A164-Metropolitan Transit Authority To Release New Subway Car Design

Running Head: METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW

SUBWAY CAR DESIGN

Metropolitan Transport Authority To Release New Subway Car Design

Name

Institution Affiliation

12/09/2017

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW SUBWAY CAR

DESIGN 2

Introduction

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is a public corporation that is tasked

with regulating public transportation in the New York City, the 12 surrounding counties and

the two counties of Connecticut. It is the largest corporation dealing in public transport in the

whole of America. The corporation through its management, is expected o to develop and

maintain transportation policies applicable in the metropolitan area of New York. MTA has

buses and subways that carry approximately 10 million people daily and approximately 2.5

billion people annually. The duties of this corporation are either performed directly by the

corporation or through the various subsidiaries under its management ("Metropolitan

Transportation Authority," n.d.).

One of its subsidiaries is the New York Transit authority through which the MTA is

laying out the final plans of introducing new design cars to replace the old ones that have

been operating in the subway for many centuries. The corporation is expected to spend close

to 27billion on these new cars. The New York subsidiary is the busiest among all the transit

systems and also the largest compared to other transit systems in the Northern America. The

city itself is the most populous in America which means that the number of commuters in

need of public transportation is huge (Fitzsimmons. 2016). The MTA is planning on rolling

out these new cars in New York and the commuters are excited about the plan. The MTA is

responsible for setting policies and allocating capital budgets and operating budgets of its

subsidiaries. This new kind of cars that they are planning on providing to the public is

expected to accommodate a large number of commuters using the subway without

overcrowding.

Features of the service and how it aligns with the corporate mission of MTA

The corporate mission of Metropolitan Transportation Authority stipulates that the

corporation is committed to preserve and enhance the lives of the people it is committed to

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW SUBWAY CAR

DESIGN 3

serving. It is also committed to improving the economic health through the provision of cost-

effective, reliable, safe, clean, and efficient transportation services. The act under which it is

formed is also incorporated in its mission and it requires, "the continuance, further

development and improvement of commuter transportation and other services related thereto

within the metropolitan commuter transportation district, including but not limited to such

transportation by railroad, omnibus, marine, air, in accordance with the provisions of this

title. It shall be the further purpose of the authority, consistent with its status of the ex officio

board of the New York city transit authority and the Triborough and tunnel authority, to

develop and implement a unified mass transportation for such district." ("Metropolitan

Transportation Authority," n.d.).

This new commuter service aligns with the mission of the corporation. The cost of

providing this new service might seem high but is within the allowed budget. More so, it has

been over forty years since the cars were changed and therefore the 27 billion budget is

reasonable. A per the mission the new commuter system is safer for the users compared to the

old version. The old version trains, the passengers jump in and out of the cars in search for a

place to seat since the trains has many cars with a door dividing them but the new ones will

be safer since the cars are not separated by doors and it allows the passengers to move freely

without having to jump in and out of the train cars (Kaplan, 2017). The open gauge is also

expected to offer a clean environment for the commuters, the floors are more washable as

compared to the old version subway. The open gauge is more efficient because the area that

connects the cars in the old model is a part of the sitting area in the new version. This means

that it offers more space than the old ones.

The provision of this new service is also in accordance with the act that calls for

development and improvement in the commuter transportation services ("Metropolitan

Transportation Authority," n.d.). Provision of this service by MTA is a way of also

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW SUBWAY CAR

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improving the customers' experience. Considering that these kinds of subways are already in

use in cities such as Paris, London, and Toronto, the commuters might have been feeling as if

they have been left behind. It is also a way of showing the effectiveness of the MTA in

collaboration with its New York subsidiary.

From the month of November, MTA has given the commuters the opportunity to view

the prototypes of the new model subway cars stationed in one of the New York's subway

stations. The commuters interested in viewing are normally given a tour inside the

prototypes. There also detailed photos on display to show how the trains would look like. The

viewers are then given the opportunity to give their feedback on the new model (Kaplan,

2017).

As part of marketing this new project, some of the leaders of MTSA have remarked

that the new cars will be having free WIFI and USB charging slots. This is a way of

encouraging more people to use this form of commuter service especially those who use taxis

and also those who drive to work. In the current world, we are living in where people are

always on the internet doing various things, the free WIFI will succeed in wooing more

people into this commuter service. The cars are also expected to have security cameras and

digital display. Because of its size, it is expected to accommodate more people, reduce the

overcrowding inside the cars significantly, and also eliminate delays. These new subway cars

are a fulfilment of the promise that the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo promised his

people in 2016 that "we are going do more than renovate, we are bringing subway stations to

a higher standard than ever before, and the new vision of subway cars will increase capacity

and reduce overcrowding and delays." (Poon, 2016)

Considering the buses that are used in the public transportation as the alternative to

the subway are under the management of the MTA, we cannot say it is its competitor. Also,

Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North offers the subway services but they too are

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW SUBWAY CAR

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subsidiary agencies of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It means that there are

multiple operators in the commuter transportation but all of them are under the management

of MTA set to operate in different geographic markets, meaning that there is no direct

competition between them and none of them would cease operation even if they performed

badly. This is how the MTA has been able to maintain cooperation between

operators("Metropolitan Transportation Authority," n.d.).

