Subway Hate Crimes Rose Last Year

Now, the MTA wants you to report these [View this email in your browser]( The MTA Is Urging Riders To Report Hate Crimes Plus: More summonses went to cyclists than truck drivers last year. Andy Byford's signal guru has also resigned. And we came up with 12 candidates for an official subway mascot. By [James Ramsay](mailto:james@wnyc.org?subject=We%20the%20Commuters) Shumita Basu In 2019, the NYPD Transit Bureau investigated 75 hate crimes — a 42% increase from the previous year. On the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North, and Staten Island Railway, 26 additional hate crimes came under investigation. And with a series of [high-profile anti-Semitic attacks]( occurring our region in the last couple months, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ramping up the state's effort to combat hate crimes. That includes a digital campaign, appearing on 4,000 screens across the subway, bus, and commuter rail network, urging New Yorkers to be respectful — and report hate crimes (or harassment or graffiti). "The point of this campaign is to raise awareness first," said MTA Chairman Pat Foye, announcing the new campaign at Grand Central Terminal. "Perhaps in some cases to change behavior, but also to make clear… that this is unacceptable on the MTA system." The MTA’s website now has [tips on what to do if you witness a possible hate crime]( including writing down as many details as possible and taking a photo. "We want everyone to feel safe," said Sarah Meyer, Chief Customer Officer at New York City Transit. "That being said, photos are helpful to investigations and so are videos." Last Friday night, a transgender woman who said she was attacked by two people on the C train [took a photo of her alleged assailants](. One arrest has been made in connection with that incident. Serena Daniari/[Twitter]( Other riders we asked about the MTA's campaign believe it'll have a positive effect. Frank Stechel, who wears a yarmulke and lives in Highland Park, New Jersey, recalled how he’d been punched on the train when he was younger in what he believes was a targeted act. "I think it’s great," said Stechel of the new messaging, adding that he would “definitely” call the hotline if he witnessed or experienced harassment again. But Claire Schweitzer from the Upper West Side was skeptical. She called it an example of "wanting to say you're doing something but not actually committing to making any real change." She said she would rather see the MTA allocate more staff and resources toward addressing hate crimes instead of putting the onus on riders to report. Commuters who’ve witnessed harassment should call the New York State Hate Crimes Task Force (1-888-392-3644), text “HATE” to 81336, or email/text tips@mtahq.org. If the crime is in progress, these digital billboards say to contact an MTA employee or police officer or to call 911 immediately. — [Reporting by Shumita Basu]( Not A Hate Crime, But Still, Come On Nia Meadows Somebody spread peanut butter on a pole on the A train. Then it happened again. And then it happened again! And [these three instances]( — one of which affected a 19-year-old woman with a severe nut allergy — are just the ones we know about. Is someone (or a group of people) going around treating the subway system like one big slice of toast? If you have further information about the peanut butter poles, contact tips@gothamist.com. And if you're doing this, please stop. This Week's News From Gothamist And WNYC Adwait Patil/Gothamist The NYPD issued more moving violations to cyclists than truck drivers in all of 2019, despite the disproportionate involvement of trucks in traffic violence. The police department's new transportation chief, William Morris, mentioned the stat during a near-empty City Council hearing on Wednesday. [Truck drivers were responsible for 43 road deaths last year]( while cyclists — who make up barely 1 percent of all traffic — have been involved in five fatal collisions with pedestrians in the past decade. Hundreds of thousands more New York City residents can now get a half-priced MetroCard. A year after the Fair Fares program's botched rollout, the City Council announced this week that all of the [roughly 800,000 New Yorkers living at or below the federal poverty line]( can apply online for a discounted pay-per-ride, weekly unlimited, and 30-day unlimited cards. Another bedbug was found in the Forest Hills-71st Avenue subway control tower this week. This comes after bedbugs were spotted there last week and prompted a temporary shutdown of the tower — and widespread delays during the evening rush. "The MTA habitually puts service before employee safety, said Tramell Thompson, an MTA conductor and union activist. ["You think MTA Chairman Pat Foye would work in his office if a bedbug was found?"]