LIRR Draft "Pledge To Customers"
The Long Island Rail Road has released a draft “Pledge to Customers.”  The “Pledge” was developed in close cooperation with Senator Charles Schumer and the LIRR Commuters Council.  This follows a service disruption last month where a lightning strike at Jamaica knocked out the LIRR’s signal and switching control system and delayed customers for several hours during the evening rush hour.

The Draft LIRR “Pledge to Customers” follows:

LIRR is dedicated to delivering safe and reliable transportation. Our highest priority is to ensure customer safety and this pledge is always subject to that paramount concern:

A Safe, Reliable Ride – Our top priority is to provide transportation that gets customers to their destination safely, comfortably and on time.

Accurate and Timely Information – We will provide accurate, timely and meaningful information on service conditions, including via email alerts, mta.info, news, station, platform and onboard announcements to keep customers informed and allow them to plan their trips wherever they are.

Courteous Employees – LIRR crews and other employees will be helpful and courteous at all times and will provide accurate and timely information to customers. Our goal is to provide excellent service.

A Clean Environment – We will maintain a clean environment for our customers and the communities we serve, including at stations, restrooms and along our right-of-way.

When service is disrupted, customers can expect us to respond quickly and customer safety will remain our No. 1 concern:

Alternative Transportation – We will make every effort to stop trains at stations and open the doors to allow customers to seek alternate transportation and will provide customers with information concerning alternate routes and means of transportation. If scheduled LIRR service is not available, we will make every effort to provide customers with emergency bus service when possible.

Comfort – If a significant incident occurs that prevents us from bringing a train to a station, we will move immediately to assist affected customers. Emergency personnel will be dispatched to offer medical assistance and efforts will be made to provide water. If efforts to move the train are unsuccessful, customers will be evacuated safely. We will also coordinate with emergency personnel and other transportation agencies to ensure safe conditions during service disruptions. To facilitate these efforts, it is essential that customers listen for crew announcements and never leave a stranded train unless under the supervision of the train crew or rescue personnel.

Weather Emergency Notification – If it becomes necessary to temporarily suspend service when extreme weather is forecast or when snow accumulations are expected between 10-13 inches, we will use all our communication means so customers can "know before you go."

Severe Service Disruption Procedures – Customers will be given updated information regarding service restoration, including estimates of the time until service resumes. Onboard personnel will walk through trains regularly and provide accurate and timely information to customers. Comfort trains will be provided for customers stranded at Penn Station.

If you are not satisfied with the level of service you have received from the LIRR, email us and let us know.

---

The LIRR wants to hear from you! Submit your comments and suggestions about the LIRR's draft "'Pledge to Customers"

Alternative Bus & Subway Information
Seasoned commuters know it’s always a good idea to have a back-up plan in the form of an alternate way to reach their destination. 
For LIRR commuters, many alternate travel options are available in the Jamaica area -- IF you know where to find them. Jamaica has four major transit hubs, Jamaica Station included, which are served by four subway lines (E, F, J, and Z) and numerous bus routes that provide service to Nassau County, Queens and Brooklyn. Those that live in Suffolk County can use bus lines to Nassau County transit hubs like Hicksville or Babylon and then connect with bus service going further east. The LIRR is finalizing a brochure that will serve as a handy reference tool for commuters seeking alternate transportation during train service outages. It will include this map of the Jamaica transit hubs. Here's a preview.  For complete route and schedule information for subways and buses, go to mta.info.

• LIRR Jamaica Station, Sutphin/Archer/JFK subway stop
  LIRR, E/J/Z subway trains, AirTrain JFK, Bus Q6, Q8, Q9, Q20, Q24, Q30, Q31, Q40, Q41, Q43, Q44, Q54, Q56, Q60, Q65
• Jamaica Center/Parsons/Archer subway stop
  E/J/Z subway trains, Bus N4, Q4, Q5, Q20, Q24, Q25, Q30, Q31, Q34, Q42, Q44, Q54, Q56, Q65, Q83, Q84, Q85 Q110, Q111, Q112, Q113
• Jamaica - 165th Street Bus Terminal
  Bus N1, N2, N3, N6, N22, N24, N26, Q1, Q2, Q3, Q6, Q8, Q9, Q36, Q41,Q75, Q76, Q77
• Jamaica - 179th Street
  F subway train, Bus N1, N2, N3, N6, N22, N24, N26, Q1, Q2, Q3, Q17, Q36, Q43, Q75, Q76, Q77, Q110

Click to enlarge

 

No Smoking Law Takes Effect November 13
A reminder that November 13, 2011 is the effective date of a new state law that prohibits smoking on outdoor ticketing, boarding and platform areas at LIRR terminals and stations.
This amendment of the NY Public Health Law, which also applies to Metro-North, was signed into law by Governor Cuomo this past August. 
So, as of November 13, if you’re a smoker, you’ll have to fight that urge to light up when you’re on an LIRR platform – including at Jamaica Station – or when you are in any other outdoor boarding or ticketing area. 
As you know, smoking is already prohibited on trains and indoor portions of LIRR terminals and stations. Better yet, if you’re a smoker, take your doctor’s advice and get help to kick the habit. Being smoke-free is great for your health and for everyone else’s too.

 

LIRRCC Event
The Long Island Rail Road Commuters Council is the official customer advocacy organization for LIRR riders. The group’s members are LIRR commuters like yourself and they’d like to meet you. So say hello at their Meet The Council event on November 15, 4 PM - 7 PM in the Penn Station main gate area.

 

September OTP
The overall on-time-performance for September was 91.14%.

BRANCH	AM Peak	PM Peak	Off- Peak	Total September 2011	Total September 2010
Babylon	90.3%	86.5%	91.8%	90.8%	92.0%
Far Rockaway	91.8%	91.0%	95.4%	94.4%	96.5%
Hicksville/Huntington	90.2%	73.1%	90.9%	88.4%	91.0%
Hempstead	92.4%	88.9%	95.7%	94.5%	96.1%
Long Beach	88.3%	91.4%	94.9%	93.5%	95.6%
Montauk	89.9%	83.0%	89.6%	88.9%	87.4%
Oyster Bay	90.5%	86.5%	93.9%	92.4%	92.0%
Port Jefferson	89.9%	77.6%	90.0%	88.2%	90.6%
Port Washington	86.8%	89.7%	94.7%	92.7%	90.6%
Ronkonkoma/Greenport	90.0%	78.9%	88.1%	87.1%	90.7%
West Hempstead	93.3%	91.3%	95.3%	94.1%	96.4%
TOTAL	90.0%	85.1%	92.6%	91.1%	92.4%

TrainTalk Archive