Panic Over Gas Shortage

By COLlive reporter

Hurricane Sandy has flooded homes but is keeping the cars on dry.

Motorists in New York hoping to gas up their cars on Wednesday were met by massive lines and empty gas stations, as power outages across the region led to a shortage of open fuel stops, NY Post reported.

“The gas station across the 71st Precinct (on Empire Blvd.) has no gas and neither does the one on Flatbush and Lincoln Place,” Alex, a Brooklyn resident, told COLlive.com.

He said a police officer has notified him that “there’s no gas in Brooklyn” and that it isn’t clear how soon there will be.

With limited bus service and subway trains, following a 2-day shutdown caused by the historic storm, New Yorkers trying to return to work were left to commute by private vehicle.

Davidi Crombi who works in Crown Heights said he waited on line for 3 hours and by the time he reached the pump, he was told there was none left.

“I was in shock,” he said. “Many people gave up and left. And the other 3 gas stations I went to, didn’t have anything either.”

The anxiety was felt on Long Island and New Jersey as well, where users tweeted photos of car lines that looked a mile long, the Post reported.

Despite the surge in demand, some analysts said Hurricane Sandy wasn’t likely to drive gas prices up.

The average price of gas in New York City was $3.93, up two cents from Tuesday and down six cents from a week ago, according to GasBuddy.com.

“There is a real panic!” another resident said. “There’s no gas in the whole area! People are going crazy!”

MTA Partially restored

MTA subway and rail service was partially restored Thursday at 6 a.m.

LIRR and Metro-North Rail Road resumed limited service Wednesday on the Harlem line between North White Plains and Grand Central. Hourly service resumed between Jamaica and Atlantic Terminal. Limited hourly service on the Ronkonkoma Branch and between Great Neck and Penn Station resumed Thursday morning. LIRR customers are advised to hold on to Oct. monthly tickets, which will be honored through Monday.

On Thursday morning, service was back on Metro-North’s Harlem line between Mt. Kisco and Grand Central. Service was restored on the New Haven line from Stamford to Grand Central. The MTA will resume limited subway service on Thursday morning. Many subway lines will run in separate sections, with bus shuttle bridging the gaps.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a transit emergency, prompting the MTA to waive fares on subways, buses, and commuter rails on Thursday and Friday.

SUBWAYS
1 trains will operate local between 242nd Street (Bronx) and Times Square-42nd Street.

2 trains will operate between 241st Street (Bronx) and Times Square-42nd Street, with express service between 96th Street and Times Square.

3 trains are suspended.

4 trains will operate in two sections making all local stops:

· Between Woodlawn (Bronx) and Grand Central-42nd Street
· Between Borough Hall and New Lots Avenue

5 trains will operate express in Brooklyn between Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center and Flatbush Avenue.

6 trains will operate local between Pelham Bay Park and Grand Central-42nd Street.

7 trains are suspended.

42nd Street Shuttle S trains will operate between Times Square and Grand Central.

A trains will operate in two sections making all local stops:

· Between 168th Street (Manhattan) and 34th Street-Penn Station
· Between Jay Street/MetroTech and Lefferts Blvd.

B and C service is suspended.

D trains operate in two sections:

· Between 205th Street (Bronx) and 34th Street-Herald Square making all local stops
· In Brooklyn, between Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center and Bay Parkway making express stops between Pacific Street and 36th Street

E trains are suspended.

F trains operate in two sections making all local stops:

· Between 179th Street (Queens) and 34th Street-Herald Square
· In Brooklyn, between Jay Street-MetroTech and Avenue X

G trains are suspended.

J trains operate between Jamaica Center and Hewes Street making all local stops.

L trains operate between Broadway Junction and rockaway Parkway making all local stops.

M trains operate between Myrtle Avenue-Broadway and Metropolitan Avenue.

N trains operate between Ditmars Blvd. (Queens) and 34th Street-Herald Square making all local stops.

Q trains are suspended.

R trains operate in Brooklyn between Jay Street-MetroTech and 95th Street making all local stops.

Both the Franklin Avenue and Rockaway Park S shuttles are suspended.

SHUTTLE BUSES: EFFECTIVE THURSDAY PRIOR TO RUSH HOUR

All shuttle buses will operate north on 3rd Avenue and south on Lexington Avenue.
1. Between Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center and 57th Street-Lexington Avenue via the Manhattan Bridge
2. Between Jay Street-MetroTech and 57th Street-Lexington Avenue via the Manhattan Bridge
3. Between Hewes Street and 57th Street-Lexington Avenue via the Williamsburg Bridge

OTHER ROAD AND TRANSIT UPDATES

All bridges in New York City are open.
The Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Holland Tunnel and Queens Midtown Tunnel remain closed due to flooding.
PATH service remains suspended.
Bus service is operating on a full weekday schedule. No fares will be charged on the buses on Thursday.
NJ Transit bus service restored. NJ Transit train service remains suspended.
Access-A-Ride is offering limited service.
Bee Line and Paratransit service restored.
NY Waterway limited service.
Alternate side of the street parking and meter regulations remain suspended through Wednesday.
John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark-Liberty International Airport are open.
LaGuardia Airport reopens Thursday morning.
Stewart International Airport is open.
Ride sharing in cabs and livery cars is permitted (riders should check for TLC license plates on livery vehicles)