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Manhattan Community Board Five
Big Taxi - proposed commercial bus stop at north curb of West 37th Street and 7th Avenue
WHEREAS, Big Taxi Transportation Service operates a private commuter bus service from Northern New Jersey to New York during the morning "rush hour" period and from New York to Northern New Jersey during the afternoon "rush hour" period; and
WHEREAS, Big Taxi has a fleet of 30 diesel-engine buses that can each accommodate approximately 25 passengers; and
WHEREAS, Because Big Taxi was denied a pick-up/drop-off location at the Port Authority due to lack of available space, the Bus Stop Management Division of the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) responded to an application by Big Taxi and assigned the company a single location for drop-offs only during the morning commute and pick-ups only during the afternoon commute on the north side of 37th Street between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue (near the corner of Seventh Avenue); and
WHEREAS, This DOT-assigned location is approximately 95 feet in length and can accommodate at most two buses at one time; and
WHEREAS, All of Big Taxi's buses are inspected twice per year for compliance with both safety and emission standards; and
WHEREAS, Both the location of the Big Taxi bus stop and the relatively low fare Big Taxi charges - at maximum, $4.00 for a one-way ride - are targeted for commuters to the Midtown West area who are on a tight budget, such as Garment Center workers; and
WHEREAS, Big Taxi has agreed to provide personnel at the bus stop in order to ensure orderly waiting lines and vehicle boarding and off-loading, as well as trash receptacles in order to maintain a litter-free zone; and
WHEREAS, DOT has agreed to monitor the bus stop to ensure that it is maintained in the orderly manner described above, that no more than two buses occupy the stop at any one time, and that buses are not idling for any longer than three minutes; and
WHEREAS, DOT has further agreed to issue an evaluation report to Community Board Five based on its findings after one full year of bus stop operation by Big Taxi; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five supports the establishment of a bus stop for Big Taxi Transportation Services at the location designated by the DOT on the north side of 37th Street between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue, provided that:
1. The report issued by the DOT concludes that Big Taxi Transportation Service is in compliance with the stipulations for orderly operation of the bus stop, predicated on the requirements of Bus Stop Management Division and the recommendations of this community board; and
2. DOT makes progress in working with the Port Authority to develop a feasible strategy for coordinating public and private bus routes and stops as part of the DOT overall surface transportation plan for Manhattan's CBD previously proposed by Community Board Five.
The above resolution passed with a vote of 31 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstaining.