Give BRT Plans Credit
To the Editor:

Jim Callaghan's sweeping and provocative critique of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Aug. 15 issue) falls short in its analysis of the start-up of Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, on the #12 line in northern Manhattan and the Bronx this summer.

He laments the "half-hearted deal going on in parts of The Bronx and Staten Island," and blames Mayor Bloomberg for the shortfall. However, most of the funding for five BRT demonstration corridors will come from the MTA's capital budget. But this BRT MTA/NYC joint venture was slated to receive about one-third of the $354 million in Federal funds that was due to be allocated to the city had Albany not eliminated the Mayor's congestion pricing legislative proposal.

The city Department of Transportation will pursue Federal funds to supplement the $21 million that the MTA has proposed for the five BRT corridors through 2009. This demonstration project is set to run through 2011.

It is clear that these five routes are not enough. We are trailing the 29 routes set by the Los Angeles County MTA. But let's not deny an auspicious beginning. Nor should we forget that the proposed 34th Street corridor and the Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island corridor (2011), will both be bus lanes that are fully separated by physical barriers from the other lanes in the roadway. Many transportation advocacy groups believe that this is the way to go, including the Straphangers' Campaign, Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Transportation Alternatives, which have all lobbied vigorously in support of NYC/BRT for many years.

Regrettably, a bill to place cameras mounted on buses in BRT corridors to photograph the license plates of cars and trucks illegally parked in the five demonstration corridors was recently defeated in Albany. The failure to approve bus lane enforcement cameras will definitely slow the speeds of BRT buses. NYC Councilwoman Gale Brewer, to her credit, has been actively seeking bus-mounted cameras to fine illegal parkers in bus lanes since 2006. They have proven to work effectively in London.

The coming of BRT service also brings labor issues to the fore. There will be a new security force needed to board buses to see if passengers have purchased tickets from the myriad of MetroCard and coin-accepting machines that are being deployed on the sidewalks near bus stops along the corridor. These vending machines issue proof of payment slips that passengers must present if so requested to by the new fare evasion agents. Without proof of payment slips, passengers are subject to a $100 fine.

While small in number now, this force will grow. Surely, Transport Workers Union Local 100 will seek to organize fare evasion agents, and to bring this new title into the New York City Transit contract. Similarly, BRT will offer substantial new work to the Revenue Equipment Maintainer titles in the OA/TA ranks, and may lead to a workforce expansion.

Yes, the transponders that will allow bus operators to extend the length of a steady green signal, or to prematurely end a steady red signal to insure faster bus movement in BRT lanes will please "the bean-counters" at the MTA, as Callaghan wryly observes. But his failure to applaud the coming of BRT to NYC, despite many obstacles, detracts from an otherwise well-turned and stimulating review of important area transportation issues.

RUSSELL SMITH