Transit Workers Are Heroes

“In my 30 years in the transit business I never thought I’d be asking people NOT to take the bus,” says Doug Holcomb, CEO of Greater Bridgeport Transit, the operator of 57 buses carrying 5 million passengers a year.  But not this year.

Like most transit agencies, GBT is asking people to stay home and to ride their buses only if it is essential.  So ridership on those buses has dropped 65%.  On Metro-North the ridership is down 90 – 95%.

But what has not lessened at all is the commitment of the drivers, engineers, conductors and maintenance crews that are literally keeping things moving.

“I’m scared to death,” says one Metro-North conductor I’ll call Sally (whom I contacted thru an intermediary and asked for anonymity). She’s not scared for herself but for what she might bring home to my family despite “bathing in Purell”.

Another veteran train conductor we’ll call Tom says it’s impossible to deal safely with the public without PPE’s (Personal Protection Equipment) likes masks, which are finally being distributed to the railroad employees.

Bus drivers are also wearing face masks and keeping a safe distance from riders by having everyone board and leave by the rear door.  Fare collection has also been suspended.

“Passengers have no reason to come up front (to the driver),” says Mustafa Salahuddin, President of the bus drivers union, local 1336.  “That puts drivers at ease.”

Bridgeport Transit is not only discouraging ridership, it’s trying to limit each bus to no more than 10 passengers versus the usual 30 – 35 rider capacity.  That gives everyone a chance to spread out.  The service schedule hasn’t been cut… yet.  That’s because the few remaining riders are folks who must get to work… hospital workers, fire fighters, etc….  and the bus is their only option.

On the trains the few remaining passengers are similar.  Sally and Tom agree it’s mostly cops and immigrant laborers.  “The immigrants are quiet, as always,” they say.  And the railroad workers are happy to see the first responders as they know their trains are getting them to jobs keeping everyone safe.

The train riders don’t seem frightened, says Tom.  “They’re just wary of each other.”  Neither the bus nor train staffers say they’ve seen any passengers obviously sick, though we know patients can be contagious days before showing such symptoms.

The conductors agree that ridership is tiny, no more than six people per car (which can usually accommodate almost 100).  And they’re trying to keep most cars on their train open for passengers, allowing maximum distancing.

Both GBT and Metro-North are still disinfecting their cars, wiping down every surface and even using foggers to disperse the virus-killing compounds.  But conductor Tom says he still wears gloves, not just to handle tickets but for all the other parts of the train car he must touch to do his job.

Conductor Sally says most people are paying their fare using the Metro-North ticking app, but if she doesn’t have gloves she won’t collect paper tickets.

The drivers and conductors are trying to keep their morale up, smiling and being friendly at an appropriately safe distance.

Asked what they’d say to their old passengers, their answers were unanimous;  Stay safe.  We will get through this… and we can’t wait to see you back on board.

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media

What's The Transportation Future After COVID-19 ?

When it comes to transportation, Joe McGee is often the smartest guy in the room.  If I want a vision of our state’s mobility future, he’s the first man I turn to.

McGee served as then Gov. Lowell Weicker’s Commissioner of Economic Development.  For years I worked with him on the Connecticut Metro-North Rail Commuter Council.  And until recently he was the Fairfield Business Council’s VP for Public Policy, specializing in the intertwined issues of transportation and economic development.  Sadly, that group recently announced its closure after 50 years of service.

True, McGee and I have sparred in the past, especially over his uber-aspirational 30-30-30 plan for speeding up rail service.  But nobody is a better advocate for our state’s transportation future than McGee, so in this dismal period I turned to him for inspiration.

“We will get through this,” he says.  “There will be life after this and now’s the time to start planning.”

You’ll remember that McGee and the Business Council led the charge for tolling on our highways, rejecting Republican proposals that we instead dip into the state’s “rainy day” fund.  Wasn’t that prescient?

“Lamont is looking so good through all of this (crisis).  He’s handling it so much better than he dealt with the legislature,” McGee said with a smile.

Sure, transit ridership is down.  But he’s confident it will come back.

“I’m old enough to remember the days of polio when people evacuated cities.  Same thing with HIV,” he said.

Despite their new-found success with telecommuting, McGee is confident that once the virus is gone workers will return to their jobs in New York City.

“The city brings vitality, creativity and job opportunities.  People feel isolated now.  They need face to face physical contact to really be connected.”  McGee predicts that some companies may open new offices in the suburbs but will still maintain a presence in Manhattan.

And to get there they will need the trains.

“The trains are the economic backbone of our state,” he says.  And he means the branch lines as well as the main line.  McGee says he’s worried about CDOT’s recent decision to replace Waterbury line trains (which have seen a 95% drop in ridership) with buses for four weeks… both to save money and to accelerate construction of sidings.

