The Community Board 8 (CB 8) Roosevelt Island (RI) and Transportation Committees held a very informative joint meeting via Zoom last evening hosted by RI Committee Chair Paul Krikler. Here's a brief summary.
The meeting began with Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Director Bryant Daniels reporting:
One of the 2 new Red Buses will be in service later this week and the second bus in service not long afterwards,
Due to the long lines at the Roosevelt Island Tram, Public Safety Officers will be stationed at the Roosevelt Island station during the morning rush hours and at the Manhattan Station during the evening rush hour.
RIOC is going to work to reduce the number of people standing on the Tram Platform,
Priority Seating Signage for older adults and disabled people will be placed on the windows above the seats in both Tram Cabin
RIOC is testing faster speeds for the Tram schedule. Approval by Department of Labor is necessary before any changes to the Tram speed can be made.
Skip Hartman of The Roosevelt Island Business Alliance (TRIBA) spoke about the mission of the group including:
Working on an extension of the Master Lease between NY State and NY City
Developing and funding a new visitors app
Holding an awards dinner honoring community members and
Raising and donating funds to local Roosevelt Island groups
And a robust discussion about a resolution to approve resident and workers boarding priority on the Roosevelt Island Tram. The resolution passed by a vote of 4 to 1 and will be voted on by the full Community Board 8 at the January 15 meeting.
Roosevelt Island resident Amanda Talmadge Sadlier reported on Christmas Day:
Happy Holidays.
Funny Christmas moment: Just saw a Roosevelt Island Red Bus 50 miles East of
the Ohio border heading East on I-80.
Any ideas!?! Lol. Our whole car saw it!
I replied:
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family too. It may be one
of the new Red Buses on order that is scheduled to be delivered in January.
Maybe out for a test ride? Did you get a photo by any chance?
Ms Sadlier answered:
Lol. That's what we were wondering. No photo because we were driving the
other way...I wonder where they are ordered from??? Because it was so far
away and surprised that a test run would be happening on Christmas morning,
especially in this part of the country that would almost all be celebrating!
Anyway, thought it was funny and worth sharing!
We can drive it back if they'd like to get it there a few days early!
I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Director Bryant Daniels about the
Red Bus spotted on a
highway in Ohio.
According to Mr Daniels:
Man, you got eyes everywhere. What they saw were the new buses on the way to
the Island from Minnesota, where they were manufactured. Christmas came
early and we actually took delivery of them over the Holiday.
We still need to do some work before they hit the road but they are now on
the Island.
They still need to be inspected, registered and test driven. I believe we
still need to add the GPS tracking.
Here's one of the two new Roosevelt Island Red Buses
Among the items on the
Agenda
is an Update on Roosevelt Island Tram Operations.
There is no issue which has decreased the quality of life
and angered more Roosevelt Island residents than the long lines
and unsafe platforms
from overcrowding by
sightseeing tourists
on the Roosevelt Island Tram.
In slightly over 1 month's time,
over 2200 people have signed the Trampled By Tourists, Priority Boarding for Residents and Workers on the Roosevelt Island Tram petition.
According to the Petition organizers:
Roosevelt Island Residents and Workers Need Priority Boarding of the Roosevelt
Island Tram
New York Transportation Law § 102
“No common carrier shall make or give any undue or unreasonable preference
or advantage to any person or corporation or to any locality or to any
particular description of traffic in any respect whatsoever, or subject any
particular person or corporation or locality or any particular description
of traffic, to any undue or unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage in any
respect whatsoever.”
It doesn’t say there can’t be a preference shown. It says there can’t be an
“undue or unreasonable preference”.
The tram is no longer available to residents and workers - it has become a
tourist attraction.
It is *reasonable* to give residents and workers priority boarding and
return the tram to its original intended use. Urban Transportation.
RI has very limited reliable public transportation options, with over 12,000
residents and hundreds of workers - there's one subway station, with only
one line, a very limited ferry service and the tramway. With the tramway
inundated by tourists we are left with a single subway station and are
facing a transportation crisis, often made worse when there is a subway
shutdown.
Further, the RI Tram is funded by the residents through our land leases and
not by New York City or New York State.
