Dear Editor:
An open letter to the NJ/NY Port Authority PATH:
You recently promoted extended service up until 9:30 a.m. at the Hoboken terminal a few weeks ago. Well in the last few weeks, nothing has changed to the Hob-WTC route after 9:10 a.m.
You have a 9:20 train which leaves Hoboken, usually early, leaving many people to wait for 10 minutes for the next train. At 9:30 a.m. the next train leaves Hoboken that takes 15 minutes to get to the WTC (should only be approximately eight minutes). The 9:30 train waits at Exchange Place for approximately five minutes, valuable time wasted for me!
In addition, you pull a Hoboken-WTC train out of service each day at approximately 9:25 a.m. at Hoboken station, even though the Hoboken platform at that time is crowded with 300-400 people.
It appears that your train conductors are more concerned with taking “trains out of service” and trying to get off work, rather than their job functions (getting people back and forth under the Hudson).
You recently changed the PATH TV displays placing the clock at the bottom, this was a welcomed change. Now, I get a better chance to see if the trains are early, late, etc. Next, it would be nice to inform the folks when the next train will be arriving on these displays (tie into the signal system).
Your organization’s claims of low funding budgets cannot be very relevant. You now have commuter PATH traffic both ways across the Hudson that did not exist a few years ago (it’s very crowded each way). Perhaps keep a closer eye on the existing budget (ie, hire more younger conductors, cheaper, and give packages to veterans for early retirement). The recent idea to raise the PATH to $2 is a joke, your service is terrible.
Note, you should display your web e-mail addresses on the PATH TVs. I think most commuters would be very happy to give you additional feedback (unless you like to hide behind your obscure web site).
Remember the profits from the WTC complex should be shared with the PATH; the WTC is built on former PATH land. If the land was not present in the 70s, there would be no WTC today. Lastly, with all the bridge/tunnel tolls and fairs collected by the PA, what has the NY/NJ PA done lately for metro commuters (airports don’t count, international travel). If all the money collected goes to PA salaries, something is wrong. Building new tunnels/bridges is a major role of your organization. Otherwise disband PA and split assets handing them over to the NY and NJ states. Metro commuters are currently stuck with the NY/NJ Port that builds nothing.
Although at one time in the 1960s you folks appeared to do a lot of large scale building (that was 40 years ago). What are all those engineers on your PA payroll exactly doing these days??
TH