nytimes headline: “m.t.a. warns of ‘dire’ fiscal picture”

If ever there were a time in NYC history for alternative transportation solutions to be encouraged to come to the fore, this very moment in time would rank right up there at the top. The creation, adoption and implementation of other cost effective and efficient modes of transportation such as cab-sharing should seriously be considered by politicians, city administrators and State officials. Legislation aimed at protecting the safety of New Yorkers who chose to cab share would be a major step in the right direction. By creating and sponsoring a “contest” that would be open to public submissions, with the intent of finding a platform that would best serve the needs as well as the concerns of New Yorkers when it comes to cab-sharing, would expedite the process of finding proactive solutions to an ever deepening transportation crisis. We, as New Yorkers, have the capability to shift the responsibility of getting around New York City to entities for which we have a greater influence over, particularly in terms of their form and function. The M.T.A. is so big and so vital to the function of NYC that it is operationally incapable of quickly adjusting to the individual needs of New Yorkers, especially during a crisis, such as the one we face today. However, the cab industry presents us with some compelling options for changing the status quo relatively quickly.

“With the State Senate balking on a financial rescue plan that would impose tolls on East River and Harlem River bridges to help close a mounting budget gap, officials at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority warned on Friday that if Albany does not act by March 25, they will have no choice but to order steep fare increases, impose “painful” service cuts and lay off at least 1,100 employees. ” - NYTimes, March 13th, 2009.

The M.T.A. is forced, by dint of their function, to make sweeping changes that inherently must serve the middle of the bell curve. And in times of economic strain, the practical needs of the general population takes precedence over the particular needs of the individual (you, me, him, her). Thereby, diminishing the quality of transportation for each individual in order to serve the collective. There can be no fault directly placed at the feet of the M.T.A. for doing what is necessary to keep the system running; it is imperative to our lives as New Yorkers that they do so. However, as New Yorkers, we can help to alleviate the strain that is being felt by all of us — you, me the M.T.A., by coming up with proactive and more efficient modes of travel so that we can continue to serve our needs as New Yorkers, both individually as well as collectively. It is time to keep moving in the right direction, as a society, as a whole. Cab-sharing is one tool we have at our disposal to ensure that our city keeps moving forward. Cabcorner.com, is a cab sharing platform that begins to point us in the right direction.

To see full story in New York Times, follow this link MTA Warns of ‘Dire’ Fiscal Picture.