Our Position
RIOC has taken the position that it would be illegal to offer priority
boarding of the Roosevelt Island Tram to island residents and workers based
on this:
“No common carrier shall make or give any undue or unreasonable preference
or advantage to any person or corporation or to any locality or to any
particular description of traffic in any respect whatsoever, or subject any
particular person or corporation or locality or any particular description
of traffic, to any undue or unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage in any
respect whatsoever.” New York Transportation Law § 102.
We disagree.
Giving island residents and workers priority boarding is not an “undue or
unreasonable preference.”
It’s all about the phrase “undue or unreasonable”.
If the law had been written without that phrase, then the RIOC position
would be correct. No common carrier could give any advantage or
preference. However, that’s not what the law says. The law appears to
envisage some sort of exception as long as it is reasonable (not
unreasonable, or not undue). Laws are drafted carefully and thought is
given to each word.
The Roosevelt Island Tram is Urban Transportation
“The original Roosevelt Island aerial tramway - the first tram in the
country to be used for urban transportation – was opened in May 1976” (Source: RIOC website)
The Roosevelt Island Tram has ceased to be available to residents and
workers as a reliable method of transportation
A combination of factors has led to a massive increase in the use of the
tram by tourists, particularly since the tram has recently appeared in a
number of popular “Top 10 things to do in NYC” lists and videos. The
platforms are crowded and lines often form outside the platform. What used
to be the case only during certain limited times of day and certain times
of year is virtually now a constant.
Island residents and workers now struggle to get on to the tram, often
starting in the morning till late into the night. Many people have given
up on the tram while others struggle through the chaos
This is particularly onerous for our neighbors who may be elderly or
unable to walk or stand easily. The island is home to a lot of elderly
folks and folks with limited mobility. The same is also true for families
with young children.
Priority Boarding for residents and workers is reasonable given the change
in ridership
Residents and workers are now excluded from one of their limited modes of
transportation to and from home or work, children school, or nearby
shopping places.
The tourists are not using the tram as a mode of urban transportation, but
rather as an opportunity to get great pictures of NYC during the crossing.
Almost all of the tourists turn around and head straight back to
Manhattan. That is tourism, not transportation.
Precedents for this exist, such as:
In 1976, “residents were issued priority passes for the tram and a minibus
that travels from the tramway station through the island's Main Street.”
due to the number of tourists displacing residents.
Source: NY Times.
On December 7 2023, Governor Hochul announced preferential treatment for
residents of Queens and The Bronx who use the Henry Hudson Bridge and
Cross Bay Bridge with a Toll rebate program which is not available for
those who do not live in Queens or the Bronx.
Release by NY State.
As previously reported, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, NYC Council Member Julie Menin and former Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney have expressed support for providing some sort of Roosevelt Island Tram boarding preference for residents and workers
During the December 7, 2024 Roosevelt Island Tree Lighting Ceremony, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine told me he supports a Tram Boarding priority for Roosevelt Island residents and workers too.
I'm going to talk about the most unpopular topic on the Island tonight. Our Red Bus service. I'd like to start by sincerely saying that we understand how challenging and frustrating the last months have been and we're doing everything we can to increase and maintain better service on the island....
Watch the video of Ms Cunneen's 21 minute Red Bus Presentation.
It's a very interesting and thorough presentation.
As reported previously, due to longstanding maintenance problems, only 1 or 2 of the 5 Roosevelt Island Red Buses have been in service since last June. Even the NY Post reported on the isssue.
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Department Director Bryant Daniels reported during the September 8 Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island committee virtual meeting that there are now 4 Red Buses
... We're in better shape today than we were a few weeks ago. There's been a lot of behind the scenes maneuvering within RIOC to try to get us into a better position.
We've been very upfront about this. This was a problem that is many years in the making. It just took a long time. Eventually the bill comes due and it did recently with the Red Bus fleet.
Unfortunately we don't have enough buses and that sort of leads into a cascading array of problems with doing enough preventive maintenance and making sure you're still getting service out on the roads.
But in the last couple weeks, and I want to point out a special thank you to our government officials particularly State Senator Liz Krueger who reached out to MTA chair Janno Lieber on our behalf, who then got the New York City Transit guys involved and they have been a tremendous asset to us in getting our Fleet back up and running the last few weeks.
