Although it hasn’t been publicized, RIOC meets a serious demand. Seniors and individuals with disabilities can now access a Tram cabin with priority boarding. Here’s how it works.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Priority Boarding: It’s Simple
On busy days, the biggest challenge for priority boarding may be getting to the upper level platform at 2nd Avenue. Take the elevator to avoid getting jammed behind tourist traffic.
- It’s not a freebie. At either entry point, use your MetroCard or OMNY as usual. Instead of going through to the usual boarding area, rotate the turnstile without entering. This makes sure that someone behind you doesn’t go in free.
- Next, go to the area where the next cabin will be letting passengers out. If unsure, wait until you see the next approaching.
- Stay away from the doors, so that you won’t get caught up in the surge of passengers getting off.
- Once all of the passengers have exited, go in through the exit door while it remains open. The operators know about priority boarding and will wait for you. If you’re lucky, as I was, a station manager will escort you in.
It’s that simple. In my experience, Leitner-POMA is doing a great job with this. In two trips, I did not encounter a single snag. We will leave it to RIOC to explain why they have not taken a bow with this solution. It answers a serious need.
Tram crowding will continue because stemming the tourist flow is impossible. But, you can claim a seat or find a comfortable standing location.
My Two Trips
I used myself as a test subject before deciding to write this. Here’s what happened on two midday trips with lots of tourists clogging the system.
- Trip One, Roosevelt Island to 2nd Avenue: I lured a friend into joining me in this experiment. When the cabin came in, we stood like sentries on either side of the doors while the passengers swarmed out. The last exited, and we entered. We got a cheerful nod from the operator and *grabbed seats.
- Trip Two, 2nd Avenue to Roosevelt Island: The Leitner-POMA station manager saw me paying, then rotating the gate. “Senior,” I told him. He escorted me to the exit area for the next arriving cabin. He even hung around and chatted with me about wildfires and weather. Then, when the cabin emptied, he instructed the operator to give me time to board before the tourists crashed through.
*My companion on the first trip took things a little further. A family of tourists raced in to grab bench seats. She instructed them that these seats were reserved for seniors and disabled. I pointed out the sign which you can barely see and is rarely read. The father shrugged and claimed, “I’m disabled.” This experience explains why cabin operators are not enforcing reserved seating rules. They can’t be expected to fight unruly, impolite, uncaring visitors.
How You Can Help with Priority Boarding
First of all, spread the world because RIOC hasn’t. Second, take advantage.
The privilege extends to seniors and people with disabilities, but the guidelines are unclear. If you consider yourself an older adult, you probably qualify. What disabilities count? Safe to say, you don’t need to rely on a cane or wheelchair to have physical restrictions. Use good judgment.
Now that you’re aware of it, it’s important that you use priority boarding. When you don’t, you signal to RIOC that the privilege doesn’t matter. Now that you have it, use it.
Questions and concerns. RIOC’s excellent Constituent Services Department can help. A cheerful note of appreciation shared with Community Affairs Director Bryant Daniels (Bryant.Daniels@rioc.ny.gov) won’t hurt either.
What the Promenade Remembers
The light on the East River in the early morning is different from the light anywhere else on the Island. It comes in low and sideways, catching the water in long, uneven flashes. On certain days it makes the promenade feel less like a walkway and more like a corridor someone once meant to finish but never quite did. When I was younger I found the suggestion to stop and look at it faintly ridiculous.
