In its 2000-2004 financial plan, the MTA allocated $50 million to create more parking at Metro North train stations, hoping to attract more riders and increase access to train stations. Since 1997, MNR has built 7,300 new spaces and improved 4,800 spaces. An additional 1,500 spaces have been built by local communities. Currently, according to a recent MTA Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee report, there are 34,303 MNRR parking spaces in New York and 16,042 spaces at stations in Connecticut (the CT stations are controlled by ConnDOT or CT local governments). From 1997 to 2002, the railroad increased absolute parking supply at stations by 26% (including spaces built by local governments). The rate of addition of new or "improved" spaces is about 40% over that period. While commuter rail parking is generally championed as a rider-attracting measure, Metro-North ridership grew at just over 10% from 1998 to 2002, from 66.4 million to 73.2 million, or just over 10%.

The addition of so much parking at train stations may be a source of pride for Metro-North, but transit advocates have long said that more parking is not always the best method to increase access to train stations. More often than not, new parking attracts new riders on a less than one-for-one basis, and creates local traffic, sprawl and pollution problems of its own.

Many who use expanded parking previously reached the station another way. A NJ Transit study from the mid-1990s found that its new $30 million, 3,500-car parking complex at Metropark Station was used mostly (e.g 60%-90%) by existing riders who stopped taking transit, walking, or being dropped off at the station, and switched to driver-only car trips.

Earlier this year, the PCAC released a report recommending that the MTA make shuttle service to stations a "preferred strategy" to parking. The PCAC urged the MTA to devote more money to shuttle buses, carpooling, biking, and walking to and from stations and suggested that Metro-North work with municipalities to price parking at rates that better balance demand and supply and encourage more commuters to take advantage of alternative forms of station access (i.e increase parking prices). The report also suggested that the agency create a working group with Westchester’s Bee-Line bus system to better coordinate bus and train service.

Metro North already benefits from a variety of transit feeder services. Tappan Zee Express buses bring Rockland County riders to stations in Westchester. The Hudson Rail-link shuttle links Riverdale to Spuyten Duyvil station. The Haverstraw-Ossining ferry has been successful in bringing riders from Orange and Rockland counties to Metro-North service at Ossining. Nearly a dozen other small shuttle services also operate to MNRR stations, and a ferry from Newburgh to the Beacon station is under consideration. Some of these services benefit from "uni-ticketing" which combines the feeder and Metro-North trips into one ticket and fare.

These examples hold the promise of a railroad strategy that can really get more commuters out of cars. They need more attention and resources from Metro-North and the MTA.

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