So right now we are back up to a healthy four red buses on the island and we've also added a new bird bus shorter 14 seater with room for two wheelchairs that's also going to be around the island these days....
Here's Mr Daniels discussing the Red Bus as well as other Roosevelt Island issues during lasts night's CB 8 Roosevelt Island committee meeting.
There was also a discussion about motorbike confiscations, traffic and bike safety, upcoming events at the Roosevelt Island Public Library and The Citizens Project presentation of a new Roosevelt Island app
for residents and visitors currently in development.
Watch the whole video to see these issues discussed.
Earlier this week we put a second bus back into service on Main Street in preparation for the start of the school year. Starting tomorrow, we will also be adding a new smaller bus, the RIOC Red Bus Shuttle, to help supplement service.
Though not actually red, our new Red Bus Shuttle seats 14 passengers and can accommodate two wheelchairs, which can access the bus via a wheelchair lift on the back right side of the vehicle. There is also some standing room for additional passengers. The shuttle will have signage indicating that it is a free Red Bus Shuttle available to all island travelers and will make all local stops on the island.
Because this bus is brand new, it has not been outfitted with the tracking technology needed for integration with the Transit app. But the Red Bus Shuttle will depart the Octagon approximately 5 minutes after the larger 40-foot Red Bus leaves at the top and half of every hour:
X:00AM – Local Red Bus leaves Octagon
X:05AM – Red Bus Shuttle Leaves Octagon
X:15AM – Local Red Bus leaves Octagon
X:30AM – Local Red Bus leaves Octagon
X:35AM – Red Bus Shuttle Leaves Octagon
X:45AM – Local Red Bus leaves Octagon
Until further notice, we will continue running the Red Buses along the abbreviated travel loop, and service will continue to end at 1AM nightly.
Thank you all again for your patience as we work through these maintenance issues. We deeply appreciate your understanding.
... due to maintenance issues only 1 of 5 Roosevelt Island Red Buses are currently working. Roosevelt Island residents are experiencing long waiting times and overcrowding when the only working Red Bus does arrive at their stop....
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced Friday August 30:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
Once again, we deeply appreciate your patience as we work to restore full Red Bus service on the island.
Starting this coming Monday, September 2nd we will be returning 2 Red Buses to Main Street during rush hour (7AM-10AM, 3PM-7PM) and resuming the following schedule during those hours:
Local Red Bus service on Main Street will run on an every 15-minute schedule beginning at the top of the hour from the Octagon:...
Click here to get the Roosevelt Island Red Bus GPS Transit app.
Remember that the Red Bus GPS app is still in testing phase.
UPDATE 9/5 - The new shuttle bus cost RIOC $115 Thousand.
... due to maintenance issues only 1 of 5 Roosevelt Island Red Buses are currently working. Roosevelt Island residents are experiencing long waiting times and overcrowding when the only working Red Bus does arrive at their stop....
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced Friday August 30:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
Once again, we deeply appreciate your patience as we work to restore full Red Bus service on the island.
Starting this coming Monday, September 2nd we will be returning 2 Red Buses to Main Street during rush hour (7AM-10AM, 3PM-7PM) and resuming the following schedule during those hours:
Local Red Bus service on Main Street will run on an every 15-minute schedule beginning at the top of the hour from the Octagon:
X:00AM – Local Red Bus leaves Octagon
X:15AM – Local Red Bus leaves Octagon
X:30AM – Local Red Bus leaves Octagon
X:45AM – Local Red Bus leaves Octagon
For the time being, we will continue to run service on the abbreviated loop to help keep riders moving expeditiously. Nightly service will still conclude at 1AM until further notice.
These buses will be visible on the Transit app, so if you haven’t downloaded it yet, we encourage you to do so. We are also still working to add more buses to the schedule by next week in advance of the upcoming start to the school year on September 5th.
As we have more updates on future service adjustments, we will be sure to share them with the community. Thank you all again for your understanding as we work through these issues. We hope you enjoy the holiday weekend.
Sincerely,
RIOC Executive Team
Click here to get the Roosevelt Island Red Bus GPS Transit app.
Remember that the Red Bus GPS app is still in testing phase.
