Latest news with #Lieber
New York Post
30-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Queens bus routes see upheaval as MTA sends ‘ambassadors,' CEO to warn riders ofchanges
The MTA launched a major overhaul of the Queens bus system — with trained 'ambassadors' deployed into the community to warn riders of the upheaval. MTA CEO Janno Lieber showed up to join the ambassadors to speak to community members Monday — one day after the launch of the redesign, which includes 16 new routes, 67 changed routes and five discontinued routes. 'We're spending $35 million more a year to give Queens better, faster bus service,' Lieber said at a press conference outside the Main St/Kissena Blvd Q20 bus stop. 'These are real benefits for people in Queens. This is what good government looks like.' Advertisement The changes are the first phase of the long-awaited Queens Bus Network Redesign project, which is the most recent change to the borough's bus routes since the 1950s. The MTA launched 16 new bus routes, changed 67 routes, and discontinued five routes as part of the long-awaited first phase of the Queens Bus Network Redesign project, which launched Sunday. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post The changes include rush routes that have been added to quickly bring passengers from underserved areas to transit hubs, such as Jamaica and Flushing, officials announced For example, one route, the Q13, will be designed to shuttle passengers between Bell Boulevard in Bayside and Flushing, Chris Pangilinan, the MTA's 'Bus Boss,' explained to reporters and commuters. Advertisement The ambassadors — numbering in the hundreds — are tasked with informing the roughly 800,000 commuters impacted of the new route changes, Lieber said. 27-year-old MTA worker, Charlie Zhen, who is fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese, explains the route changes to commuters. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post Still, language barriers and the long-time rituals of some commuters made residents uneasy about the new changes. Advertisement While handing out pamphlets to explain the changes in service on the Q20 to bus passengers, Lieber was met with confused looks from passengers who did not speak English, The Post observed. They were later reassured by a 27-year-old MTA worker, Charlie Zhen, who is fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese and could explain the route changes. Pamphlets were also translated into Chinese to increase their readability for some passengers. 'It's good. It's better for me. I knew. The signs in my language,' said 67-year-old Flushing resident Xi Jin. Advertisement Omar, 22, said he was glad he wasn't affected directly by the changes, as he was heading to his job as a security guard in the Bronx on the Q44. 'It's a good thing for me, nothing changed. I don't need any more aggravation. You got the heat, the humidity, the crowds just to go to work… going to work is aggravating enough,' he said. The second phase of the redesign will be implemented on Aug. 31, officials said.
Time Out
29-05-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Good news, G line riders: cell service is soon to come, per MTA
If you've ever been riding the G train attempting to scroll through a frozen feed, we've got good news: The MTA just announced that cell service is coming to major portions of the G line —and it's arriving sooner than you might think. At Wednesday's MTA committee meeting, officials confirmed that the long-promised expansion of underground cell coverage is picking up steam. Riders on the northern stretch of the G, from Court Square to Hoyt-Schermerhorn, can expect 5G cell service as early as this fall. It's all part of the MTA's broader goal of bringing connectivity to the 418-mile subway system, one tunnel at a time. This latest rollout will also include the 4 and 5 lines between Bowling Green in Manhattan and Borough Hall in Brooklyn and, eventually, future coverage on the A and C lines. As for the G, the recent signal upgrades and service shutdowns weren't just annoying—they laid the groundwork for a more connected ride. And here's the kicker: all of this is being done at no cost to the public. The work is being handled by Boldyn Networks (formerly Transit Wireless), the same company responsible for outfitting all 281 underground stations with Wi-Fi and cellular service back in the 2010s. Through a public-private partnership, Boldyn is footing the $600 million infrastructure bill and will recoup its investment by keeping any revenue from the wireless network it builds. In total, the full 10-year project is expected to result in over $1 billion in benefits to the MTA and its riders. So when's the whole system going online? Technically, by 2032—but with each capital project, Boldyn is piggybacking on MTA tunnel access to install cables in tandem with other construction work. Think of it as multitasking, but for infrastructure. 'This is being done because a private company—the same company that outfitted the stations to have cell service—now is moving forward with us to put cell connectivity in the tunnels in between the stations,' MTA Chair Janno Lieber told amNewYork. Though one downside? 'Some people complain they have to listen to too many domestic arguments,' Lieber joked. Still, we'll take that over another dead zone.
Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Science
- Straits Times
China's universities are wooing Western scientists
A handful of senior Western scholars have recently taken up posts in China, at universities such as Tsinghua. PHOTO: Dr Charles Lieber had few options. On April 28, the renowned former Harvard chemist took up a new post at Tsinghua University's Shenzhen campus. Dr Lieber had been looking for a perch after he was convicted in America in 2021 for hiding ties to Chinese research funding. He is one of a handful of senior Western scholars who have recently taken up posts in China. Others have done so more from a position of choice. The websites of Peking University and Tsinghua University, respectively, recently confirmed that Dr Gerard Mourou, a French Nobel prize-winning physicist, and Dr Kenji Fukaya, a decorated Japanese mathematician, were joining their faculties. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Economist
22-05-2025
- Economist
China's universities are wooing Western scientists
Charles lieber had few options. On April 28th the renowned former Harvard chemist took up a new post at Tsinghua University's Shenzhen campus. Mr Lieber had been looking for a perch after he was convicted in America in 2021 for hiding ties to Chinese research funding. He is one of a handful of senior Western scholars who have recently taken up posts in China. Others have done so more from a position of choice.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hochul, MTA celebrate restored A train subway line – but still no answers on how they'll pay for $3B spending plan
ALBANY – All aboard the debt train? Gov. Kathy Hochul took a victory lap on restored service on the Rockaway A Train Monday morning, but it's still a mystery how the flailing MTA will plug a funding hole in its massive five-year capital plan. Hochul acknowledged last week that a deal included in state budget talks to fund most of the MTA's record-breaking $68 billion capital plan proposal includes a $3 billion shortfall that she expects the transit agency to cover on its own by coming up with savings and issuing new debt. 'We've asked for the MTA to come up with $150 million worth of savings, which I know they're capable of, and that money would result in bonding the additional $3 billion dollars,' Hochul said. With reporters in tow, Hochul posed for pictures and handed out stickers to riders on the A train Monday morning. She then delivered some remarks at a press conference alongside other pols and MTA Chair Janno Lieber before leaving in a state police SUV that ferried her away without taking questions. A rep for Hochul referred The Post to comments from Lieber where he committed to making cuts, but didn't elaborate on the logic behind taking on additional debt. 'The legislature and the governor have challenged us to figure out how to do all the work that was programmed in the $68 billion dollar program and to do it for less and we've accepted that challenge,' Lieber said. Watchdogs like Rachael Fauss from Reinvent Albany are concerned that the MTA may have to break precedent and tap into its operating revenue from subway fares and other sources to fund multi-year projects housed under its massive capital plan. 'We don't know what the future holds for the economy and the MTA, so making a commitment to use operating savings for long-term debt is risky,' Fauss said. She noted that could lead to fare hikes or cuts to service if an economic downturn hits as Hochul herself had forecasted. 'What you don't want is the MTA using operating revenues or fare box revenue to bond if they don't have to, because that puts pressure on them and means less money for their operating budget,' Fauss said. Lieber said as recently as last week he's committed to keeping MTA debt amounts at or below 15% of operating revenues. 'There's lots of ways that we can accomplish the saving and efficiency we have talked about but we're just getting started. So I don't want anyone to think that we're just piling on the borrowing,' Lieber said. Multiple lawmakers told The Post they hadn't been looped in on the MTA's plans either. Some expressed similar concerns about possibly bonding out operating revenues for the capital plan. 'Generally that's not a very good financial procedure,' Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Queens) told The Post.
