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New York City Transit is the life blood of New York City, moving more than 187.9 million passengers per month. However, the Lexington Avenue Subway Line is currently over 150% of capacity. As the City grows we must improve capacity and investigate transportation alternatives. We must find alternative transportation routes for residents of Roosevelt Island by modifying current subway service, trams, ferries, and even building additional subway stations.

While we are building any improvements, including the long overdue Second Avenue Subway, we must make sure that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is transparent by making its construction plans available to the people, open to review and suggestions from the community, and accountable should final decisions be made by the MTA without public comment.

While the Mayor's Congestion Pricing plan may not have been enacted, it is important not to let a greener New York fall by the wayside. As your City Council member I will work with you to implement initiatives that preserve our environment, improve transportation and make New York City a clean, affordable, and accessible place to live.

CNN Money New York and Chicago could launch their own Uber-style apps by Aaron Smith

http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/12/technology/uber-lyft-new-york-chicago/

Uber and Lyft could be getting some new competition from the cities of New York and Chicago.

New York and Chicago could soon be launching their own smartphone apps for e-hailing taxis, similar to Uber and Lyft.

New York City Councilman Ben Kallos proposed a bill to create apps for e-hailing taxis.

"City taxis need an app of their own to compete, and New Yorkers need to be able to get a cab in the rain without having to worry about surge pricing," said Kallos, in a press release. "I want to live in a city where I can e-hail a yellow or green cab and get where I need to be in a New York minute."

Issue: 
Technology
Transportation

New York Times Chicago and New York Officials Look to Build Uber-Like Apps for Taxis by Mike Isaac

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com//2014/12/11/chicago-and-new-york-officials-look-to...

If you can’t beat them, join them.

Regulators in Chicago have approved a plan to create one or more applications that would allow users to hail taxis from any operators in the city, using a smartphone. In New York, a City Council member proposed a similar app on Monday that would let residents “e-hail” any of the 20,000 cabs that circulate in the city on a daily basis.

It is a new tack for officials in the two cities, a reaction to the surging use of hail-a-ride apps like Uber and Lyft.

Regulators in New York have not yet voted on the bill on the e-hail app, which was first proposed by Benjamin Kallos, a councilman who represents the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island.

Issue: 
Technology
Transportation

The Star Chicago plans app so taxis can compete with Uber, ridesharing services by Reuters

http://www.thestar.com.my/Tech/Tech-News/2014/12/12/Chicago-plans-app-so-taxis-c...

Chicago opened a new front in the war on ridesharing services like Uber, approving a plan to sponsor an app for riders to hail local cabs. 

Chicago appears to be the only major city to agree to develop its own app, although New York City Council Member Ben Kallos this week proposed a similar app. The Chicago move also represents a political push from the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), a union which has organised drivers in two cities so far. 

Issue: 
Technology
Transportation