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Reminder: ‘Problem Solvers’ at the Transit Museum Wednesday night

by Benjamin Kabak

A final reminder and weather not withstanding: Curious about how the MTA models ridership? Ever wondered just what I mean when I talk about the MTA’s load guidelines? And who designed those turnstiles anyway? These questions and more are on tap tomorrow evening when “Problem Solvers,” the Q-and-A series I host at the Transit Museum, makes its 2014 debut.

Joining me on Wednesday, February 5 at 6:30 p.m. will be Bill Amarosa, New York City Transit’s Manager of Service Data Analysis. Amarosa has been monitoring the city’s subway ridership and analyzing station usage for years. As an intern with Transit’s OMB, he compiled ridership data by station back to 1940 and later continued that research so OMB could publish a 1904-2004 ridership report for the subway’s 100th anniversary. He returned to Transit in 2008 as OMB’s Manager of Ridership and Revenue Analysis and in November 2013 moved to Operations Planning as Manager of Service Data Analysis. In 2006, Amarosa also broke the Guinness World Record for riding the entire NYC Subway in the shortest time, visiting all 468 stations on a single fare in 24 hours, 54 minutes, 3 seconds. (I covered that story way back in 2007.)

I’m sure we’ll talk about his record-setting ride, and I know Bill and I will discuss everything from turnstile design to experiencing an over-crowded G train station in Williamsburg and the ways the MTA tries to adapt service patterns to meet ridership. The event is free, but the Transit Museum asks you to kindly RSVP. It’ll be a good time for all.

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6 comments

alek February 4, 2014 - 8:15 pm

I was looking ahead for the next month GO and I found this really big GO going on for two weekends: Feb 22 – 23 • Mar 1 – 2

NO 4 TRAINS RUNNING! The entire 4 route is suspended.

The 5 is replacing the 4 running all night picking up the 4 route:

Days: Service operates between Dyre Av and the Utica Av Station.

Late Nights: Service operates between Dyre Av and the New Lots Av Station, making local stops.

Wonder if they will “increase” the 5 service to pick up the 4 train slack?

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Simon February 6, 2014 - 12:47 pm

If so, it looks like the same thing that’s already been going on for several weekends, but renaming the 4 to the 5.

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Brian February 4, 2014 - 10:47 pm

Sounds interesting, too bad I can’t make it. Is it possible to record the session and make it part of your podcast?

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Benjamin Kabak February 4, 2014 - 10:48 pm

That’s a great idea. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do that for tomorrow, but I’ll try to put that in place for the March session.

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al February 5, 2014 - 12:05 pm

If you have a smartphone, it should have an audio record function. However, the audio quality might be underwhelming, so check it out.

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Benjamin Kabak February 5, 2014 - 12:06 pm

I need to get a new digital recorder. Mine got lifted a few months ago. The plan would be to record on that, but I don’t have time before tonight’s event to track one down.

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