S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  5506

                       2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              May 26, 2011
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. PERKINS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation

AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to enacting  the
  metropolitan transportation authority rider's bill of rights

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The public authorities law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
section 1266-j to read as follows:
  S  1266-J.  METROPOLITAN  TRANSPORTATION  AUTHORITY  RIDER'S  BILL  OF
RIGHTS.  ALL MEMBERS OF NEW YORK CITY'S TRANSIT RIDING PUBLIC  HAVE  THE
RIGHT TO:
  1. RELIABLE, ON-TIME, AFFORDABLE AND EFFICIENT TRANSIT.
  2.  ACCESS  TO ACCURATE, REAL-TIME INFORMATION AND CLEAR ANNOUNCEMENTS
ABOUT WHEN TRAINS AND BUSES WILL ARRIVE AND INFORMATION  CONCERNING  ANY
SIGNIFICANT  SERVICE  DELAYS BEFORE SWIPING A METROCARD, OR UPON ARRIVAL
AT A BUS STOP. IF A BUS, SUBWAY, OR COMMUTER RAIL  TRAIN  IS  MORE  THAN
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATE, UPDATED SERVICE INFORMATION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE
VIA  INTERNET,  EMAIL OR TEXT MESSAGE TO SUBSCRIBERS, P.A. ANNOUNCEMENTS
ON SUBWAY PLATFORMS, AND ELECTRONIC  MESSAGE  BOARDS  ON  COMMUTER  RAIL
PLATFORMS.
  3. A MORE ACCESSIBLE TRANSIT SYSTEM, WITH LEVEL BOARDING FOR BUSES AND
WORKING ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS WITHIN ALL SUBWAY STATIONS.
  4.  SAFE AND WELL-LIT SUBWAY AND BUS FACILITIES, WITH MTA EMPLOYEES ON
HAND TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND RESPOND IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
  5.  CLEAN,  REGULARLY  MAINTAINED  MTA  FACILITIES  INCLUDING   SUBWAY
STATIONS, SUBWAY CARS, BUSES AND BUS STOPS.
  6.  HELPFUL,  COURTEOUS  SERVICE  FROM STATION AGENTS, BUS DRIVERS AND
OTHER MTA EMPLOYEES.
  7. TRANSPARENT AND EASILY-USED LINES OF COMMUNICATION  BETWEEN  RIDERS
AND  THE  MTA  WITH  MECHANISMS  IN  PLACE TO ADDRESS RIDER CONCERNS AND
COMPLAINTS.  CONVENIENT AND PROMINENTLY LOCATED BUS, TRAIN, AND  STATION

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD09843-02-1
              

S. 5506                             2

POSTERS  WILL  PROVIDE  THE  INFORMATION NEEDED TO REGISTER COMMENTS AND
COMPLAINTS WHICH WILL BE RESPONDED TO BY TOP LEVEL MANAGEMENT.
  8.  FARE  HIKES  THAT ARE ONLY ENACTED AS A LAST RESORT WHEN ALL OTHER
FUNDING OPTIONS HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED, AS WELL AS STABLE FUNDING  FOR  THE
MTA FROM THE STATE AND CITY, IN GOOD ECONOMIC TIMES AND BAD.
  9.  OFFICIAL PRIORITIZATION OF THE OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVE-
MENT OF THE EXISTING TRAIN AND BUS NETWORK BEFORE ITS EXPANSION.
  10. A MINIMUM OF ONE TRANSIT WORKER AND ONE TRANSIT  RIDER  AS  VOTING
MEMBERS OF THE MTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
  S  2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
ing the date on which it shall have become a law.