FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 12, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 27
Keeping the Long Island Rail Road working for you
ONE REASON TO
GET VACCINATED
Th ere is one indisputable argument for
getting vaccinated or wearing a mask during
the COVID pandemic, and that is
both will cost you far less than what you
will pay in medical bills if you are hospitalized.
Medical bills are the greatest cause of
bankruptcy in the U.S., and, unfortunately,
many of our fellow citizens are facing
that burdensome prospect by failing to
protect themselves.
Glenn Hayes, Kew Gardens
COULD ULRICH BE
LAST REPUBLICAN
OFFICIAL IN QUEENS?
Th e contest between Republican Joann
Ariola, Democrat Felicia Singh and
Independent Kenici Wilson to fi ll the
32nd NYC Council seat being vacated by
term-limited Council member Eric Ulrich
may bring the curtain down for the last
Queens City Council district to be represented
by a Republican.
During the 1990s under Republican
Mayor Rudy Guiliani, the GOP elected
Tom Olgibene, Mike Abel and Alfonse
Stabile from Queens.
In 2009, the GOP elected Dan Hallaran,
Peter Koo and Eric Ulrich. Koo changed
his enrollment to Democrat in 2012.
Hallaran declined to run for reelection
due to political corruption charges.
Today, the last GOP public offi cial from
Queens is Councilman Eric Ulrich.
Ulrich may go down in political history
as the last registered Republican
public offi cial from Queens. In 2017
Councilman Bob Holden was elected on
the Republican and Conservative party
lines, but he caucuses with the Democrats.
Th e 2022 NYC Council may join
Congress, the state Assembly and state
Senate with no Republican elected offi cial
from Queens.
According to the state Board of
Elections, as of February 2021, there are
807,187 Democrats, 139,385 Republicans,
5,504 Conservative, 3,412 Working
Family, 29,619 other political parties
and 282,539 voters that express no party
affi liation, for a total of 1,267,646 active
enrolled voters. Th ese numbers are one
reason why Queens Republicans are likely
to be irrelevant in the November general
election.
Larry Penner, Great Neck
oped
letters & comments
SUNSET AT JUNIPER VALLEY PARK // PHOTO BY MARILYN GAINFORT
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BY PHILLIP ENG
Safe, reliable, robust
and accessible to all
— those are four main
goals we strive for each
day as we carry hundreds
of thousands of people across New
York City and Long Island.
Coming on the heels of the 31st anniversary
of the Americans with Disabilities
Act, we’re celebrating the third year of
our successful LIRR Care customer service
program, which to date has assisted
more than 6,500 riders. Under this initiative,
customers at three of our busiest
hubs (Penn Station, Atlantic Terminal
and Jamaica Station) can get assistance to
board their trains in real time from 6 a.m.
to 10 p.m. daily.
Th ose in need simply head to the
Customer Service Offi ce at Penn, or
the Ticket Offi ce at Jamaica or Atlantic
Terminal at least 15 minutes before a
train’s departure time, and an ambassador
provides individualized assistance with
the journey.
Anyone needing help at other stations
can give us a call anytime, 24 hours a day,
at 718-574-7227 at least two hours before
a train’s scheduled departure time with
departure details. A dispatcher will alert
the train crew, so they can place a bridge
plate between the train and the platform
to help with wheelchair boarding or other
mobility needs.
We’re working hard to make our railroad
as inclusive as possible. Th ree brandnew
elevators recently opened at Floral
Park Station as part of the LIRR Expansion
Project, bringing the total number of fully
accessible LIRR stations to 108, or 87 percent
of our system.
While we’re proud of this progress, we’re
not stopping there. Th ere are another 16
stations (of the LIRR’s total 124) that need
to be upgraded and outfi tted with accessibility
components, and I’m committed to
closing these gaps and fulfi lling my promise
to make each and every station accessible
to all.
In the meantime, it’s easier than ever to
fi nd an accessible station near you. Th e
LIRR TrainTime app has a host of accessibility
features and information available
to make trips as easy as possible.
Customers can access elevator and escalator
locations and their status in real time
throughout the entire system.
And for our visually impaired customers,
we’ve enabled a screen reading feature,
as well as large font support.
Th e LIRR welcomes all aboard our
trains, and I’m grateful to each and every
one of you who trusts us to get where you
need to go. Long Island needs a strong
railroad to carry us through recovery
from the pandemic, and it’s only right
that everyone should be able to take part
in that revival.
Phillip Eng is president of the MTA Long
Island Rail Road.
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