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Czars of L, No. 7 trains named

By Marlene Naanes, amNewYork Staff Writer
More stories | MNaanes@am-ny.com

December 7, 2007

Riders on the L and 7 trains now have a name and face for the person who will be fielding their complaints.

New York City Transit Thursday named two subway veterans, each with more than two decades of experience, to head the L and 7 lines. The move is the first step to decentralize oversight of the subway system and will serve as a pilot program.

Greg Lombardi, who has been with Transit for 28 years, was named general manager of the L train, and Lou Brassica, a 26-year MAT veteran, will take over the No. 7 line. It is the general managers' responsibility to quickly address problems particular to the lines, including cleaning stations, improving schedules and making sure train announcements are audible, transit officials said.

Transit employees and riders alike will now have a go-to guy who can quickly "solve problems in 24 hours that heretofore would have taken 24 months," Transit President Howard Roberts said.

Straphangers will be able to offer suggestions to the new managers through the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Web site starting next week. "We hope it will enhance accountability and rider access to the transit officials making decisions that greatly affect daily commuting," said Gene Russianoff, staff attorney with the Straphangers Campaign.

The two are slated to start their new jobs on Monday, but they already have their marching orders. They will be visiting each of the stations on their line to hear suggestions and complaints, and they will use Transit's rider report cards as a road map for improvement. Earlier this year, riders rated the 7 a C-minus and gave the L train a C. Riders will grade the lines again in three to four months, and Transit plans to use the feedback to gauge improvement.

Riders' grades for their top complaints

7 train:

1. Cramped trains at rush hour; D

2. Trip delays; C-minus

3. Long wait times; C

4. Audible train announcements; D-plus

5. Audible station announcements; D-plus

L train:

1. Cramped trains at rush hour; D

2. Trip delays; C-minus

3. Long wait times; C

4. Dirty stations; C-minus

5. Sense of security in stations; C-plus