The MTA is adding extra cars to crowded Long Island Rail Road trains, starting Monday, to address commuter complaints about overcrowding that arose last week with the opening of Grand Central Madison service.
Gov. Kathy Hochul directed the LIRR to increase rush hour service to Brooklyn, lengthen trains serving Penn Station, add cars to all trains that exceeded capacity last week, and ramping up customer service presence at Jamaica to improve commuter communication and prevent rushed transfers.
Passengers had complained about overcrowded cars and lack of direct service to Brooklyn when trains began running to Penn Station or Grand Central last week. Some of the changes led to jammed train platforms and confusion at Jamaica, and put Brooklyn-bound passengers onto shuttle trains.
Among other changes, the MTA said that all off-peak trains would make all stops in the new service plan, leading to a train on Sunday afternoon making 15 stops after leaving Penn and arriving at Huntington, and increased running times over previous schedules.
Grand Central Madison/ HuntingtonNow photo