…but unlikeTram jams in the old days that weren’t so long ago, the long lines outside the Tram Station were not a problem. It’s a credit to PSD and Leitner-POMA. Things are getting better.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
With a morning appointment on my schedule and word from my wife that the F Trains were badly backed up, I took in the long line heading down from the Tram platform past the bus stop. My appointment was in jeopardy.
But things are better on Roosevelt Island these days – better, not perfect. The new interim management team at RIOC, led by Gerrald Ellis and Dhru Amin, sets a different tone, and it trickles down.
Demand was heavy enough that I couldn’t board until the third cabin opened. Maybe because it was mostly Roosevelt Islanders, given the hour – 8:30 a.m. – but give credit to an orderly, no pushing and shoving process to PSD and Leitner-POMA.
A public safety officer positioned himself where the line curled toward the turnstiles, making sure the platform didn’t get overcrowded. Then, on the platform, a station manager patrolled the cabin doors, cutting off boarding before the cabin got too full, firmly but politely.
The result was an aggravation-free ride that only pushed us back about 15 minutes, really nothing as New York City commutes go.
That’s how it’s supposed to work but hasn’t always in the past.
The Tram Jam – Details
Later, we learned that a young woman was hit by a subway train in Herald Square. Predicting the subway and tram jam wasn’t possible.
One concern regarded the absence of an advisory from RIOC, alerting Roosevelt Islanders to the congestion. But that’s minor.
RIOC, we found out later, is already working on a solution for helping keep residents and visitors alert to Tram conditions.
“One thing we are working on is live-streaming the Tram platforms on our website so folks can check line conditions before departing for travel,” Communications Director Bryant Daniels told us. “We’re hoping to roll that out soon.”
Lance A. Polivy, Vice President for Legal Affairs
I do not usually write ahead of the week’s rhythm. Fridays suit an old woman. They allow time for tea, rereading, and the small mercy of correcting one’s own excessive cleverness. But this cannot wait for Friday.
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