To the Residents of Roosevelt Island:

I would like to tell the community about the island's transportation system.

The agency is taking a close look at the effectiveness of its existing transportation resources. Currently, there are three public agencies that fund no fewer than four overlapping transportation services. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, through its subsidiary, the New York City Transit Authority, funds the subway system; RIOC funds both the fleet of red buses and the tram; and, the New York City Department of Transportation funds the Queens Surface Q102 bus.

The island's transportation system is running at a deficit. In 1996, the red buses and tram had a deficit of over $1.3 million, and the funds spent running the tram were responsible for most of this cost. RIOC had a transportation deficit of more than $4 million from 1993 to 1996!

It is obvious that something needs to be done. This was not lost on the New York State Comptroller who, in his March 1996 audit of the agency, recommended that the agency reduce its deficit.

This should come as a surprise to no one who has followed the development of Roosevelt Island; the tram itself was built only as a temporary means of transportation, meant to be used only until the subway opened, something originally planned for 1976. Were it not for the City's financial crisis of the 1970's, which delayed the subway opening until 1989, it is likely that the tram would not be with us at all today. When the subway did open, Rosina Abramson, then President of RIOC, announced that it would be difficult to justify funding the tram beyond another year.

In February 1997, I requested community input on the island's transportation system. The comments that were made at the community forum held at Good Shepherd, and the surveys that were submitted to RIOC afterward, demonstrated the residents' fondness for the tram. Over the last year we have taken measures to reduce RIOC's transportation deficit. We are implementing the Comptroller's recommendations, and we look forward to seeing greater efficiency.

A more efficient and cost effective means of running the tram must be implemented to further reduce the annual transportation deficit. RIOC has asked the MTA for assistance in tackling redundant services on the island, and they have been helpful. Therefore, your input on issues like the metrocard will prove useful as we continue discussions with the MTA concerning the red buses and tram. In the June issue of RIOC News, a questionnaire about the metrocard is available and I invite you to fill it out and submit it to RIOC.

Sincerely,
Jerome H. Blue, Ph.D.
President/Chief Operating Officer

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