“The (Naugatuck) Valley’s economic future depends on those trains,” he says.  With better train service will come jobs and economic growth, tying the Valley to both Stamford and New Haven. “It’s a regional economy,” he says.

Trains mean mobility and higher real estate values.  In New Jersey when they opened the new Secaucus line, communities offering a one-seat ride to NYC saw a 14% jump in home prices.

Just look at the twin communities of New Canaan (served by a branch line) and Darien (on the main line of Metro-North).  Housing prices in Darien have remained much stronger because of better access to the trains.

In the short run the railroad’s huge deficits will need Federal assistance.  MTA is already seeking Federal money to cover the $125 million they are losing in each week in lost fares.  “No one state (or agency) can handle this,” says McGee.

Now is the time for all the towns and states to work together, not throw up literal roadblocks to out-of-staters.  We will get through this.

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media

Truckers to the Rescue

Trucks.  We used to hate them but now we love them.

We used to hate them when we thought they were clogging our over burdened highways, causing accidents and slowing our drive.  We even seemed happy when tolling would affect trucks but not passenger cars.

Now we finally appreciate how truckers are crucial to resupplying our stores, keeping us well fed in this time of crisis.

As one national trucking official once said, “I wish all trucks were equipped with glass walls so people could see all the things we deliver”.  Another trucking advocate told me “Now we have a chance for Americans to see how important trucking is, how good and decent the drivers are and how they really love this country.”

They’re all working longer hours now as Federal and State regulations limiting time on the road have been waived.  Where their work days used to be limited to 14 hours, 11 of them on the road, now they’re literally going the extra mile to restock our shelves.

But Joe Scully, President of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut says some of his 500+ members are getting slammed, like those who used to deliver to restaurants.  There he’s seeing his trucker members facing layoffs.  But other companies are actually hiring, especially those in the home delivery business.

Scully reassures us that “I truly believe the (food) supply chain will be fine.  This (virus) was totally unexpected. “

In the good old days grocery stores worked on a “just in time” stocking pattern.  A supermarket knew it might sell 200 cartons of eggs each day, so that’s what they got delivered each day.  But panic buying upended that equation.

Our eating patterns have also changed.  In the pre-virus days Zagats said the average American ate out almost 5 times per week.  Now we’re dining at home with only an occasional take-out.  That means the food purveyors have to change everything from the restaurant-sized food orders to family-sized.

Let’s also remember that the men and women behind the wheels of those trucks are also human.  Many of them are scared, unable to secure the gloves, wipes and sanitizers they need to stay healthy.

Scully is advising his members to minimize interactions during deliveries, like signing documents with their own pens, bringing their lunch and coffee from home and always keeping a safe distance.

“We don’t want them working if they are sick,” he says.  But so far he’s heard no reports of any members catching the virus.

Highway service areas remain open but sometimes the food drive-ins can’t accommodate big rigs.  “If you see a trucker at a McDonalds, offer to do the drive thru in your car and hand him the food,” says Scully.

The big truck stops on I-95 and I-84 are still open, fueling big rigs and their drivers with take-out food.  Their showers are still available, as truckers’ hygiene is important after spending so many hours on the road.

And the highways are almost empty, speeding deliveries even further.  Meanwhile the CDOT is taking advantage of the lull to accelerate road repairs and winter cleanups with little or no traffic being affected.  The virus aside, it’s a good time to be on the road. 

So here’s to America’s truckers, keeping us supplied with everything we need to weather this storm.  Thank you!

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media

The Gift of Family Time

“One door closes.  Another door opens.” 

So said NY Governor Mario Cuomo in his a recent briefing.  He’s doing such a great job at relaying facts and allaying our fears.  Too bad he’s not running for President.

We now know our lives are going to be disrupted, probably for months.  That’s the door that has closed.

But the door that has opened is time with our families.  And that must be seen as a gift.

Our adult daughter came home from New York City on the train last week, her job on hold for who knows how long.  She probably would have been safe, staying in her apartment in Manhattan.  She’s a smart kid.  But as parents we felt she’d be safer still with us in Connecticut.  And so did she, though her biggest fear was possibly infecting us.

We’re all fine:  symptom free, social distancing and sanitizing regularly.  But if one of us gets sick we know we are here to help each other.  That’s what families are for.

We usually see our daughter for holidays and birthdays, sometimes in the city but usually out here in the ‘burbs.  Now we realize we will be together as a family for longer than expected.  And all of us are doing our best to keep a sense of humor and get along with each other.  That’s sometimes tough for me, I’ll admit.  After all, father knows best!

Funny… it used to be when someone was fired or quit their job the euphemism was that they wanted to “spend more time with their families”.  Well, I guess we’ve all been “fired” in that respect.

Whether our kids are young or old, many of us are together now as families.  Years from now when we look back on 2020 what will be our memories?

