said. That storm dumped 16 to 20 inches over much of the railroad’s coverage area.
Also discussed at Tuesday’s meeting was safety, and if and when Positive Train Control (PTC) will be implemented.
Board member Ira Greenberg questioned whether there may be something better than PTC.
Giulietti said PTC appears to be the best option, and one that amounts, at this point, to an unfunded federal mandate.
He also said high-speed impacts are not the only issue.
“We’re all looking at, right now, the next phase. If we can take care of high speed, how do we then go down to the next level, which is to prevent these low-speed impacts that are coming in.”
Giulietti said the ultimate goal is to have a system that works. One indication that they are moving in that direction, he noted, is that complaints are down.
