NYP Bathrooms at Issue

It looks like an NJARP member rightly brought the conditions of the NYP bathrooms to the attention of NJT at a board meeting. This was picked up by the Star-Ledger: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/0 ... er_default

In my opinion, the politically incorrect bottom line is that the bathrooms are always in terrible condition because of the homeless population/vagrants that use them. This comes from using the bathrooms as a locker room, shaving etc., or even drug use - I've seen someone get pulled out of a stall and arrested for rolling up a joint.

I believe something needs to be done to ensure NJT customers can use a respectable bathroom. I know that in Europe, they charge a nominal fee to use the bathrooms (like 50p in France, I think), and that successfully keeps vagrants out of the bathrooms. I think either a fee-based system is needed, or to avoid that, an inspection where you need to show a ticket to show you are a paying customer.

Kudos to NJARP to starting a conversation on an important, yet overlooked topic.

Uh, no.

The 7th ave (NJT) waiting room and bathrooms are for ticketed passengers only. Also, do not compare "europe" with what we have here, it's a waste of time. NYP bathrooms are not "at issue". If you want to solve the homeless problem of NYC this is not the answer. Thanks for coming in.

Just because the sign on the door says ticketed passengers only, does not mean that solely ticketed passengers are using them...

Compared to the 90s, NYP is actually in great condition and is a very safe station today.

I like how the person in the article takes NJT's motto and gives it a new (well, not so new) spin:

"The Way to Go!" LOL.

Seriously, I've been in much worse bathrooms in my time. These aren't the worst.... they're not good, but not the worst. Indeed, NYP is a much better and safer place now than it once was. In time, this trend may continue. We shall see.

Who knows, maybe the next article we'll see is:

"NJT Executive Director Makes Toilet Paper His Number One Priority.... Or Should We Say: His Number Two Priority!?"

nick11a wrote:"NJT Executive Director Makes Toilet Paper His Number One Priority.... Or Should We Say: His Number Two Priority!?"

If anything the Port Authority Bus Terminal restrooms are seedier: some users take it as a "wash" room literally.

The problem isn't homeless people. The problem is drunk people & folks with nothing better to do than break public property. Homeless folks usually are not in very good physical health... so to suggest they broke a stainless steel arsepaper dispenser that is riveted to the partition is laughable.

25Hz wrote:Uh, no.

The 7th ave (NJT) waiting room and bathrooms are for ticketed passengers only. Also, do not compare "europe" with what we have here, it's a waste of time. NYP bathrooms are not "at issue". If you want to solve the homeless problem of NYC this is not the answer. Thanks for coming in.

1) The bathrooms are "at issue" if someone brought them to the attention of the NJT Board and received the response they did from Commissioner Simpson, as quoted.

2) My analogy to Europe is a perfectly valid one, and your dismissal of it is ad hominem. As I mentioned, Europeans have a means of addressing bathroom issues at rail terminals with seemingly better results than that of NYP, NWK, etc. I'd like to hear some suggestions on how to improve the situation, rather than being told that's a different continent.

3) Who enforces the ticketed passengers only policy that you speak of? If it was enforced, maybe there wouldn't be problems in the first place.

4) No one is talking about "solv[ing] the homeless problem." That's a complex problem for NYC officials. We are talking about fixing the bathroom problem. You may have some penchant for the non-ticketed passengers (whomever they may be) who use and abuse the bathrooms, but for people paying upwards of $400 per month to ride NJ Transit, they deserve a respectable place to use the restroom. And that's in spite of whatever sarcasm you may wish to provide.

The bathrooms at NYP may not be squeaky clean all the time, but they are bearable.

mlc482 wrote:

25Hz wrote:Uh, no.

The 7th ave (NJT) waiting room and bathrooms are for ticketed passengers only. Also, do not compare "europe" with what we have here, it's a waste of time. NYP bathrooms are not "at issue". If you want to solve the homeless problem of NYC this is not the answer. Thanks for coming in.

1) The bathrooms are "at issue" if someone brought them to the attention of the NJT Board and received the response they did from Commissioner Simpson, as quoted.

2) My analogy to Europe is a perfectly valid one, and your dismissal of it is ad hominem. As I mentioned, Europeans have a means of addressing bathroom issues at rail terminals with seemingly better results than that of NYP, NWK, etc. I'd like to hear some suggestions on how to improve the situation, rather than being told that's a different continent.

3) Who enforces the ticketed passengers only policy that you speak of? If it was enforced, maybe there wouldn't be problems in the first place.

4) No one is talking about "solv[ing] the homeless problem." That's a complex problem for NYC officials. We are talking about fixing the bathroom problem. You may have some penchant for the non-ticketed passengers (whomever they may be) who use and abuse the bathrooms, but for people paying upwards of $400 per month to ride NJ Transit, they deserve a respectable place to use the restroom. And that's in spite of whatever sarcasm you may wish to provide.

1. There were last time i was there a desk that should be staffed with person(s) checking the tickets.

2. They have properly funded and often privately operated/competing passenger rail transportation systems, and their culture is totally different from here (and by region/country there). People there have a respect for public places that seems to be well lacking here.

3. See #1.

4. See #1. Also, what exactly is a non-ticketed passenger in a train station? I'd call them facility occupants/patrons or whatever appropriate title fits their situation.

Charging a fee to use a bathroom is a really great way to drive people away from using the station at all. I don't think the proprietors of the shops and eateries located along the concourse(s) would appreciate that. Can't tell you how many times i've been short on cash and waiting in NYP. Last thing i'm going to want to do is walk out of the station to say, the mcdonald's in times square, to use bathroom and return. It's not a short walk when nature calls.

What they need to do is properly maintain the restrooms and check tickets, and have a custodial staff person make rounds to ensure abuse of the restrooms is kept to a minimum and to see that all the provided accoutrements are in proper working order.

Wait. Are you honestly suggesting that a charge to use the restroom is going to drive people away from Penn Station? Where are they going to go to catch NJT, LIRR and Amtrak, GCT?

The Amtrak men's room is much cleaner than the one at NJT. So, it isn't NYP as a whole. (Not that the Amtrak bathroom is pristine, but it is at least usable.) I think they just have to clean it more often. And, of course, fix broken stuff and fill up the TP dispensers. I wonder how often they actually get cleaned.

CNJGeep wrote:Wait. Are you honestly suggesting that a charge to use the restroom is going to drive people away from Penn Station? Where are they going to go to catch NJT, LIRR and Amtrak, GCT?

Drive away as in instead of wait & shop/eat etc...... arrive just in time to catch the train.

I find it amusing/alarming that the executives had to have this issue brought to their attention.

Hey executives, try maybe using your product some time?

And yes, the NJT bathrooms are problematic. Theyre way too small too. From the article, sounds like theyve gotten worse, I dont remember everything being held up by tape last time I was there.