{"id":54694,"date":"2021-03-05T12:15:41","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T17:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/?p=54694"},"modified":"2022-06-07T17:16:52","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T21:16:52","slug":"smart-td-officer-new-york-senators-object-to-lirr-service-reductions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/smart-td-officer-new-york-senators-object-to-lirr-service-reductions\/","title":{"rendered":"SMART-TD officer, New York senators object to LIRR service reductions","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
SMART Transportation Division Alternate Vice President and General Chairperson Anthony Simon and eight New York state senators took the CEO and chairman of the New York Metropolitan Transit Agency to task for planned service reductions for the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).
\nThe carrier plans to reduce weekday service to the equivalent of a weekend schedule beginning March 8, a move described by state Sen. James Gaughran and seven colleagues as operating LIRR as a \u201cskeleton service.\u201d
\n\u201cWe urge you to reconsider this decision and withhold implementation of the planned service reduction,\u201d the senators wrote in their letter, dated March 3. \u201cThese ridership cuts will negatively impact countless essential workers, like the workers of the MTA, who rely on public transportation to earn a living, support their families, and contribute to our economy.\u201d
\nIn his letter dated Feb. 24, Simon communicated to MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick Foye that this course of action also did not seem to be a sound strategy as a potential spring economic awakening for New York City appears to be approaching.
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