Hear Ye, Hear Ye: JFK AirTrain is Totally Whack

January 16th, 2004

My first ride on the new JFK AirTrain was extremely disappointing. “Why?” You might ask yourself. “Please develop an opinion on the issue — and then post it on the Internet!”

With pleasure.

Here’s why the new AirTrain is totally whack: It’s not an AirTrain. It’s an AirTrains. Plural. From Jamaica station, you have to take two trains to get to the airport. In the fast-paced world of public transportation development, the term “shuttle service” is supposed to imply a vehicle will connect you to your ultimate destination. It’s not supposed to connect you to another shuttle.

Thank you, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, for this completely underwhelming “solution” to NYC’s airport commute woes. I mean, even Mayor Bloomberg was underwhelmed by the AirTrain, since it doesn’t satisfy his campaign promise to seek “one-seat” transportation to New York’s airports. By my count, it took a grand total of four seats (shuttle bus from my job, LIRR, AirTrain #1, and AirTrain #2) to get to JFK. When you disappoint the perpetually-pessimistic Mayor Bloomberg, you know you’ve got a stinker on your hands.