Letter: Performance stats and the LIRR
An LIRR commuter waits at the Long Beach station. (Jan. 19, 2012) Credit: Newsday / Alejandra Villa
Something is very wrong at the Long Island Rail Road. The LIRR is embroiled in two major scandals: disability fraud ["Dr. 'Disability Mill,' " News, Jan. 19] and copper theft ["Alleged LIRR thefts," News, Jan. 26], so the time may be ripe for a top-to-bottom overhaul.
Simply stated, the LIRR needs to change its culture. One step forward would be to stop the public lies every month about on-time performance statistics. After superstorm Sandy thoroughly thrashed the LIRR, resulting in about three weeks of alternative service, the LIRR released an on-time performance count of better than 91 percent.
The outrage at this was quick and ferocious -- to the point that the LIRR had to restate its numbers. This alone shows how meaningless the statistics are. Alternative measures should be used.
Peter Haynes, Bayport
Editor's note: The writer is the president of the LIRR Commuters Campaign, a nonprofit group.
