Train Crew Courtesy Tops Customer Satisfaction Survey
The marks you gave us for our performance in 2008 have been received and tallied. More than 9,000 of you participated in the Railroad's 2008 Customer Satisfaction Survey, and in doing so provided us with a great deal of both insight and encouragement.
One of the most encouraging marks you gave us was a resounding 95% satisfaction rating for Train Crew Courtesy, and it was accompanied by several other good scores for On-Board Service.
While Courtesy Of Crew led the way, it was closely followed by Onboard Safety (94%), Onboard Heating (93%), Overall Comfort of Trip (93%) and Train Interior Maintenance (93%).
Also, 9 out of 10 of you expressed satisfaction with the LIRR's On Time Performance, which reached a best-ever total in 2008. This score included "best-ever" marks for annual AM Peak, PM Peak and Off-Peak; and they were achieved at the same time that the Railroad served a record number of customers. As LIRR President Helena Williams said: "Our Customer Satisfaction Survey is an important barometer of what the riding public thinks about the Long Island Rail Road. I am delighted to see that our train crews are being recognized for their courteous service; and that the hard work of our maintenance departments has added to the comfort and reliability of our trains.
We have to keep up that good work, and do better in those areas that the survey shows need improvement." On the "needs improvement" front, many customers found fault with the cleanliness of the restrooms in Penn Station, with only 58% of those surveyed finding them acceptable. Williams noted that a $5 million renovation of the restrooms now underway should go a long way toward improving customer satisfaction in that category. The results are based on a survey of peak and off-peak customers that was conducted by Abt SRBI Inc. in September and October of 2008. Eighty-nine percent of those customers said they were satisfied with the overall quality of service provided by the LIRR. We'll be working to improve that number.
To all our customers who participated in the survey, a sincere "Thank you."

LIRR 175th Anniversary Customer Appreciation Days
We want to show that we appreciate our customers. So, as a part of our year-long celebration of the LIRR's 175th year - that's right, 175 years! - of service, we will be offering giveaways to customers.
The winners will be provided with free tickets to great events like Broadway shows, sporting events and more. The giveaways will start with two Customer Appreciation Days at Penn Station (February 24 & March 18) in the 34th Street Entranceway. Customers can enter a business card or raffle form to win tickets to the plays Thomas & Friends Live!, and Dora The Explorer Live! (February), and The Little Mermaid or Mama Mia! (March). Watch for more details on our website.

New Schedules - March 2
In order to support and accommodate several important track projects, the new schedules starting on Monday, March 2, will include these service changes:

• West Hempstead - buses replacing all weekend trains (March 2 - 29; and Saturdays, April 4 & 18)
• Babylon - weekend service reductions (March 2 - 29)
• Far Rockaway/Hempstead - altered schedules
• Montauk - midday weekday trains (4) replaced by buses (March 2 - 29) plus altered schedules on weekends

All midday and weekend customers are encouraged to review the new timetables in order to acquaint themselves with the impact this work will have on their normal service.
We apologize for any inconvenience this work will cause, and assure you that we make every effort to minimize the impact on your train schedules when conducting this necessary work.

Presidents' Day
Don't forget Presidents' Day, Monday, February 16. On this national holiday the LIRR will be operating on a holiday schedule with some added service on the Ronkonkoma Branch.

Jamaica/Flatbush
A part of our Track Rehabilitation and Renewal Project will see switches being upgraded in the area of our East New York station. This work will be conducted on three consecutive Saturdays in February (14th/21st/28th), and will impact the scheduling of some Far Rockaway, Long Beach and Hempstead branch trains. Go to our website for full details.

Email Alerts
The MTA and the LIRR have launched a more robust email and text messaging system that notifies registered customers of service disruptions at all of the MTA's family of transportation agencies, Including the LIRR. Using our website at www.mymtaalerts.com, you can register to receive alerts on your cellphone or pda about any combination of subway lines, bus routes, rail lines, bridges or tunnels. You can choose to receive them 24/7, or only during a particular time of day or week.

Railroad Buffs
Attention!, Attention! ... all Railroad Buffs, please listen up! The Railroad Museum of Long Island is looking for new members. Interested? Call them at 631-765-2757 about their Saturday, February 21 (1:30 PM) informational meeting in Riverhead at the Suffolk County Historical Society (300 West Main Street).

LIRR 175th Anniversary: Did You Know?
That the LIRR first served our region as a "transportation gateway," providing travelers and shippers with a rail/steamship-route between New York City and Boston? Travelers and/or goods would cross the East River to Brooklyn, take the train to Greenport, board steamships to Connecticut and then take another train to complete their trip in 11 hours ... greatly reducing the time of travel.

This Valentine's month
Please show some heart
Don't enter your train
Til those leaving depart.
In your wanderings hither
And your meanderings yon
Let them get off
Before you start to get on.

Monthly OTP 96.11%
January's OTP was an excellent 96.11%. The AM Peak period came in at 95.99%, the PM Peak at 93.03%, and Off-Peak was 96.67%.

BRANCH	AM Peak	PM Peak	Off- Peak	Total January 2009	Total January 2008
Babylon	93.9	93.5	96.8	95.8	97.0
Far Rockaway	97.7	98.9	99.5	99.2	98.5
Hicksville/Huntington	97.3	91.1	97.0	96.3	94.8
Hempstead	98.6	90.0	96.8	96.3	97.7
Long Beach	95.8	93.6	98.7	97.6	98.1
Montauk	93.1	91.4	96.6	95.6	96.5
Oyster Bay	95.7	88.3	96.5	95.3	95.7
Port Jefferson	92.5	93.6	94.3	94.0	93.8
Port Washington	98.3	96.8	98.8	98.5	97.1
Greenport/Ronkonkoma	97.2	88.0	89.1	90.3	94.3
West Hempstead	94.0	96.7	98.8	97.9	98.2
TOTAL	96.0	93.0	96.7	96.1	96.6

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