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Lessons from the December storm

Board MeetingJanuary 26, 2011

Storm chronology – major storm affecting entire region

Pre-December 25 • Storm severity downgraded but forecasts volatile

Dec 25 (Sat) • Storm severity upgraded • Blizzard warning issued• Subway cars stored underground, General Orders suspended

Dec 26 (Sun) • MTA activates special snow advisory homepage• Continued deployment of snow-fighting equipment across agencies• Snowfall begins• Service difficulties across region begin (1800+)

– Storm rapidly intensifies– Amtrak suspends NYC-Boston service– JFK/LGA/EWR close; JFK AirTrain service suspended– NJT suspends all bus service– NYCT service affected due to stranded trains in outdoor areas– LIRR suspends all service– Many in-service buses begin to become immovable due to rapidly accumulating snow

Dec 27 (Mon) • Significant service disruptions across region– MNR service suspensions begin– Bus service curtailed severely– Several Subway and MNR trains are stuck and then eventually rescued– Significant snowfall ends but high winds and drifting continue– Amtrak resumes NYC-Boston service with delays – Limited LIRR and MNR service resumes– Suspended Subway services begin to be resumed– JFK/LGA/EWR reopen with limited capacity

Dec 28 (Tue) • MNR operates Saturday schedule• Majority of suspended Subway services restored• Majority of suspended Bus services restored• NJT resumes bus service• JFK AirTrain service resumes

Dec 29 (Wed) • Regular service restored at MNR and LIRR (except buses provided east of Ronkonkoma until 12/31)• All runways clear at JFK/LGA/EWR• Stuck buses fully retrieved

Dec 30 (Thur) • All routes restored for Subways and Buses• All NYC streets plowed 2

Successfully managing storms has 4 phases

• Track storm forecasts• Continuously assess storm impact and response required• Update and disseminate alert levels• Formulate plan for operation and recovery

Storm tracking and readiness

Mobilization

Execution

Recovery

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2

3

4

• Pre-position equipment• Call in staff• Activate situation rooms, as required• Issue customer advisories

• Fight snow/ice/water• Endeavor to maintain service while being mindful of

customer/employee safety and impacts on equipment• Be prepared to switch from service delivery to

curtailment/suspension strategy• Care for stranded customers and employees• Provide up-to-date service information

• Restore normal service• Provide up-to-date service information• Assure storm equipment is ready for next storm

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Effective coordination with OEM’s and other external agencies required throughout

MNR successfully adapted to quickly changing conditions but had some issues with delayed and disabled trains and restoring service

• Early meeting of Emergency Management Task Force

• Situation room activated early• Equipment and employee

pre-deployment

• Rapid observation-based decision to suspend service reduced duration of service outage and recovery time

• Detailed and consistent messages delivered through all channels

• Advance creation and deployment of recovery service plans

• Successful execution of recovery service plans in the face of rapidly changing conditions

Positives Issues

• Imbalance of service supply and rider demand on Tuesday left some customers waiting on platforms

• Negative effects on New Haven Line fleet availability

• Delayed and disabled trains in the Bronx and Westchester

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Storm tracking and readiness

Mobilization

Execution

Recovery

1

2

3

4

LIRR’s pro-active suspension of service and early mobilization avoided stuck trains but some communication and recovery issues

• Level 4 (highest level) staffing activated on Dec 24 even though storm at Level 1 due to forecast volatility

• Situation room activated early• Clear pre-storm communications

regarding potential service interruption

• Pro-active suspension of service avoided stuck trains

• ‘Comfort trains’ successfully deployed

• Clear and timely communications

• Effective staged restoration of service

Positives Issues

• Only limited service available Tuesday

• Platform communication systems crashed

• Did not clearly communicate train times for limited service operated during recovery period (on platforms in particular)

• Only limited service available• Inability to keep Jamaica switches

functioning

• Employee availability not optimal

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Storm tracking and readiness

Mobilization

Execution

Recovery

1

2

3

4

Subways’ inability to quickly adapt to deteriorating conditions led to stuck trains and under-estimation of stranded customer issues

