N.Y. MTA activates winter operations plan

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has activated New York City Transit’s (NYCT) 2014-2015 winter operations plan in preparation for the arrival of winter weather conditions.

The plan, which affects NYCT subways, buses and the Staten Island Railway, is updated and put into effect in mid-November each year in an effort to anticipate the effect of inclement weather on service.

As North America’s largest public transit system, the MTA regularly monitors a customized forecast from various weather-tracking firms as well as the National Weather Service. It allows NYCT to react quickly to impending inclement weather and keep the system running by implementing its storm command and control structure, making adjustments to staffing and service, readying maintenance and snow-fighting equipment, and coordinating emergency responses or cleanup.

The 2014-2015 weather plan has been updated to include new snow-fighting equipment for the Department of Buses; new improved cold-weather and communications equipment; increased planning and collaboration with the Department of Sanitation; and more alerts and checks on service for quicker and more proactive operations planning.