Author

Lilit Marcus

MTA Employee Wins Lottery

by Lilit Marcus July 31, 2009

written by Lilit Marcus on July 31, 2009

Aubrey Boyce, a subway collection agent from Kew Gardens, has won $133 million in the Mega Millions jackpot, the New York Daily News reported today. Boyce identified himself as being from South America (he didn’t specify which country, although some reports have claimed he is from Guyana) and has spent the last eight years working for the MTA. As a collection agent, his job is to go around to different subway stations and collect the money from MetroCard machines and (formerly) token booths.

Boyce’s plan for the money? Yeah, he’s quitting his job. And taking his wife on a vacation to “someplace warm.”

July 31, 2009 12 comments

View from Underground

What’s Your Biggest Subway Pet Peeve?

by Lilit Marcus July 31, 2009

written by Lilit Marcus on July 31, 2009

Since I take the subway instead of driving, I don’t get road rage – but, occasionally, I get ‘subway rage.’ I’m going to list a couple of the things that make me the most crazy on the subway, and I want to hear from you guys in the comments about your own mass transit pet peeves:

People having loud, TMI phone conversations when the train is above ground.
When a crowded rush hour train is pulling into a busy station and someone in the middle of the car starts shoving his or her way toward the door, seemingly unaware that many other people will be getting out at the stop as well.
People who have their iPod turned on so loud other people can hear it, despite the whole “headphones” thing. There’s an extra demerit for anyone who sings or raps along with what they’re listening to.
Perfectly healthy adults who don’t give up their seats for a pregnant woman or disabled person.

What about you guys?

July 31, 2009 40 comments

MTA Technology

The MTA Meets Twitter

by Lilit Marcus July 30, 2009

written by Lilit Marcus on July 30, 2009

For those of you who are on Twitter, there are now Twitter accounts for mass transit lines and highways throughout New York state, including the New York City subway. There’s a full index of accounts here. Those of you in New York City can choose to follow the general 511 account, or simply follow the line you take the most often.

If you’re a Twitter fan or just want to check online to see if there are problems along your subway line or highway before you set out on your commute, this is a great quick way to get information. And if you hate Twitter, keep in mind that you don’t have to have an account to view a specific page. Don’t worry – I won’t tell anyone.

Next up? The PATH is planning to get an account too.

July 30, 2009 5 comments

7 Line Extension MTA

Quinnipiac Releases Transit Poll Results

by Lilit Marcus July 30, 2009

written by Lilit Marcus on July 30, 2009

Quinnipiac University has conducted a poll about New York City urban life. Here are some of the transit-related tidbits:

58 percent of respondents like the new pedestrian mall on Broadway between Times and Herald Squares.
52 percent rate overall subway service as “excellent” or “good,” with 56 percent giving the same rating to city bus service.
67 percent are opposed to East River bridge tolls.
23 percent of New Yorkers drive to work. [Side note: I personally find this hard to fathom, unless they’re including people who drive in from the suburbs. I don’t even know if 23 percent of New York City residents even own cars. Maybe it’s just me.]
64 percent are “not too confident” or “not confident” that the 7 train extension will be completed on schedule.

July 30, 2009 21 comments

New York City Transit

My Favorite Subway Conductor

by Lilit Marcus July 29, 2009

written by Lilit Marcus on July 29, 2009

While most of us take the subway every day, how many of us know anything about the people who conduct the trains? When I asked my friends who their favorite subway conductors were, most of their responses were things like “That guy on the A who sings the names of the stations” or “One time I had a conductor on the N who not only announced the stops but said which tourist attractions were near each one.”

Well, I have a favorite driver – his name is Eric Booker, and he conducts the 7 train. However, Eric’s not terribly famous for his day job. Under his nickname, “Badlands,” he’s one of the country’s foremost champions in a very unusual sport – competitive eating. Booker holds records in events from hamentaschen to burritos to peas. He’s one of the IFOCE (International Federation of Competitive Eating)’s biggest celebrities and makes regular appearances at the best-known eating competition of all, the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Contest, held every Fourth of July on Coney Island.

When he’s not eating or conducting the 7 train, “Badlands” is also an aspiring rapper. You can check out one of his songs (which is about Krystal hamburgers, obviously) here.

July 29, 2009 15 comments

MTA MTA Absurdity

Little Boy Allegedly Drives Train

by Lilit Marcus July 29, 2009

written by Lilit Marcus on July 29, 2009

According to the New York Daily News, a straphanger snapped a photograph of a young boy apparently conducting a Lexington-line train.

The New York Daily News reported Jules Cattie, 41, a lawyer, said he was shocked to see the boy at the controls of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority train Monday with the adult driver alongside.

Cattie said that moments after boarding the Lexington Avenue train at Fulton Street, he heard the female train conductor say, “It’s green, speed up,” he quoted her as allegedly saying. “Yellow, slow down.” Cattie thought she was training a new operator, but looked in the conductor’s compartment window and saw the child; he took the photo before disembarking at 42nd Street, the newspaper said.

The MTA has said that they will investigate Mr. Cattie’s allegations. Is this like when I was a little kid on an airplane and we were allowed to go up and meet the pilot, and then get that little gold pin shaped like wings? I mean, they only let me go into the cockpit, not fly the plane.

July 29, 2009 5 comments

Brooklyn Queens

The G Train: Not Perfect, But Closer

by Lilit Marcus July 29, 2009

written by Lilit Marcus on July 29, 2009

Hi, everyone. My name is Lilit Marcus and I’ll be doing some guest posts over the next couple of days while Benjamin is away. My normal home is over at Save the Assistants, but I’m happy to have the opportunity to branch out a little bit.

As Benjamin noted last week, many riders are happy with the new G train extension to Church Avenue in Brooklyn. I live in Williamsburg close to the Metropolitan G stop, and I’ve been a longtime fan of the train – my boyfriend of two years lives in Long Island City, and I’ve told people we might not be together if dating him meant I had to go into Manhattan and switch trains twice. I’ve also had a soft spot for the G train ever since reading Jonathan Lethem’s Motherless Brooklyn, where the protagonist notes that the G is the underdog of the subway system, suffering from insecurity because it’s the only train that doesn’t touch Manhattan.

While the G extension further into Brooklyn is a great (albeit temporary) start, there are two other issues I’d like to see the G address:

1. The G, in order to be even more efficient, needs to extend one stop further past Court Square and go to Queens Plaza. This would connect the G easily with the E, V, and R lines. When the G used to run more reliably to Forest Hills on nights and weekends, it made it a lot easier for G riders to connect with other lines in Queens. Before the extension to Church Avenue, I also thought it would be great for the G to somehow go to Atlantic Avenue, but I can deal with walking from the Fulton Street stop.

2. Get some more damn cars. It’s great that the G now has a longer route and serves more neighborhoods (and that it extends to Coney Island many weekends in place of the F), so it’s more than time to have more than four cars per train. How many of you have had the classic “first time on the G” moment when you realize that you’re standing at the wrong end of the platform and have to haul ass in order to squeeze into the last car? The G isn’t the Times Square/Grand Central shuttle, OK? Time to give it more capacity.

July 29, 2009 22 comments