• Large portion of network delivered un-interrupted service

• Clear and consistent communications

• Prioritized recovery strategy• Clear and consistent

communications

Positives Issues

• Internal alert level not formally upgraded until storm well underway

• Inadequate central coordination of field actions

• Not curtailing/suspending service led to stuck trains, stranded customers and slow recovery

• No robust plan to care for customers on stuck trains

• Insufficient number of experienced managers on duty

• No formal implementation of Plan IV

• Situation room not activated

• Several aspects of Plan IV activated – underground train storage; deployment of storm fighting equipment system-wide

• Not understanding implications of providing full service before and during storm

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Storm tracking and readiness

Mobilization

Execution

Recovery

1

2

3

4

• Frequent planning conference calls to monitor changing storm forecasts

Buses’/Paratransit’s not quickly curtailing service led to large numbers of stuck vehicles. Monday service updates were untimely.

• Pre-storm mobilization of personnel and snow-fighting equipment

• Night and articulated buses equipped with chains as planned

Positives Issues

• Highest internal alert level not activated

• Poor coordination with non-MTA transport modes left some riders stranded

• Not curtailing/suspending service led to increased numbers of stuck vehicles, stranded customers and slow recovery

• Insufficient route-level detail in service interruption communications

• Situation room not activated

• Route-specific service detail eventually communicated

• Held back some service that could not be operated effectively

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Storm tracking and readiness

Mobilization

Execution

Recovery

1

2

3

4• Bus radio system crashed

Bridges and Tunnels performed well

• Significant mobilization of staff despite holiday beginning early December 25

• No service interruptions• Successful sharing of equipment

with Buses• GPS tracking of snow-fighting

vehicles

Positives Issues

• Storm alerts issued and updated as forecast deteriorated

• Quickly assessed and assured serviceability of snow-fighting equipment immediately after storm

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Storm tracking and readiness

Mobilization

Execution

Recovery

1

2

3

4

Learning and applying the lessons of the December storm

• Immediate actions taken

• Application to recent storms

• In-depth review

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Actions have already been taken to address the identified issues

• Situation rooms / incident command centers resourced and ready at operating and support agencies

• Subways created a blizzard response ‘Plan V’ that includes specific service curtailment/suspension actions in response to high winds and high rates of snow accumulation

• Pro-active cancellation of non-essential paratransit trips

• Customer advocate role at all agencies• Coordinated effort by bus road operations and depot staff to assess service

conditions route-by-route during storm and aftermath• Updated list of priority bus routes to be operated during curtailed service • Buses updated guidelines for applying chains and replacing articulated buses

with standard-length buses to improve service resilience• Internal coordination procedures in place to provide route-specific bus service

information through website

• MTA HQ disseminating incoming weather notifications across agencies• MTA HQ coordinating regular inter-agency calls to compare forecast

information and approach and communications strategy

• LIRR developing limited service schedules for publication in advance • MNR established procedure to quickly add service (where possible) in

response to customer demand during recovery period

Actions completed since December storm

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Storm tracking and readiness

Mobilization

Execution

Recovery

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2

3

4

Actions were proven during recent storms

• Incident centers activated at Bridges & Tunnels, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, NYC Transit and MTA Bus before the first snow fell

• Near normal service for Subways and LIRR

• Planned modifications to MNR service

• No trains stuck for any significant period of time

• No buses or paratransit vehicles stuck for any significant period of time

• Full coordination with NYC OEM and regional OEM offices

• Jan 7 – minor storm

• Jan 11/12 – moderate storm in NYC; significant in MNR service area

• Jan 21 – moderate storm

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An in-depth review to be completed during the second quarter will identify additional actions that could improve response to all storms

• Cross-agency effort led by MTA COO

• Identify issues and solutions including:– Best practices in other systems around the world that contend with snow

regularly– Review agencies’ internal assessments– Equipment and infrastructure vulnerabilities– Practices and rules that may inhibit effective storm mobilization or response– Equipment and technology that would make MTA agency response to storms

more effective – Training and simulations that better prepare staff for infrequent events– Follow-up by Internal Audit to review relevant recommendations from previous

storm reports and confirm implementation of agency-initiated actions– Generalizing from December snowstorm lessons to other weather-related events

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