... due to maintenance issues only 1 of 5 Roosevelt Island Red Buses are currently working. Roosevelt Island residents are experiencing long waiting times and overcrowding when the only working Red Bus does arrive at their stop....
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
We are still only running 1 Red Bus on the island due to ongoing maintenance issue. We anticipate this will remain the case well into next week. We understand this has been deeply frustrating, but our team is working as hard as we can to restore more service soon....
Today, RIOC Communications Director Bryant Daniels responded to a resident's inquiry with another Red Bus update:
According to Mr Daniels:
I know it’s been a terrible hassle, especially for those on the north end of
the island. Couple of quick things:
So, it’s still one bus for the moment. I’ve been hesitant to give too many
public timelines on return to service for exactly this reason, but here’s
the rosiest picture:
By the end of this week, we SHOULD have 2 more buses back from repair;
We should also have a new, shorter 14-seater that we’ve recently purchased
on the island to help supplement service.
I could go on and on about how we got here over many years, but the bottom
line for us right now is we need to fix it.
So, our target as an organization is next Thursday, when school starts. We
want 2 buses and the shuttle on the road by then. That’s what we’re working
towards. It’s probably cold comfort for you (and everyone else) but I can
assure you this situation is almost the only thing we’re fixated on right
now.
As previously reported, due to maintenance issues only 1 of 5 Roosevelt Island Red Buses are currently working. Roosevelt Island residents are experiencing long waiting times and overcrowding when the only working Red Bus does arrive at their stop.
Last night, there was some hope that help was on the way for Roosevelt Island bus riders.
About 6 PM last night, I started receiving reports that the MTA was running a Roosevelt Island subway shuttle on the Red Bus route. A Tipster shared this photo of the MTA Bus Subway shuttle in front of the Octagon building.
Another resident reported last night:
I am on an MTA bus that is operating as a Red Bus. The sign says Subway Shuttle.
Senator Krueger has spoken directly to MTA Chair Janno Lieber about the Red Bus situation. She hopes the MTA can assist in expediting the Red Bus order since the MTA orders buses from the same company —and as Liz reports the MTA is its number one customer.
That’s great IF MTA is supplying buses until the new ones arrive. Again—she’s definitely had more than one conversation with Mr. Lieber. He said he’d try to get MTA buses here on loan—and he did ; much faster than she thought would be possible!
But, Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Department Director Bryant Daniels reported today:
We’ve had some very productive conversations with the MTA this week, and last evening they were able to send an extra bus over to the island to help with supplemental service for a brief period. It was a nice favor that was contingent on the bus being available, and though it’s not something we anticipate will continue, we are incredibly grateful for their assistance, which has also extended to helping with our fleet’s maintenance needs.
As of now, hopes are dashed for more buses to supplement
UPDATE 8/24 - RIOC sent out this Red Bus advisory on Friday August 23:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
We are still only running 1 Red Bus on the island due to ongoing maintenance issue. We anticipate this will remain the case well into next week. We understand this has been deeply frustrating, but our team is working as hard as we can to restore more service soon.
This is a reminder that we have made the following temporary changes to service given our fleet limitations:
1. Shorten the Red Bus Route: Rather than go around the Cornell Tech lawn down to Southpoint Park, the Bus now turns right at North Loop Road before heading back north.
2. The bus will however run down to Southpoint Park from 6-11PM this Saturday (8/24) for our final Summer Movies in the park.
3. We are ending late-night service daily at 1am, when ridership is low, to help reduce stress on the bus.
4. The weekly Shoppers Red Bus will be suspended until further notice.
Again, these changes have been made on a temporary basis to help keep our bus service running. PSD has increased patrols in mass transit areas and Southpoint Park while these changes are in effect, and we are encouraging Red Bus users to please prioritize elderly and disabled riders first when boarding the bus.
We would also like to continue encouraging island residents to download the Transit app, which now has tracking for our Red Buses, to help inform decision making prior to travel. Please note that this system remains in its beta testing phase, so we apologize if you encounter any glitches.
We sincerely apologize for these issues and will continue to work as quickly as we can to restore full service.
As reported yesterday, there is only 1 of 5 Roosevelt Island Red buses in service until further notice.
The news did not get any better today. The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced this evening another reduction of Red Bus service for Roosevelt Island residents.