The only competition that the New York operators face is from the taxi operators

however taxis are not strong competitors considering they transport approximately 230

million people each year while the number of those who use the subway annually is in

billions. The new design subways are expected to be very efficient than the taxis which are

normally caught up in the traffic jam. Also, the cost of boarding the taxi is almost triple the

cost of using the subway. The introduction of free WIFI is also an added advantage of using

the subway over the taxis (Fitzsimmons et al., 2017).

I think that this kind of innovation is helpful to the people of New York. It is a new

effective service because it is tailor-made to solve all the problems in New York commuter

services. The problem of delays and overcrowding will be a thing of the past. Actually, New

York has been lagging behind other big cities in the world in terms of commuter services. By

introducing the open gangway cars is the first step towards catching up with the world.

Reasons why the new service is necessary for the New York Market

New York City is a highly populated city and the largest population prefer not to

drive to work due to the traffic and the cost. This section of the population is also too huge to

be carried by the buses alone and therefore the subway trains are the best mode of transport.

The subway operates seven days a week throughout the year making it the most convenient

mode of transportation (Poon, 2016). The New Yorkers prefer the subway because it is also a

cheaper way of transport as compared to taking a taxi. The new model is being developed

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW SUBWAY CAR

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with consideration to the huge number of commuters in the New York City. The majority use

it in the morning hours when going to work and after work, everyone is normally interested

in going to work while they are still smelling fresh by not having to squeeze into a subway

car all the way to their location of work. The new subway cars have large windows to

increase the ventilation inside, the WIFI is also important since they can use it to check their

emails before getting to the office. These cars are made to enhance the comfort of the

commuter before and after facing hectic days in their offices (Kaplan, 2017).

In a study conducted in 2014 by the University of Michigan Transportation Research

Institute, approximately 56% of the households in New York do not have cars (Poon, 2016).

This means that a big population prefers to use the public means of transport than buy cars

which are inefficient in terms of cost of fuel, insurance, and the traffic menace. This is the

population that the new subway cars are committed to serving.

According to statistics from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the old

subway cars have been very inefficient. There are approximately 75000 delays every month

which is approximated to be about 237% from 2012. The commuters have been losing work

hours due to the delays caused by the old version of the subways. The losses in the work

hours are approximated to be about $307 million every year. This shows how much the city is

in need of a system that works. The city comptroller conducted a survey on 1200 users of the

subway and 74% of them confessed to having been late for work due to its delays, 65% of

them also said they had been delayed to pick their children. Close to 50% of them also

revealed that sometimes they had to take a taxi so as to go to work due to the delays of the

subways("Metropolitan Transportation Authority," n.d.).

The delay by the old version of the subway cars has been a disaster to the commuters

and has cost them a lot of money. In every delay, there is an attached cost and the service

disruptions have also affected the lives of many people. The human cost on the poor

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW SUBWAY CAR

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communities is higher compared to the high-income areas. A 10% of commuters in the high-

income areas confessed to having been reprimanded at work due to the delays while in the

low-income areas it was 24%. The effects of the delays are more felt by the low-income

earners than those with high income (Fitzsimmons, 2016).

One of the major causes of the delay has been the overcrowding which never existed

15 years back. The huge crowd slows down a train which as a result causes more crowding as

a vicious cycle which can consume a lot of time to unwind in every rush. The number of

commuters using the subway started to rise in the 1990s when only four million people were

using it every day and now the number has doubled. These commuters are crammed into the

same systems that have never changed for centuries. In 2011 the number of users rose and in

2013 it reached a tipping point and was not able to easily absorb extra riders. In 2014 moving

forward it has become over saturated("Metropolitan Transportation Authority," n.d.).

The overloading creates delays in this manner; in every station, the train has to slow

down due to the overwhelming number of passengers being dropped off or boarding the train.

This time is called the "dwell time". Due to the high number of people in the stations, the

commotion makes it hard for people to get on or off the train easily and the trains have to

spend more time at the station before the problem dissipates (Kaplan, 2017). Before the pans

of introducing the new subways, there was a lot of pressure on the city management and the

MTA as they were accused of neglecting their duties to the state.