( Somebody got shortlisted for an award for designing a nightmarish airplane seating arrangement. You know the sets of seats on Amtrak and commuter trains that face each other? One designer pitched doing that on airplanes, but with the seats smushed close enough together that [you'd have to pretzel-weave your legs with the person across from you](. The Crystal Cabin Awards, an earnest prize for airplane design, for some reason put the idea on its 2020 shortlist. What Else We're Reading Andy Byford wasn't the only transit leader to quit last week; the expert on signals whom Byford appointed also resigned. NYC Transit President Andy Byford and signals chief Pete Tomlin were a "dream team," said Lisa Daglian, the executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA. Though he wasn't well known, Tomlin "knows what needs to be done to bring the subway system into the 21st century," added Daglian. He resigned on Friday, the day after Byford. ([AM New York]( Mayor Bill de Blasio and six City Council members are demanding answers from the NYPD about why black or Hispanic people were given 90% of the jaywalking summonses issued last year. "Targeting black and brown New Yorkers for committing the lowest of offenses that every New Yorker does from time to time will only lead to greater divisions," the six council members said in a letter to NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea. The mayor, who was apparently unaware of the racial disparity in jaywalking tickets until he was asked about it this week, said he agreed with the council members' demand for an explanation. ([Streetsblog]( The MTA still hasn't set up the panel to recommend congestion pricing charges, and advocates are concerned that it won't meet in public. The MTA's chairman said the group isn’t legally required to meet publicly, since it's only an advisory panel. Once the panel is in place (the MTA expects to name appointees early this year), it'll need to announce its recommendations between November 15th and December 31st. The actual congestion pricing charges are expected to take effect in early 2021. ([The Wall Street Journal]( The Subway Needs A Mascot. We Have 12 Contenders [Multiple]( [studies]( have concluded that mascots help strengthen brands and make them more personable. As a brand that just lost its most personable person while simultaneously getting smeared with peanut butter, the MTA could use some strengthening. Together with illustrator [Matt Lubchansky]( Gothamist has come up with [12 strong candidates]( including: Matt Lubchansky Dagbog, The Bag Dog. Not only is he cute, he also reminds riders to put their dogs in a bag. Matt Lubchansky Count Spreadlington. A villain a la The Hamburglar, the Count can shame people into not doing things like manspreading or pole-leaning, but in a fun, mascot-y way. Matt Lubchansky Crab Of Chaos. Sometimes things get chaotic on the subway, like the time a bunch of [crabs]( wound up on there. This week's Classical Commute playlist from WQXR includes a piano number called "Clouds," by composer Florence Beatrice Price, and it's as transporting as the title suggests. [Stream it for free on Spotify](. Weekend Service Changes: Night of January 31st – Early Morning on February 3rd This is a partial list of major service disruptions scheduled for the weekend. For a complete list of the MTA's Weekender updates, [check here](. trains will replace trains in Brooklyn. Downtown trains will skip Baychester Av, Gun Hill Rd and Morris Park in the Bronx. On Saturday and Sunday, train service between 111 St and Main St in Queens will be replaced by free shuttle buses. trains will run via the line in both directions between 21 St-Queensbridge, Queens and W 4 St, Manhattan. Coney Island-bound trains will skip Fort Hamilton Pkwy, 50 St and 55 St in Brooklyn. Jamaica-bound trains will skip Smith-9 Sts, Carroll St and Bergen St in Brooklyn. On Saturday and Sunday, uptown and trains will skip Prince St, 8 St, 23 St, 28 St and 49 St in Manhattan. [Check here]( for complete details about the Long Island Rail Road. For NJ Transit, [check here]( for the latest service advisories. Upcoming Meetings and Events Thursday, January 30th Queens Bus Network Redesign Workshop Langston Hughes Library and Cultural Center, Corona — 6:00 p.m. [Check here]( for more information on all the Queens Bus Network Redesign meetings. Monday, February 24th Joint Metro-North & LIRR Committee Meeting — 8:30 a.m. NYC Transit / MTA Bus Committee Meeting — 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 26th MTA Board Meeting — 9:00 a.m. Registration for two-minute public speaking slots opens 15 minutes before the start time for official MTA committee meetings. To speak before an MTA board meeting, you must register 30 minutes early. All meetings are held in the MTA's Board Room at 2 Broadway, on the 20th Floor. James Ramsay likes the chaotic crab. (Photo by Amy Pearl) Support WNYC + Gothamist Make a donation to support local, independent journalism. Your contributions are our largest source of funding and pays for essential transportation coverage and more. [Donate]( Copyright © 2020 New York Public Radio, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: New York Public Radio 160 Varick Street New York, NY 10013 [unsubscribe]( [update preferences]( [privacy policy](