According to RIOC:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
We are still currently running with only 1 Red Bus on the island due to ongoing maintenance issues and we expect this to remain the case for at least the next 2 weeks. We are exploring all options to bring additional buses to the island, but for now it’s imperative that we do what we can to preserve the bus in operation.
To that end, we have decided to make the following temporary changes starting tomorrow, Thursday (8/15):
Shorten the Red Bus Route:
Rather than go around the Cornell Tech lawn down to Southpoint Park, the Bus will now turn right at North Loop Road before heading back north. This should also shorten wait times for riders along Main Street.
The bus will however run down to Southpoint Park from 6-11PM this Saturday (8/17) and the following Saturday (8/24) for our final 2 Summer Movies in the park.
We will be ending late-night service at 1am, when ridership is low, to help reduce stress on the bus.
After morning rush hour, from 11:30am-12:30pm the bus will be taken off the road for refueling and maintenance. It will also give the engine a chance to cool down.
Riders should prioritize using the Q102 bus during this one-hour time period.
The weekly Shoppers Red Bus will be suspended until further notice.
Again, these changes will be made on a temporary basis to help keep our bus running. PSD will increase patrols in mass transit areas and Southpoint Park while these changes are in effect, and we are encouraging Red Bus users to please prioritize elderly and disabled riders first when boarding the bus.
The one bus currently on the road will be running on a “load and go” basis to try and keep people moving. You can currently track the Red Bus using the Transit app (RIOC is in the beta testing phase of this bus tracking, but it is live for the public to see) so we encourage folks to download this free app and check the bus location on the island before departing.
We sincerely apologize for these issues and will continue to work as quickly as we can to restore full service.
-The RIOC Executive Team
A resident shares photo of 4 Roosevelt Island Red Buses at the Motorgate yard last Monday evening.
These are all decommissioned non-working buses used for their spare parts for working Red Buses.
RIOC Says 5 Roosevelt Island Red Buses Are Required For Daily Operations - Unforeseen Maintenance Issues Reduce Red Bus Fleet Currently To Only 2 In Service
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced at approximately 9 PM last Saturday evening:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
We were informed this evening that one of our buses suffered a significant
mechanical issue and needed to be taken off the road. Unfortunately, we are
now down to one bus on Main Street and expect this to remain the case for
the next several days, at a minimum.
We are under no illusions about how frustrating this situation is for island
residents. We sincerely apologize for these issues and are working as hard
as we can to restore full service as quickly as possible.
This is now the third bus that is currently inactive due to repair work. Our
Red Bus fleet is aging, and the buses we have are running constantly. Though
we have ordered two new buses, we don’t expect them to arrive on the island
until the end of 2024/early 2025. For now, our Transportation team is doing
its very best to keep things steady, but the situation is difficult.
The one bus currently on the road will be running on a “load and go” basis
to try and keep people moving. You can currently track the Red Bus using the
Transit app (RIOC is in the beta testing phase of this bus tracking, but it
is live for the public to see) so we encourage folks to
download this free app
and check the bus location on the island before departing.
We are also encouraging riders to
utilize the Q102 bus, which has free transfers for both the F-Train and Tram. The Q102 can also
be tracked through the Transit app, an added benefit to downloading it.
When we have more details on when full service will be restored, we will be
sure to share them with the community.
Sincerely,
The RIOC Executive Team
A Tipster reports the possibility of RIOC utilizing the Roosevelt Island
Disabled Association (RIDA) bus on a temporary basis to supplement the Red Bus
service.
A resident asks:
Will the Octagon increase their shuttle service?
Don't know the answer.
Another resident adds:
I've basically given up on using the Red Bus. It's unreliable at best and it
seems like the RIOC doesn't even bother to communicate.
Other residents don't have the option to give up on the Red Bus. For many, the
Red Bus is an essential transportation service on Roosevelt Island.
Temporarily leasing a bus was discussed during the
May 1, 2024 RIOC Operations Advisory Committee
meeting. RIOC deemed the leasing price tag of $19 thousand a month for a required 12
months at $228 thousand annually to be price prohibitive.
Here's the discussion.
