Can someone explain to me what this means?
Should I walk over to Pavornia to take the PATH instead of waiting at Grove? When (at night, during the day) is the work being done? huh?

PATHAlert
9/25/2009 5:36:26 PM
September 26 PATH will perform major switch replacement work. Trains traveling to 33rd Street will operate via Exchange Place. Please allow additional travel time.

An attempt to bring this thread back on track...

Has anyone else noticed an increase in PATH cars without AC?? All Summer long, I have noticed an increase in the amount of trains that pull in with a car that is lacking proper AC. Riding in a sweltering car is just a terrible way to start (or finish) a work day.

Is this a natural result from the PA's move towards new trains? For all I know, the PA may have decided to cut back on maintenance and repairs to existing trains as new ones are phased in.

And, YES, I realize that if you walk into a car with a broken AC you could just switch at the next station, but that is hard to do at busy stations during rush hour, or when saddled with bags, a bicycle or other carry-ons.

We have created an independent survey of PATH train service.

PATHSUX

Plus fill out a survey and voice your concerns.

Already 700+ responses, and it has only been up 3 weeks.

My favorite was yesterday. The train pulled into 23rd st Station with "yellow" lights atop and JSQ in the middle. Well after 14th/9th/ and Christopher street the doors closed. Then and only then did they make the announcement " Hoboken next stop." No one bothered to change the lights and/or signs. Loved that one. Oh by the way it was 1/2 my fault but I was reading and did not pay attention. Just the same I say

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Yes the PATH does leave the initial departure station at the percise time of stated departure. Sometimes the PATH does wait and Transit usually waits till the minute arrives.

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No, this is not how rapid transit systems work. The PATH leaves from its terminus at a scheduled time, but does not wait in between the terminus stations unless held by the dispatch for a specific reason. This is how the New York City subway operates, and nearly every other rapid transit system in the world.

You know what's worse than a train running late a train running early. The PATH can run 2 minutes early so be sure to be there earlier than on time. N.J. Transit states that on their schedules. If the train does arrive early it should wait till the minute strikes before they pull out.

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Bring a pair of snipps that'll learn them !

Aren't they supposed to be improving the PATH...?

I love the insertion of that there "(mostly Indian)".

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I mostly agree with you, but I'm going to confess that I've started carrying a backpack to work. I bring work home with me nearly every night, and between carting all of that paperwork back and forth and carrying my lunch and my shoes, a purse (even a big woman's totebag) just wasn't big enough (plus it got really heavy on my shoulder).

I promise I try not to whack people with my bag, and when the train is crowded I take the backpack off and carry it in front of me.

Also, I know I probably look really dorky. I considered this, and decided that I just don't care =)

p.s. I'm not an Indian man.

My favorite backpackers are the ones that act like they've forgotten it's back there. @$#@$@#$@$%^^!!!!!!

those (mostly Indian) men with the backpacks are probably the worst thing about the Path. It's amazing they don't realize how huge they are and that they hit evvvveerrything

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I've often wondered if the real reason for such loud announcements was to make it uncomfortable for any homeless people to sleep in the stations. They sure are annoying as hell.

i don't know if it's my route or my timing but i don't think i have heard these beyond a couple of times over a bunch of years.

what could drive me mental are the backpacks. unless you are paying a double fare, please remove your dorky backpack from your back and make room for others. you are a space hog.

oh wait, deep breaths, deep breaths.

They drive me #OOPS#ing batshit insane. Late night on weekends when I have to wait 40 minutes between trains I swear to god I can't get 2 #OOPS#ing minutes of quiet. They are so god damned loud and I have to hear the same shit 10 times #OOPS# those announcements. I don't know why I haven't written PATH yet.

Not for nothing but if those recordings are really about to make you "go postal" then I think you need to find an alternate way to work. Or invest in some nice noise-reducing headsets or listen to music or something. Deep breaths.

I'm not sure what you were expecting them to tell you, but for company, be sure to visit PATHSUX.com.

I've been riding Path now for 2 years, twice a day every day. Those stupid annoying public announcements are so irritating. And this weekend I had just had enough, after missing the train by seconds and then having to wait for over 10 minutes. I got an earful of that goddam public announcement 3 times while I waited. Enough to drive anyone to murder. I was about to go postal. I decided to do something constructive and write the Path Authority and explain to them the faults and annoyances of their PAs. You wouldn't believe the insane response I received. They actually think those PAs are useful and responsible for a positive change in Path ridership behavior.

Pasted below is my letter [a], then the Path's response [b] , and then my last rebuttal [c].


