100-Day Action Plan for New Haven Line Riders

Connecticut leaders and commuters have Metro North Railroad dancing. 

Acknowledging their complaints, Metro North President Joseph Giulletti unveiled a 100-day Action Plan for the New Haven Line on March 3. 

And while Connecticut leaders were quick to point out the lack of specificity, they say they're hopeful it's a start to bring the problem-plagued railroad back up to par.

"This plan requires returning to the basics of good railroading," Giulletti writes in a letter to ConnDOT Commissioner James Redeker. "First and foremost, however, we must rebuild a culture of safety at Mero-North to serve as the railroad's unshakeable foundation."

It was a brutal 2013 for Metro-North, which saw eroded commuter confidence in the face of derailments, excessive and relentless delays, and a sharply criticized communication structure. 

Before diving in to the details of the plan Giulletti notes that Metro-North is awaiting the findings of two key external reviews that are underway — one by the Blue Ribbon Panel on Safety, established by MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas Prendergast; and the other a "Deep Dive" review by the Federal Railroad Administration. Those findings will inform some of the specific measures that will be incorporated into the plan, according to Giulletti.

Metro-North’s letter which contains its 100-Day Action Plan has been embedded with this article. It can also be found online here.  

“I am holding Metro-North and the MTA to their commitment to implement their 100-day plan by June 11, the promised target date for improvement initiatives, and I fully expect many actions to be completed in advance of that date," said Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy.

What Do You Think of the Plan?