A Roosevelt Island resident using the nom de plume "Fed Up With RIOC" comments on RIOC temporarily leasing buses from the bus manufacturer as described in the Operations Committee meeting:
The incompetence of the past administration has to be replaced with creative problem solving. Going to the existing Bus vendor and asking them to be a solution provider makes no sense. We do not need state of the art buses to solve the pressing problem . The pressure on Island Residents will be reduced even if they leased a fleet of old school buses that run every 10 minutes...with the sole remaining red bus running as frequently as it can to accommodate our wheelchair bound neighbors and those who cannot climb stairs.
Hopefully there is room for creative thinking at RIOC and quick action.
Another proposed idea from a resident is borrowing a bus from the MTA?
More info on the Roosevelt Island Red Bus issue including RIOC Board approval to purchase 2 new Red Buses and how we got to the present situation at this prior post.
Remember that the Red Bus GPS app is still in testing phase. According to RIOC:
The Red Bus tracking on the Transit app is still in its testing phase. We
weren’t ready to announce it yet as we’re still working through some issues
but given our latest bus troubles, we decided to mention it publicly as it can
be a helpful tool for riders.
But there are still bugs that we’re working through. Buses are outfitted
with tracking devices; we aren’t using riders to do the tracking for us.
Passenger counts on the app are always going to be approximate, but safely
assume that with one bus running it’s going to be quite full.
Roosevelt Island resident Joan Brooks shares this message she sent to former
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) interim leadership team member
Gerrald Ellis
complimenting a
Red Bus
driver.
According to Ms Brooks:
I need to take a few minutes of your time to send you a quick note about one
of your red bus drivers. Matthew (sorry I don’t know his last name)
I typically take the “senior” bus to Costco maybe once or twice a month on
Tuesdays.
Matthew is the driver on the 12:30 pick-up. He is always:
Kind
Courteous
Caring
Makes sure carts are safely stacked
All passengers are back on the bus.
Extremely helpful
If you have a “ driver award” certainly Matthew the red bus driver deserves
it for all the above reasons.
But there are significant maintenance issues keeping Roosevelt Island Red Buses working on Main Street.
As reported July 2:
... Of the 4 Red Buses, 2 buses are currently working on Main Street. 1 Red
Bus is out of service and is expected to be back in service this week which
will restore Octagon Bus Service. The 4th Bus is out of service for
maintenance and no date yet for when it will be fixed. 2 new Red Buses are on
order....
Last evening RIOC announced:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community,
We regret to inform you that due to the ongoing maintenance issues affecting
our Red Bus fleet, tomorrow morning’s rush hour service will be severely
delayed along Main Street, and there will be no Octagon Express service. We
will also be shortening the Red Bus route tomorrow morning—the southbound
Red Bus will turn right on North Loop Road and not go around Cornell Tech—to
help reduce wait times at stops along Main Street.
We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to have these issues resolved as
quickly as possible. Please leave yourself extra time for your morning
commute.
-RIOC Transportation
Today RIOC added:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
Our Transportation Department was able to restore service to a second Red
Bus following this morning’s outage. It is back on the road and we expect to
have 2 buses running tomorrow morning, with a 15-minute headway between
stops on the island. Please note however that Octagon Express service will
remain suspended until further notice.
We know this has been difficult, so we appreciate your patience and
understanding as we work through these issues.
Thank you.
-RIOC Transportation
RIOC Communications Director Bryant Daniels discussed the Roosevelt Island Red
Bus service problems during the July 1 Community Board 8
Roosevelt Island Committee meeting.
More information on the Roosevelt Island Red Bus fleet problems
at this June 21 post.
Manhattan Community Board 8 (CB8) Roosevelt Island Committee
Chair Paul Krikler moderated an interesting
Zoom meeting
last night with Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Director Bryant Daniels, NY State Senator
Liz Krueger and NY
State Assembly Member
Rebecca Seawright
talking with residents about a variety of local issues. The meeting began with
Mr Daniels providing a RIOC update and answering questions on the:
RIOC interim leadership changes
- (Deputy General Counsel Gerrald Ellis left RIOC for a job in the private
sector. Acting Chief Operating Officer Mary Cunneen and Associate General
Counsel Lada Stasko will join Chief Financial Officer Dhru Dhruvika on the
interim leadership team),
Red Bus service outages
- Of the 4 Red Buses, 2 buses are currently working on Main Street. 1 Red
Bus is out of service and is expected to be back in service this week
which will restore Octagon Bus Service. The 4th Bus is out of service for
maintenance and no date yet for when it will be fixed. 2 new Red
Buses are on order.