[a]
Dear Path,
Id like to ask you to please change the Path station public announcements. As a regular Path user at least 2x a day and sometimes 3x a day, I have to express that those PAs are VERY annoying. Often times they are loud. They are too long and they are played way too often. I timed it, every 8 mins. On weekends with 10 min or longer service, I have to be subjected to the PA twice while standing waiting for the train. Is it really necessary to bombard regular commuters with the same lengthy, irritating, and repetitive announcement? I seriously hear that PA at least 2x or 3x in 1 day every day. Yes I know the police are working hard. Although thats debatable. Yes I do keep Path clean. I dont throw trash anywhere without a trash receptacle. But alas, there are no trash cans in any Path station. And I think everyone with a Smartcard is pretty aware on how to refill their cards. PLEASE, change it up, shorten it, break it up into several shorter PAs. But PLEASE Its sickening.


[b]
Dear Mr. Smith,

Much effort has been expended in improving the PA system within PATH and now announcements are clearly heard by everyone. Volume is adjusted periodically to ensure that it is not too high or too low. The announcement you are referring to are critical since they refer to safety, security, and courtesy. We are confident that the message has been responsible for an improvement in the general behavior of our many thousands of commuters. It's a reminder that needs to be made!

Sincerely,

PATH Customer Service


[c]
Path CS,
Are you kidding me? I mean seriously, SAFETY?! I fail to see how that irritating PA message has anything to do with safety. Telling me that my bags might be inspected. I KNOW THAT ALREADY. Maybe someone at Port Authority THINKS those PAs are doing something, but they are not, with the exception of driving people to go postal. Do you even ride the Path train? I have been riding for 2 years now, 365 days a year. Sometimes you play different announcements and some are more tolerable than others. But the one you have been playing for so many months now with Debbie Duhaim and before her some more annoying voice of Ernie Wagonbleisster or something like that is just so incredibly annoying and it runs too long.

As a regular daily Path commuter, not only have I asked you to make changes for the comfort and sanity of your ridership, but I've given you suggestions. The current PA runs too long. It's like one sickeningly long run-on sentence that plays way too frequently. Try breaking it up into 2 or 3 different announcements. Rotate them. I think it would have a much better impact like that. And for those of us who ride Path and have to stand there and be blasted by it every 8 minutes, it would be a lot more tolerable to not hear the same announcement each time.

Thank you for listening. Although I think you guys don't really care about your rider's comfort and well being. Perhaps if you actually rode Path you'd think differently and totally get it.

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Maybe you should really listen to what people are saying about the name of your survey. If you REALLY want PATH's management to listen I don't think sending them results from a survey called PATHSUX is going to get their attention.

If I was acting like a jerkoff and my friends did a survey called KITTENSUX and sent it to me, I don't even think I would read it past the title. Now, if they sent me something that said THE KITTEN SURVEY I would actually read it and maybe take to heart what they were getting at.

that was so stupid. but you know what I am saying. I think what you did is a good idea, but just LISTEN to the criticism... it will help you!

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I noticed that too on a new train the other day - the ends of the car were hot as hell but the middle was at least 15 degrees cooler.

I generally like the PATH, and I'm not much of a complainer. But what's up with this...the other day I was on one of the NEW trains, and the air conditioning didn't work in the car I was in!

I was standing near the conductor, so I asked him ... is the air conditioner broken on this NEW train? He said "Yup ... leave it to Port Authority". Unbelievable. It's a brand new train.

Maybe it's just me but I think the PATH is pretty solid. Trains run much more frequently during rush hour than any NYC subway line I have ever ridden. As for crowding, what mass transit avenue isnt crowded as it approaches Manhattan?

Weekends arent great but if you are resourceful enough to use a tool like nynj.net it isnt really much of an inconvenience.
I really dont get the path hate.

good point. because advertisers don't want to advertise there, i guess. it may not make sense for them (though i would disagree.)

when that cool animated flip-book-movie-like thingy in the tunnel launched several years ago, i thought all sorts of advertisers would jump at it. it was pretty cool! i don't even think it exists anymore.

and pathsux ain't helping.

Here is what I do not understand. The MTA changes it's ads in the subway all the time. If they charge for ads on the subways and buses why not the Path. They have the same ads, as few as they are, for years. There is no reason to have just ads about the Path. Make some money here guys.

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I agree - you could do a lot of good with this. I forwarded it to my friend at Port Authority who forwarded it to the Head of PR - so clearly they're aware of it. Good luck with it, but be careful to not seem so Michael Moore-ish.

Then i highly recommend you reevaluate your methodology so you can make a credible point. You seem to be putting a lot of time and effort into this so it's worth doing it on the up-and-up.

But as I mentioned before, even though it's not a legitimate survey, it just might get some attention, so good luck with it!

Survey results will be forwarded to PATH mgmt, state comptroller, public advocate, news outlets, and others.

The idea is to shine a light on PATH management's incompetence, and hopefully get them to get their act together and actually do something to improve their service NOW.

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Curious as to what the objectives of the survey are. If it's just to find the company of fellow disgruntled riders, then cool, but beyond that, what's the point? What are you planning on doing with the results?

Interestingly every question on the pathsux.com survey is every grip I have with PATH. So glad I'm not the only one who feel these things. You'd never know.