In a letter released last week, thirty environmental and civic groups congratulated NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg for his daily use of the subway.  The letter, organized by the Straphangers Campaign, was endorsed by neighborhood and environmental groups, labor unions and transportation reformers. 

“You should be proud to have quickly earned the nickname ‘MetroCard Mayor,’” the groups wrote. “The pictures of you on the Lexington Avenue line send an important message to New Yorkers: taking public transportation is a fast and effective way of getting around town. That’s particularly critical at a time when traffic congestion is hurting our business climate and fouling the air we breathe.”

The groups also urged the mayor to press commissioners and top staff to follow his transit-riding example. “There’s no reason for them to be car potatoes.  We also urge you to reduce the use of city cars and cut back on unnecessary parking permits that are issued to city employees.  Those steps could take thousands of cars out of traffic,” the letter said.

Although Mayor Bloomberg is considering cutting the official city car fleet from 70 to 50 (MTR #348), parking permits are still issued for 110,000 city workers’ private cars.

Mayor Ken Livingstone of London axed  company cars for London Transport managers last year, saying they would work harder to improve service if they experienced travel the way most other Londoner do.

Many top city and MTA officials travel primarily by car or taxi.  A spokesperson for NYC Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall told the NY Post she used transit once a week but used her car trips to observe conditions on city streets.

Straphanging Mayor No Car Potato (Jan. 7, 2002)

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