The Long Island Rail Road is launching a new Quiet Car pilot program on select peak hour trains on the Far Rockaway Branch beginning Monday, December 5. Under the pilot program, four morning and six evening rush hour trains that operate between Far Rockaway and Atlantic Terminal will have a designated quiet car.
For customers seeking a quiet environment during their commute that is free of cell-phone conversations, sound from other electronic devices and loud conversations, the LAST (or rear) car on four AM peak trains and the FIRST (or head) car on six PM peak trains will be designated as quiet cars.
“As more and more electronic devices enter our lives – smart phones, cell phones, DVD and music players, tablets – many of our customers have asked for some relief from the noise they can create during their commute to and from work and other activities,” said LIRR President Helena E. Williams. “This pilot is meant to respond to customers who seek quiet during their travels on the LIRR and is part of our overall effort to improve customer service.”
The pilot is being launched in response to customer requests for Quiet Cars and as part of the LIRR’s renewed commitment to customer service.
The four morning rush hour trains are the 5:22 AM, 6:28 AM, 7:18 AM and 8:54 AM departures from Far Rockaway to Atlantic Terminal.
The six evening rush hour trains are the 4:31 PM, 5:11 PM, 5:49 PM, 6:27 PM, 6:59 PM and the 7:56 PM departures from Atlantic Terminal to Far Rockaway.
The program will be voluntary in nature with customers self-monitoring. Conductors in these designated cars will hand out special “Shh” cards to customers who are non-compliant.
Announcements will be made on the Far Rockaway Branch trains that contain Quiet Cars, informing and reminding customers of the location of the Quiet Car and its restrictions. Customers in the Quiet Cars are asked to refrain from using cell phones and pagers, and to disable the sound on all electronic devices – including computers. If headphones are used, they must be at a volume that cannot be heard by surrounding customers.
Customers can converse in the Quiet Car but they must use subdued voices.
The Long Island Rail Road will gauge customer reaction to the pilot program and decide whether to expand it.
A similar pilot last summer on Metro-North’s West-of-Hudson Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines conducted in conjunction with NJ TRANSIT was well received and was subsequently expanded to all peak trains. Amtrak has also successfully implemented quiet cars.