Sep. 30, 2023
Sometimes, we Malayalees in Keralam cut a joke on our local transport system. After seeing off someone, usually, to the Middle East or to far-east places like Malaysia, Singapore or Hongkong, we say that the time taken for the air trip and the trip back home would be almost the same, indicating the road or traffic conditions of our place.
New York has an excellent network of subway trains, suburban trains, city and suburban buses, and ferries most of them linked to MTA (Metro Transit Authority). Most of them can be accessed by the single Metro Card, which appears the same to me since I first used it in 2001. In those days one trip without any break (i.e., stepping out at any station), but with a single transfer (i.e., bus to subway, subway to ferry, or perhaps even bus to bus), was of $1.5, today it is $2.75. There is a day pass with which you could make any number of trips for a day (ONE day $1500; TWO day $1900; THREE day $ 2200) which are very affordable, provided you have plans to move around in and around the city, and know where to go.
Yesterday, September 29th, New York witnessed rainfall, aid to be very unusual. In some parts of the city, it rained 6 inches, and in our part of the outskirts of New York, about 5 inches, which is said to be a month’s rain in a day.
And I had plans to reach V Avenue at 42nd Street so as to experience my first encounter with the famous Broadway shows. [This time, it was indeed in my wish-list, and it was likely that I would have had an experience, as my newly found Salesian friend Fr. Geo, a Ph D scholar in education, serving a neighbouring parish had assured me that he would make arrangements for an affordable ticket for one of the current shows. Then came the message from Vijay, who said that he was coming to New York for a few days. When I matched our days, the only day available to me to be with him was the day of his arrival — i.e., 29th. I welcomed him to come to the Rectory, see our century plus old church (of a parish 175 years old — hopefully, more of it later). and go. Then he asked if there was some suggestion on my part regarding what to be done/seen in New York. This set me thinking — of course, New York has any number of attractions that can engage one for week or two — museums, parks, beaches, buildings, churches, theatre shows…. But I concluded that statue of liberty should be one iconic item a visitor should see, then I suggested ground zero, and if time permits, its 9/11 museum. (This is the industriousness of New York. A terrible tragedy has now been converted into a source of national unity, courage and inspiration, and a centre of attraction which itself is a good business!). Then it occurred me to suggest also the Broadway shows of which I have heard many go ga-ga, but which I could never see, because of my standards of affordability. Then it all happened quickly, Vijay made up his mind to watch one of the top-rated shows — Hamilton or The Book of Mormons, and after doing some superficial survey, I said my preference would be Hamilton. My friend Geo has some access to some concessional tickets to the shows, So I checked with him if his channel could work in this matter — but, no. This was beyond any such possibilities. It was the most highly rated play playing now for almost 10 years plus, and still going houseful. Vijay acts quickly. He informs that two tickets have been reserved. Naturally, I think it is on him.
Then he also suggests a dinner somewhere to which also I was not averse, but indicated that his arriving at 2 pm, then checking in at the hotel, and then arriving at Manhattan from Queens may take some time. But there he goes, and books a table for both of us at Burger & Lobster, near Bryant Park.]
It was indeed raining cats and dogs or worse on 29th. A funeral was concluded with the Church ceremonies, and the body was to be buried by the funeral home people, with no relatives being present. My well-meaning priest friends advise me that it would be better I cancel the program and reaching the town would be really tough, and if one is getting stranded somewhere, it may be really chaotic, with the church to be opened next day, and the mass to be said at 7 am.
But I ventured out in the rain — there was news of flood all around. My confrere Sebastian who tried to come over to our place to meet me, had to go back as the roads were flooded. I put on my wind-cheater and over that the thin pocket raincoat (which I had not been able to fold into my pocket in spite of my many attempts). Got a №42 bus which took me in the rain, almost without much delay to subway station at 241 Street. We didn’t come across any flooding. There was train no. 2 waiting in the subway, but it was being announced that on account of the floods, the service would stop at 110 St. When I checked the map, I found it was in central park, and only a few miles away from 42nd street. If needed, walkable, and that would serve as my work out. But once out on the 110 street, I found the bus stop in the direction of 42nd street, and there appeared to be several buses going that way. So, it was cool, and in about 300 metres I was at Bryant Park, and another 10 minutes of figuring out, I could be comfortably there at Burgers and Lobsters at sharp 5.30 pm.
By the time, we were free from the Hamilton play, it was almost 10.30 pm. And we reach the 42nd street station near Bryant Park, and without any delay, there is a no. 7 train, 2 stops later we part out ways, I get down to catch a №6 train which takes me to Pelham Bay Park where I find Fr Biju waiting for me (in spite of his long journey from London after his vacation), and we hit our residence by 1200.