Red Bus Real Time Schedule Tracking service will be working soon and
integrated in
NY Transit app
as well as the soon to launch Roosevelt Island
Citizens Project platform.
Weekend Volleyball Players
at Firefighters Field taking over entire area with no room for others to
use the field - RIOC is aware of issue and will look more into it.
NY State Senator Krueger and Assembly Member Seawright then discussed Roosevelt
Island governance issues including:
According to Ms Krueger, any Governor is unlikely to give up the power to
appoint RIOC Directors by way of a direct election. Ms Seawight said that
Mayor Adams has agreed to use direct elections for appointment of the two
Mayoral appointments to the RIOC Board.
Governor Hochul has previously vetoed legislation requiring residency for
RIOC President and for resident
Board members who move away
from Roosevelt Island.
Watch the very interesting discussion on these issues.
CB 8 Roosevelt Island Committee meeting are scheduled for the first
Monday of every month except August. The
next meeting will be on September 9.
You're invited to attend, share your thoughts and ask questions.
Roosevelt Island residents reported this morning that the Octagon Red Bus express was not operating. The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC)
announced this afternoon:
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
There will be no Octagon Express Red Bus service this coming Monday (6/24)
due to unforeseen maintenance issues with one of our buses. We apologize for
the inconvenience and for having to cut Octagon Express service short this
morning.
Our remaining buses will operate under their normal schedule while Octagon
Express service is offline.
Thank you for your understanding.
-RIOC Transportation
RIOC Director of Communications and Community Affairs Bryant Daniels adds:
It may extend into more days but for now safe to say no service Monday. 2
buses are in service on Main Street.
I asked Mr Bryant:
I believe there had been 4 buses in service.
Just to be clear. Currently only 2 buses in service for Roosevelt Island?
Mr Bryant replied:
Yes, at the current moment. 2 running on Main Street can keep the 15-minute
headway between stops for local service. But without the third bus we can’t
operate the Express. Hopefully, it won’t remain at 2 for very long.
The March 4
Community Board 8 (CB 8)
Roosevelt Island Committee
meeting, chaired by RI resident Paul Krikler, hosted a very informative
discussion on a variety of important Roosevelt Island topics.
The meeting began with an update by Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Communications Director Bryant Daniels and Chief Financial Officer Dhru
Amin on issues including:
New Interim RIOC Leadership Reset of Community Engagement and
Communications
Red Bus operations,
Z Brick street paving,
Good Shepherd Chapel elevator repair
and more.
Following the RIOC team, Roosevelt Island resident Kaushal Shah introduced
The Citizen Project, an initiative to leverage technology to provide solutions for the daily
needs of Roosevelt Island residents by building a web and mobile based
platform.
The
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp
(RIOC) Board of Directors will
meet
in person Thursday, February 1 at 5:30 PM in the Good Shepherd Community
Center (543 Main Street) beginning at 5:30 PM.
This will be the first full RIOC Board of Directors meeting under the
new interim leadership team
of Deputy General Counsel Gerrald Ellis and Chief Financial Officer Dru Amin
with Board Member Howard Polivy acting as a dedicated liaison to them. This new leadership team is in place during the current
absence of RIOC President Shelton Haynes
and General Counsel Gretchen Robinson
who are on paid administrative leave pending
the investigation of employee workplace concerns brought against them.
You're invited to attend, ask
questions and share concerns about Roosevelt Island during the opening Public
Session before the start of the RIOC Board meeting.
Sign up to speak here.
Here's PDF of the presentation made by Mr Opperman to the January 17 RIOC Ops
Committee.
During the Ops meeting, RIOC Director Ben Fhala asked if RIOC looked into
purchasing electric or hybrid buses. RIOC Ops Chair Fay Christian would not
allow Mr Opperman to answer the question because she ruled at the beginning of
the meeting that only questions from Ops committee members would be taken and
Mr Fhala is not a member of the Ops Committee.