With the New York MTA subsidiary looking up to introducing 640 subway cars, the

crowds will be easily manageable and there will be no more delays. The mode of payment for

this service is by use of the MetroCard. The subway cars will be distributed in all the stations

so that all the people can enjoy the new mode of transportation without bias.

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW SUBWAY CAR

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The costs and pricing

The fixed and the variable costs are some of the costs associated with the provision of

this new service. The fixed costs include, health and welfare benefit, payroll, and pensions

while the variable costs are the fuel costs, electric power, overtime payments, maintenance

costs, and the costs of buying materials and supplies ("Metropolitan Transportation

Authority," n.d.).

Annual fixed and variable costs estimated for the new subway cars

FIXED COSTS

AMOUNT ($MILLION)

Health and welfare

1,580

Payroll

5,930

Pensions

1,370

VARIABLE COSTS

AMOUNT ($MILLION)

Fuel

186

Electric power

566

Overtime Payment

922

Maintenance

598

Materials and supplies

800

With the carriers estimated to carry close to 9 million people in a day, then it will be

able to cover the operating costs. The fixed costs do not change while the variable costs are

dependent on the time the train operates and other variables. The long-term goal of the

corporation is to be able to run a self-sustaining transport system that is able to run smoothly.

The short-term goal of the company is to achieve stability ("Metropolitan Transportation

Authority," n.d.).

The taxis are the competition to the subway cars and they charge at least 14 dollars

per ride while the cost of a subway ride is $2.75. the disparity in the price is because the

subway is provided for by the government for its people while the taxis are privately owned.

The subway cars main aim is to give the people of New York and the surrounding counties an

affordable means of transport that even the low-income earners will be able to afford. The

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW SUBWAY CAR

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taxis are meant for business and their prices are high because of the need to improve the

profit margins. Considering that New York is a city that is prone to traffic jam, it means that

the number of trips that a single cab is able to make in a day is limited and therefore the high

price compensates for the time spent in the traffic (Poon, 2016). Considering the number of

trains and their capacity, MTA is able to make a considerable sum each day. MTA is able to

spread its operating costs over a large number of cars while that of the taxis is limited and

depends on the number of taxis one owns.

I think the price of $2.75 is appropriate for everyone since it is low enough to be

afforded by everyone. It is the responsibility of the corporation to provide an affordable

transport system that puts into consideration the people who are earning low income so that

they might not feel as if the government is making their life harder. It is also ethical to give

such prices because if they matched to the prices of the taxis, then the majority of people

would not be able to afford the ride (Fitzsimmons, 2016).

Economy pricing is the best strategy because it focuses on keeping the costs at a

minimum so as to make the goods affordable. The MTA corporation tries to keep its

operating costs at a minimum so as to be able to reduce the charges on the riders and also to

make the business sustainable("Metropolitan Transportation Authority," n.d.). Without doing

this, the business would operate at a deficit or they would be forced to increase the transport

cost.

Conclusion

The decision by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to introduce the modern

subway cars is a good plan that has been long overdue. This is a good plan because it fits the

corporation's mission and also it will be able to meet the demand of the market. It is expected

to solve the issues of overcrowding and the delay. The cars also offer a more comfortable

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW SUBWAY CAR

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environment as compared to the old version (Poon, 2016). The pricing of the new service is

also good because it puts all the relevant factors into consideration

METROPOLITAN TRANSPORT AUTHORITY TO RELEASE NEW SUBWAY CAR

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References

Fitzsimmons, E. (2016, January). Open Subway Cars May Come to New York City as Early

as 2020. Retrieved December 2017, from www.nytimes.com:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/28/nyregion/open-subway-cars-may-come-to-new-

york-city-as-early-as-2020.html

Fitzsimmons, E., Fessenden, F., & Lai, R. (2017, June). Every New York City Subway Line Is

Getting Worse. Here’s Why. Retrieved November 2017, from www.nytimes.com:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/28/nyregion/subway-delays-

overcrowding.html

Kaplan, M. (2017, December). 4 New Ideas NYC Subway Needs to Steal from other Cities.

Retrieved December 2017, from nypost.com: https://nypost.com/2017/12/02/4-ideas-t

he-NYC-subway-needs-to-steal-from-other-cities/

Poon, L. (2016, February). NYC Finally Gets On Board With the Subway Car of the Future.

Retrieved November 2017, from www.citylab.com:

https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2016/02/nyc-finally-gets-on-board-with-the-

subway-car-of-the-future-open-gangway/459300/

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (n.d.) Retrieved from

http://web.mta.info/mta/budget/pdf/MTA%202017%20Adopted%20Budget%20Febru

ary%20Financial%20Plan%202017-2020.pdf

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