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NYC Transit Board Agenda:
June 1996

The June 1996 New York City Transit Committee Agenda for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors contains the following information of interest:

Automaitc Vehicle Location and Control (AVLC)

 Automaitc Vehicle Location and Control (AVLC) is a satellite based radio navigation system that relays relays real time vehicle location information from existing government owned satellites. The Department of Buses (DOB) has decided to install a pilot AVLC in one bus depot and evaluate it for systemwide application. A contract for an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) was recently awarded to Transportation Management Solutions to supply and install fourty bus stop monitors/signs that will display the arrival time of the next bus -- information that must be provided by an AVLC system. DOB chose the 126 St Depot for the pilot because the routes based there pose a significant challenge to the AVLC system: extensive traffic, short headways, uptown, downtown and crosstown routes as well as "urban canyons" created by skyscrapers. All 170 buses at this depot will be outfitted with AVLC equipment during the 18 month trial.

A Request for Proposals was issued and four proposals were submitted in August 1995 by:

Three of those companies were invited for oral presentations. Since all proposals cost substantially more than budgeted, NYCT reduced the scope of work and asked for revised prices. The two companies, OSC and TMS, with the most competitively priced offers were asked to further reduce the scope of work and submit Best and Final Offers.

NYC Transit selected OSC, despite their having less experience and a higher cost. A significant factor was their ability to meet all of the RFP's requirements, which TMS did not.

Train Operator Simulator

 A contract to have Huges Training Inc install a Train Operator Simulator was on the November 1995 Agenda, but members of the NYC Transit Committee raised concerns over Hughes. In April 1996, Hughes notified NYC Transit that due to the delay in award, they "could not meet their obligation to perform the work in New York," so withdrew their proposal.

At this point, DynaLantic Corp., the second most preferred biddier in the original round, is being selected for this installation. The term of the contract is for three years and six months. The installation is to be completed in 18 months and has a two year warranty.

25hz Frequency Converters

 The original signals in New York City's transit system were designed to use 25hz electricity. Without substantial investments in Consolidated Edison's three 25hz power plants (Kent Av, 59 St and 74 St), the reliability of this system is in doubt beyond the year 2000. New signals being installed since the 1960 modernization program began have been using standard electricity, reducing reliance on 25hz power from 565 megawatts to 16 megawatts. Unfortunately, segments of the signal system will not be replace before 2000. In order to keep these signals running and avoid costly expenditures on maintaining these power plants, NYC Transit plans to install 22 frequency converters at 11 substations that will change standard 60hz electricity in to 25hz electricity.

This work was originally planned as part of the 1992-1996 Capital Program. However, it was excluded to accommodate the New York Power Authority's (NYPA) offer of funding. As a result, it was agreed that this project would be included in NYC Transit's operating budget and funded through an MTA negotiated loan with NYPA. Despite almost two years of discussions, mutually acceptable terms could not be reached. Therefore, NYC Transit is now seeking to modify the 1995-1999 Capital Program to include the design and installation of these frequency converters.

Fire Incident Reporting System

 The new Fire Incident Reporting System was developed to document the number of fires occuring on our property and to facilitate statistical and/or trend analyses. Fires may now be analyzed by a number of elements such as station name, line, time of day, item burnt, severity and cause. The FIRS also records fires that do not involve Transit property but impact revenue service. In addition, this system will end the practice of having the divisions of Track, Car Equipment and Stations individually tracking their own fires on a manual basis.

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Last updated: 4 April 1999