Can we all make the most of this time and bond, supporting each other… giving each other space but coming together for home cooked meals, TV binging of comedies and discussions of how we feel.

It’s okay to be scared.  What’s important is to listen to our loved ones and give them permission to have and share those emotions, rational or otherwise.

As we look through old photo albums we remember the early years, raising our kids for the bright future we all hoped for them and us.  Nobody could have expected this.

In our basement larder where we have always stored canned food and such we would jokingly refer to “bomb food”… the stuff we’d be eating in a time of war.  Well, here we are.  But the stores are open and our menus are far better than we might have hoped.  And there’s nothing like my daughter’s homemade bread!

We will get through this together and life will go on, changed for sure. But there is a tomorrow, a next week and next month.

There will be hardships, no doubt.  Not all families can be together if elderly parents are in lock-down at nursing homes, hospitals or in quarantine.  And we should always empathetic about those who’ve lost their jobs, worried about paying their bills or where their next meal will come from.

But for our family, we are trying to make the most of this time, stressed and fearful as we may feel. 

We are together with our families and that truly is a gift.

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media

Commuting Amid COVID

I have bad news and good news.

The bad news is we will all, eventually, probably get the COVID-19 virus.  It’s not an issue of “if” but “when”.   Connecticut’s state epidemiologist Dr. Matthew Cartter confirmed Dr. Anthony Fauci’s recent prediction that 70% of the US population will get the virus.

The good news is, for most of us the symptoms will be mild… maybe a fever and a cough.  But we will survive.  For the elderly, those in bad health or compromised immune systems, the risks are much higher.

So what officials are trying to do now is “flatten the curve”… to spread out the cases of infection over time so as to not overwhelm the healthcare system.  The prescription now is “social distancing”:  avoiding crowds.  And the effects of this on commuting are obvious.

As people either self-quarantine or are told to work from home, ridership on Metro-North is down by almost 90%.  Bus ridership in Connecticut is also down.  Even the ferry to Long Island is seeing a dip.  And the usually clogged highways are much less so.

The short term implications of this already include reduced train and bus service. But people who work in auto body shops can’t telecommute.  And neither can health care workers many of whom rely on buses to get to their now-crucial jobs.

For mass transit to keep running the folks who drive those trains and buses need to stay healthy as well.  Transit officials I’ve spoken to says they’ve long had plans in place if workers can’t show up.

So far the social isolation has meant more time with your family and nice walks in the sunshine.  But with schools, libraries, restaurants and the Y all closed, that’s going to get old really fast.  Then what do we do? 

Given that this pandemic will be with us for weeks, maybe months, what happens when we return to commuting and someone on your train coughs?  All the “deep cleaning” on the planet can’t stop airborne transmission of the virus.  Those people with symptoms (fever, dry cough) should be staying home or at least wearing masks, not us healthy riders.  Will people with springtime allergies be perceived as virus victims or vectors?

Longer term the implications are more ominous. The world of “getting there” will be changed forever.

Reduced mass transit ridership means reduced fare collection while fixed operating costs remain high.  Somehow the difference must be made up with fare hikes or fewer trains and buses.

And what if people find they don’t need to commute, that virtual meetings online are as effective and a lot less stressful than the daily commute to an office?  Is that day-trip to Denver really necessary?  How about going overseas?  Do you really want to get stranded in Vienna, however great the pastries?

Anybody for a cruise?  When those ships come back the fares will be ridiculously low… if you’re brave enough to get onboard.

I’m no doctor but I am following orders to stay home.  And though I fully expect to eventually get the virus myself, right now I’m doing what I can to stay healthy and boost my immune system… eating my fruits and veggies and getting as much rest as possible.

So excuse me now while I go wash my hands.

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media

Going The Green Way

With all the buzz about saving the planet, we’re certainly hypocrites when it comes to “going green” when we travel. 

We’ve banned plastic bags but feel smug as we drive away from the store with our reusable bags in our SUV, getting 20 miles to the gallon.  We pay taxes for school buses, but still chauffeur our kids to school.  We’re in denial and reluctant to change our selfish habits.

Transportation creates one-third of all greenhouse gases in the US.  So if you’re serious about “getting there” and doing it with minimum impact (and cost) to the environment (and your wallet), consider these ideas:

Live Closer To Work:       If we didn’t have to travel an hour to get to and from our jobs, the savings would be immense.  Of course, this assumes we can find affordable housing… another topic altogether.  But if you’re house-shopping, factor in transportation time and expense into the “total cost of ownership”.

Work From Home:           It works during a pandemic, so why not do it during the rest of the year?  You’ll save on harmful engine emissions and money for gas or train fare.

Car Pool:         Even if just occasionally, try sharing the ride to work or the airport.  Check out www.CTrides.com,  www.metropool.com or www.rideshare.com, which can help you find someone to share the ride. 

Try A Bike:   For local trips in good weather, the exercise will do you good.  And if you bike to or from the train station you can chuckle as you skip the six-year waiting line for a $400 annual station car parking permit.  Not enough bike racks at the station?  Call town hall and demand they spend that parking money on this simple, green amenity.

Go Electric:    If you must drive, consider an all-electric or hybrid car.  You’ll save 50 -100% on gasoline, create far less pollution and still have room for Fido and the kids.

Take The Bus:    Our region’s bus service is improving and is increasingly popular.  “The Coastal Link” bus from Milford to Norwalk along Rt. 1 runs seven days a week and costs only $1.75 (vs. $4.50 on Metro-North).  And the “I-Bus” from Stamford and Greenwich to White Plains still costs only $3.20.  

Put Your Kids on the School Bus:    Your tax dollars pay for them, so why do so many parents insist on driving their kids to school each morning in “the SUV parade”?  What are we teaching our kids about avoiding mass transit?

Walk:     Health officials say Manhattan dwellers are healthier than their suburban counterparts because they walk so much.  Cars offer convenience, but going to the store for a quart of milk doesn’t have to involve moving two tons of steel.

 Take The Train:   Commuter rail is the most fuel efficient transportation alternative, far better than even the bus.  On longer journeys, an Amtrak Acela uses a third less fuel per passenger than a jetliner and emits 3 times less CO2 .  And by train, you don’t have to take off your shoes (unless you want to) or enjoy a TSA-pat down on your way to the boarding lounge.

If You Must Drive, Plan Your Itinerary:    Don’t just drive roundtrip from home to the store.  Save up errands and plan multiple stops along the way.

Clearly, there are alternatives to the single-occupancy, gas guzzling automobile. What’s your energy-saving transportation tip?  Share it with us and we will include it in a future column.

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media

The Bridgeport Hovercraft

A little known part of Connecticut’s transportation history is that there was once a hovercraft service from Bridgeport to New York City.

If you’ve never “flown” on a hovercraft, it’s quite an experience.  The interior of the craft is filled with airline style seats and there’s often even a stewardess serving beverages. 

When it’s ready to depart, giant fans blowing downward, lift the craft onto a bubble of air, captured by a huge rubber skirt, while other fans push the hovering craft forward, guided by air rudders.

Think of an Everglades airboat on steroids, except this one floated above the  surface of Long Island Sound.

In June of 1976 I got to ride on a demonstration “flight” of the “Excalibur”, a $400,000,  51 foot long, 60 passenger hovercraft.  It was a weekend press junket showing off the soon-to-be launched private service built by Bridgeport native Robert Weldon, who founded Hovertransport Inc with family, friends and local investors.

From what I remember about the ride, it was smooth but noisy.  What was really impressive was the speed: about 40 mph. 

Weldon’s services was inspired by a British hovercraft service crossing the English Channel, which ran from 1969 until 2000 using two gigantic craft capable of carry 400+ passengers and 60 cars.  Each of these monsters cost 5 million pounds and could travel at almost 60 mph.

Weldon’s hope was to bring Long Islanders to Bridgeport’s newly opened jai alai fronton while also whisking Connecticut and Long Island commuters down the Sound to a dock at Wall Street.  This was to be the first commercial hovercraft service ever in the US.  The planned 35-minute run would cost $125 a month, a premium over the railroads’ then $80 monthly pass.

Paying passengers boarded the first regularly scheduled “flight” June 26 1976, departing Bridgeport at 6:45 am, enroute to Huntington LI and then New York City.  

On the first day, Huntington officials were miffed when the craft gunned the engines leaving the dock, ignoring the 5 mph harbor speed limit designed to avoid a wake, despite the fact that a hovercraft makes no waves but rides over them.  The Excalibur was regularly ticketed by the local Harbor Patrol.

But by November 1976, ridership had stagnated and service was suspended as passenger loads never exceeded about 30% of capacity, far below a break-even ridership.

Weldon then moved his craft to the Hudson River, launching commuter service from Nyack NY to Wall Street.  After a three-week run that Hudson River service was also halted when only six passengers had signed up.

In December 1976 Weldon suspended service, moving the Excalibur to Miami to dazzle the tourists.

The following year Weldon was running out of money. A 1974 IPO never generated enough investors’ interest.  Also, by early 1977 they’d also lost their docking space in Bridgeport as a waterfront park was under development.

In Spring 1977 the hovercraft was repossessed and Weldon filed for personal bankruptcy and moved on to another job.  He passed away in 1997 at the age of 68.  With him went the dream of commuting by hovercraft.

Why didn’t the hovercraft service work?  As with long-discussed ferry service on Long Island Sound, the problem is the existing competition.  Train service on Metro-North may not be perfect but it’s just as fast, more frequent and reliable in almost all weather.

Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media