But the rain was so heavy that the effect was to continue for the next day, when I had to fly out to Denver from Newark airport, New Jersey. It appeared that I was not getting any ride to Newark airport, about 45 to 50 miles away. My flight is at 6.20 pm. So, I plan to start in advance pack my things, and walk almost half a mile to the bus stop of Church Street. There was supposed to be a bus no. 42 at 11.59. On Saturdays, there is a special schedule, and the frequency is much less when compared to the weekdays. I arrive at 11.57 am. But the bus does not appear to be anywhere around. After 25 minutes of wait, a bus no. 60 arrives. When I ask for help the driver is not very forthcoming with guidance 0 perhaps, our communication does not really match.
I ask someone for guidance, and most of them appear not to be familiar with English. I get a black woman to give me some idea, and she suggests a stop from where I could walk a block and get a No. 5 train. So, I get prepared to get down, and then the driver intervenes and says he would tell me where to get down to catch a subway train. I agree, as I think the driver would be more familiar. Now the bus stops at almost every crossroad, and at almost every cross road there are signals. The bus stop is just before the signal, and driver is very calm about that. He sees that everyone gets out, and everyone gets in, gets sufficient time and ease to swipe their tickets or insert their coins, by when the traffic signal turns red, and he is least perturbed. I feel the system is good and customer friendly but I get worries about the delay. Finally, he drops me at the train station at 233rd street, where I could get either No. 2 or No. 5 trains. The trip of less than 10 miles takes almost an hour.
After a wait of almost 15 minutes, I get a No. 2 train which appears quite unwilling to move. At a later stop, where I read that it is possible to get an express train No. 5, I get down wait another 10 minutes to get an express train 5, which takes me to Grand Central station quite fast. I am there by about 2.15 pm. I feel there is no time to go for cheaper modes, and seek directions for the Air Port shuttle, and just about 500 metres on Lexington Avenue of 41st street. I meet the driver and he is all set to go, and the ticket can be taken by paying him then and there. I pay $21.50. The coach starts off with just 6 or 7 passengers, it takes a turn, makes two more stops not far from the starting point, and to my surprise the bus is almost full. It crosses Lincoln tunnel, runs smoothly for less than an hour, and we are dropped at the terminal of our choice at Newark, well ahead of time.
But the commuting by public transport for less than 40 miles in the commercial capital of the world takes me 3 hours and 20 minutes. On any given day, if I were to take the example of Keralam, the 40 odd kilometres from my residence in Kochi would have taken, a maximum of 2 hours, perhaps, with a last leg being done in an autorickshaw. However, for our Kochi airport, we get an AC electric bus shuttle from Aluva which would take just about 30 minutes to reach the airport, reducing almost half hour in the expected total. I feel that generally, the public transport system in Keralam is much more easily accessible, though it could still be drastically improved.
I observe that in New York, now almost everyone is using one app or another to track the public transport system. Two senior women to whom I spoke at the New Rochelle bus stop, could give me some information by looking at the app, though I thought they would be a generation far away from such app-culture.
Had I used my own car or had someone dropped me, for the gas burned it would have cost a maximum of $15, and perhaps, less than 90 minutes one way. Here I spent about $25 one way, and nearly three and half hours! But I saved from adding almost another 30 kilos of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, is that a poor consolation? Have I been ‘penny wise and pound foolish’ in trying to experiment with public transport?
In the huge city of New York, almost every part is connected by public transport. Only that the frequency of the buses, varies with routes, days and timings. There are separate schedules for regular day, Saturday and Sunday (or holidays). They are all available on the app. At each of the numerous bus stops (usually every 100 to 200 mts), these schedules for the buses passing that way are displayed, with the arrival time. So if the commuter is keen, s/he could definitely make plans to reach the nearest bus stop in time, and even track the arrival of a particular bus, thus avoiding the waiting time at the bus stop. I found that during peak hours, there are several people making use of this service. I found the buses full - sitting and standing. However, at the bus stops, they queue up, and each one is given adequate time to get in, get one's metro card swiped, or throw in coins, and get a card for the ride (+1 transfer to a different bus or subway). Sometimes, people indicate they had forgotten to bring the card along, or had no sufficient small coins, but the driver seemed to let them make use of the service. The bus stops if there is someone to board the bus at the stop, or if a commuter rings the bell for the stop. In the Yonkers and New Rochelle area of Westchester, the bus was used mostly by people belonging to Hispanic or black communities..
No comments:
Post a Comment