Transportation & travel (including parking)

How To Practice Social Distancing During Your Commute
August 6, 2020, patch.com, by EmblemHealth, Brand Partner

• Be Prepared For Your Commute. The MTA recommends riders check the service status of their train or bus before leaving the house. When possible, adjust your travel times to avoid rush hour. 
• Clean Your Hands. Once you reach your destination, wash your hands again thoroughly.
• Go Contactless For Fare Payments. OMNY is the MTA's new fare payment system that allows riders to use their own contactless card or smart device to pay per ride. https://new.mta.info/system_modernization/omny
• Wear A Mask Or Face Covering. 
• Give Yourself Space. Try to stay at least 6 feet away from other passengers.
• How To Ride-share Safely. The CDC recommends avoiding pooled rides or rides where multiple passengers are picked up who are not in the same household. When possible, sit in the back seat of larger vehicles so you're able to remain at least 6 feet away from the driver. 
• Clean And Disinfect Surfaces On Shared Bikes, Scooters, Etc.
• Stay Home If You're Sick. If you're sick, have recently visited a state with a travel advisory or have had close contact with a person with COVID-19, the CDC recommends avoiding public transpiration and staying home except to seek medical care.

8/20/2020 The Mayor signed an Executive Order requiring hotels and short-term rental companies with travelers from restricted states to fill out the NYS Traveler Health form forms.ny.gov/s3/Welcome-to-New-York-State-Traveler-Health-Form before giving access to a room. This Order goes into effect on Friday, August 21st. There will be fines issued for non-compliance. New Yorkers are also encouraged to avoid COVID-19 hotspots. Details were shared in yesterday's Mayoral Press Availability youtube.com/watch?v=scx-mkSTfIQ and an FAQ is available at  www1.nyc.gov/assets/counseltothemayor/downloads/eeo-141-faq.pdf.

New York Has a 14-Day Quarantine. Many New Yorkers Are Ignoring It.
August 16, 2020, nytimes.com, by Alyson Krueger

7/24/2020 DHS Restores New York To Trusted Traveler Program, Admits False Statements In Lawsuit
July 24, 2020, npr.org, by Scott Neuman

7/17/2020 NEW OPEN STREETS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Hangawi Restaurant (sponsor) East 32nd St, between 5th & Madison Avenue, Manhattan. Full list www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/527-20/mayor-de-blasio-extends-popular-open-restaurants-program-october-more-locations-for.

6/30/2020 Travel restrictions to NYS. Travelers to New York State, New Jersey and Connecticut from states with more than 10% positive COVID-19 infections must quarantine for 14 days. List of restricted states: coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory#restricted-states and coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory.

6/30/2020 New York State employees who voluntarily travel to high-risk states will be ineligible for COVID-19 paid sick leave. (Gov. Cuomo executive order that makes New York employees who voluntarily travel to specified states after June 25 ineligible for this benefit.)

6/29/2020 NYC Alternate Side Parking (ASP) Reform: Residential streets that have multiple ASP days will be cleaned – with vehicles required to be moved – only on the latest day in the week on each side, through Labor Day. Parking meters remain in effect.

6/14/2020 If you must use public transit, be sure to wear a mask and limit your speaking around others. Practice social distancing (6') as much as possible. Sanitize or wash your hands with soap and water at the beginning and end of your trip. Try to avoid subways and buses during rush hours. 

4/6/2020 U.S. Department of Tranportation policy on refunds transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/refunds. Experts quoted in the piece advise those with tickets to wait until a few days out from your flight to see if a cancellation triggers a refund.

3/28/2020 CDC travel advisory for NY tri-state area after Trump says quarantine not necessary
March 28, 2020, thehill.com, by J. Edward Moreno
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel advisory...for the New York tri-state area [New York, New Jersey, Connecticut]...The advisory discourages people living in those three states from traveling domestically. It does not apply to those employed by critical infrastructure industries..."Due to extensive community transmission of COVID-19 in the area, CDC urges residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days effective immediately."

3/24/2020 MTA buses are now free to ride to keep drivers safe from COVID-19. Use rear-door boarding.

4/2/2020 The MTA is suspending Times Square Shuttle subway service; the 7 train provides similar routing, on a less-frequent schedule. The M42 bus is another althernative. 

Public transportation will keep running to get nurses, doctors, law enforcement officers, and other essential personnel where they need to go. Everyone else: Limit the use of public transportation to only when absolutely necessary. If ridership decreases, schedules may be adjusted. 

6/23/2020 Alternate Side Parking Regulations for street cleaning will be suspended through June 28, 2020. Beginning Monday, June 29, residential streets that have multiple ASP days will be cleaned – with vehicles required to be moved – only on the latest day in the week, through Labor Day. Building owners are still required to keep the sidewalks in front of their property and streets clean 18" from the curb into the street. Drivers will still have to feed the meters. Read more at the Department of Transportation (DOT) website www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/alternate-side-parking.shtml.

5/11/2020 For-hire carpooling rides (such as Uber Pool and Lyft Line) are suspended.  

4/19/2020 Access-A-Ride Paratransit. Per the MTA’s “Essential Service Plan”, there are no shared paratransit rides in accordance with public health guidelines. You may still travel with a personal care attendant or guest. Stay home if your travel is not absolutely necessary. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or are displaying flu-like symptoms, do not use Paratransit service. For more information new.mta.info/accessibility/paratransit 

The State Department raised its travel advisory for all international travel from 3 to 4, the most serious category, and advised all Americans who are abroad to return, or make plans to be there for a while. American travelers have been stranded in some countries, and some have complained that the U.S. embassies have not provided enough help to get them home. 

3/18/2020, Nonessential travel between the United States and Canada will no longer be allowed. 5/20/2020 update: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the U.S.-Canadian border will remain closed to nonessential travel until at least June 21 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

3/23/2020 All MTA buses will implement rear-door boarding to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to MTA employees. Regular fare policy remains in effect wherever on-board payment boxes or SBS off-board ticket machines continue to be accessible.

6/12/2020 The Governor has asked that commuters unsatisfied with bus or subway service during reopening call 511 with complaints.

3/26/2020 Buses will operate at 75% of normal service. This reflects a steep drop in ridership.

3/26/2020 (DISCONTINUED 4/7/2020) Street Closure Pilot to provide space for solitary exercise: Park Avenue will be closed to vehicles from 28th to 34th Streets.   

3/26/2020 Citibike is offering free 30-day memberships for critical workforce in response to COVID-19. More information available citibikenyc.com/critical-workforce-membership-press-release