Here's video of the beginning of the Ops Committee meeting with Mr Christian
declaring that only committee members could ask questions followed by the Red
Bus presentation by Mr Opperman.
On January 25, RIOC Board Director Dr. Michal Melamed sent this message to
RIOC Director Fay Christian:
I am sorry that I was not able to attend the last Operations committee
meeting as I was out of the country, speaking at a medical conference. I
watched the video and am aware of some of the issues that came up. I have
several questions (below) to ask about the bus proposal.
Can we be provided with multiple bids for both diesel and hybrid buses. In
the current climate crisis, I am not sure why we should be getting diesel
buses.
Can we be provided with an estimated daily operational cost per bus for
existing buses and those to be purchased, assuming a 12-year operational
life for both hybrid and diesel options.
Can you please clarify the decommissioning process for buses—do they get
sold? If so, what is the plan to sell buses 5 & 6.
Can we be provided with an update on the status of buses 5/6 and why they
are not operational.
Is there a plan to purchase a third bus within the next two years?
Please provide a more detailed breakdown of the bus schedule,
distinguishing between express and red buses, and outline hours of
operation on weekdays and weekends.
Can someone please explain the rationale behind not assuming the need for
a full fleet during rush hours on weekdays (5:30 pm to 7:30 pm), and
discuss the necessity of a full fleet prior to and after those hours.
Can we be provided with a ridership breakdown (average commuters by the
hour (or ¼ hour if available) of the day per bus), as well as a breakdown
of ridership during special rides, including the number of people using
those rides and the value they created.
Explore & report on the possibility of purchasing two mini-buses,
preferably electric or hybrid, and provide estimates from multiple
vendors.
Clarify the purpose of running buses when there is no tram or subway
available in the early morning hours (after 2 am on weekdays and after
3:30 am on weekends) and provide information on the normal ridership
during such times.
During the subway shutdown during February weekends, can we consider
rerouting all red buses to Manhattan to accommodate higher volume?
Can we address the reported difficulties for the disabled community
members in boarding buses due to issues with ramps. Break down the
specific issues and explain why a manual ramp, suggested as a backup, was
not purchased over three months ago. Are there any plans to acquire backup
ramps to prevent such incidents?
Can we explore the possibility of using contacts at the MTA to purchase
buses through their vendors, and provide reasons if this option has not
been pursued.
I would appreciate answers to these questions.
I would also like to request to move to a different committee, namely the
Real Estate committee. I joined RIOC in order to try to help get medical
care on the island. I think my talents would better serve the real estate
committee than operations.
Thanks for your attention,
On January 28, RIOC Board member Ben Fhala added:
Good morning Local Media and stakeholders of RIOC,
As of my understanding, the meeting notice and agenda were posted online on
Friday. However, board members have not yet received the agenda items. We will
need your assistance in analyzing the materials when they become available,
given the limited time we'll have for review.
Regrettably, the conduct of the operations committee chair during the meeting
resulted in multiple items not being addressed through open and honest debate
by the stakeholders that RIOC serves. Unfortunately, the chair allowed one
board member to use inappropriate language multiple times and belittle other
board members, creating a disheartening display of dysfunction.
Due to the time constraints, Dr. Melamed has submitted multiple questions to
RIOC regarding the acquisition of the buses. We are confident in the validity
of these questions and anticipate meaningful responses before proceeding with
a vote. This discussion will take place during the board meeting due to the
dysfunction observed in the operations meeting.
As for other topics on the agenda, we lack detailed information about them or
their merit. We look forward to receiving guidance and insights from the
community.
I would appreciate it if you could publish Dr. Melamed's questions and
include/curate questions from the community, enabling us to provide the
necessary oversight over RIOC. As @Visnauskas, RuthAnne (HCR) has often
emphasized that resident board members are not expected to act as rubber
stamps.
Thanks, Ben Fhala* Resident Board Member
*Disclaimer: All statements made by Ben Fhala are made in his capacity as a
RIOC Resident Board member. He does not represent the entirety of RIOC or the
full board but serves as a Resident Board member, offering information to the
community and its stakeholders.
Don't know if there has been any response to Ms Melamed and Mr Fhala's questions.
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
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