As dozens of exasperated riders discovered last evening, Roosevelt Island is now down to a single Red Bus for the entire community. Here’s what to expect and why.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
UPDATE: July 9th, 2024: As of last evening, the red bus crisis lessened temporarily because RIOC got a second bus up and running. Today, they say, two buses will run on fifteen minute schedules.
Caution: Either or both of these two could go down at any minute. They’re far beyond normal shelf life and only the innovative efforts of the Red Bus Team, now headed by Eddie Perez, have kept them on life support so far.
- Although RIOC failed to note this, Q102 buses continue servicing Roosevelt Island without any change. They are a great additional resource, especially for the north end with Coler and the Octagon. Free transfers at the subway and Tram.
- No word from RIOC regarding the Shoppers Bus. Will it run? Not run?
- So far, RIOC resists numerous appeals to supplement their fleet with leased vehicles. It’s more about cost than service at the tone deaf state agency.
A Single Red Bus: What to Expect
We’ll discuss how RIOC‘s gross mismanagement got us here, but first, here’s what you can expect going forward.
- Starting yesterday, another Red Bus broke down, reducing the so-called fleet to one. This is not a one-day event. Expect it to continue and and maybe get worse.
- The regular 15 minute schedule is out, and you can forget about the increased rush hour schedule. The overburdened drivers will go around as quickly as safely possible, but boarding and getting off crowded buses will slow things down.
- That single Red Bus covering all of Main Street will often be packed on its first stop in either direction. In many cases, it will bypass stops or become too full for new passengers.
- Courtesy is essential, both to the drivers who are in no way responsible, and to your fellow passengers.
- Parents and caregivers should avoid jamming the aisle with strollers. They are on wheels. Walk when you can. And give preference to frail or elderly passengers. That said, don’t expect universal cooperation. Me-first discourtesy has long been a problem in Roosevelt Island public transit.
- Tourists, promised a free bus tour online, will add to the misery.
- Those of us who can walk should walk.
- Bad weather, especially rain will invite misery. Carry an umbrella because you cannot count on a bus to save you.
- The threat of that single read bus breaking down is real. It’s as old and decrepit as the others already failing.
- RIOC’s interim leadership, which is mostly not at fault here, will scramble to get other buses up and running or to find alternatives. They have a plan in place for leasing back up buses, but it may take time to put in place.
Be of good spirit, folks. We’re still on Roosevelt Island, after all, and no other community has even a single Red Bus to gripe about.
How the Hell Did We Get Here
If you haven’t noticed that RIOC’s governance is a perfect example of What Not To Do and has been for years, you’ve probably been away or are a newcomer. The governor’s office manages this train wreck, and the political mix has been toxic. By law, its board oversees the operations, but the board’s a primeval shitshow, the one place where you can still find angry dinosaurs in New York.
The governor’s guidance has been so bad that most of RIOC’s executives are either on suspension or working elsewhere. The best and worst have gone, and those left are underpowered and understaffed.
While the governor’s office and her board perch on their thumbs. The remaining executives are trying to solve a mess not of their making. But although it’s a smart crowd who will do their best, they can’t repair a dumpster fire that’s already done its damage.
The damage…
Although RIOC knew the “fleet” was deteriorating, old and suffering through some of the worst pavement in America apart from gravel and dirt roads, the bosses did nothing. Maybe it was too much for an administration busy firing capable managers while ballooning its salaries. Think of all the time needed for banking and investing.
The fleet got down to five before interim management took over in January. Under Dhru Amin and Gerrald Ellis, they acted on new buses immediately. Ordered in March, two new buses – still not enough – will not be delivered until early next year. Hence, trouble ahead.
After some public prodding, the executives have tentative plans for bringing in leased buses. Whether those are adequate or are the best alternative are unanswered questions.
What we do know is that Governors Cuomo, then Hochul have screwed Roosevelt Island for political reasons. Being a patronage dump is not conducive to good governance, but it’s what our state leaders unloaded on us.
We’re paying for it and will for years ahead.
Still Searching: Transparency Delayed at RIOC
New York’s Freedom of Information Law rests on a basic principle: government records belong to the public unless an agency can identify a lawful reason to withhold them. For Roosevelt Island residents, that right matters because RIOC controls public land, infrastructure, transportation, contracts and development without functioning as a locally elected government.
