LIRR talks transit, transition in Queens Lieber says increased and improved service offers valuable travel options

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

It’s easy to think of Manhattan when discussing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Nassau County when discussing the Long Island Rail Road.

But the state of transportation in Queens and its future were subject to a good deal of discussion last Thursday morning when MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber met with the press in the LIRR’s Jamaica Central Control Building overlooking Jamaica Station.

Along with general conversations about the agency’s budget and hardening the system to extreme weather conditions, topic items particular to Queens included the attempt to rebuild the old Rockaway rail line; plans to rework the borough’s entire bus system; reduced LIRR fares for city residents; and updates on refurbishing or replacing old diesel locomotives in the New York & Atlantic rail yard in Glendale.

The hour-plus on-the-record conversation took place in the room where LIRR officials convene to handle potential emergency situations, such as the storm on Sept. 29 that dumped more than 8 inches of rain on some parts of Queens.

Other officials on hand included new interim LIRR President Robert Free, MTA

Free, on his first day on the job, has seen the LIRR from all levels.

“I started as station cleaner,” he said. “I’m proud of that.”

Lieber said the MTA’s operating finances are in good shape thanks largely to funding negotiated with the Legislature by Gov. Hochul.

“This is a big year and a big moment for the Long Island Rail Road,” Lieber said. “One, ridership is back in a huge way. When

I started in this job title a few years go, we had 3.3 million riders in one month. Now we are pushing 6 million. In recent weeks we’ve had both the best week we’ve had since the pandemic and we’ve had the best single day, with 249,000 rides. I don’t think anyone at the height of the pandemic — and this is also true of MetroNorth — thought that the rail roads would be coming back before the subways. But they are.”

Another key point, he said, is that the LIRR is hitting its stride in terms of service.

“We had a schedule adjustment to serve Grand Central Madison, when we grew service dramatically,” he said. But he said even on Sept. 29, with torrential rains that dumped more than 8 inches on some parts of Queens, the LIRR had a 96 percent ontime performance.

Specifically mentioning Queens, Lieber spoke of the City Ticket program, which allows residents to travel within the five boroughs for $7 for peak trips and $5 for off-peak rides. He said it benefits both residents and the railroad.

“It lets us say to people who before weren’t using the railroad very much, for them from where we are in Jamaica, you can maybe take 18 to 20 minutes to get to Penn Station or Grand Central, instead of taking continued on page 17