Luxury Shuttle Service Hopes to Ease 'Chaos' From Looming L Shutdown
*By Carlo Versano*
When New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority shuts down the L Train next April for 15 months of repairs, an estimated 225,000 Brooklynites will need to rethink their commutes.
Enter the [New L](https://www.thenewl.com/), a pop-up carpool service of sorts which will transport up to 13 commuters at a time from their doorsteps in Brooklyn to drop-off points in Manhattan for the duration of the shutdown.
The "core shuttle service" will expand accessibility for residents of Williamsburg, Bushwick, Greenpoint, and other crowded neighborhoods that are currently serviced by the L but far from other lines, New L founder Jaime Getto said in an interview with Cheddar Wednesday.
Getto's business is part of a patchwork system of mobility solutions ー public, private, and personal ー conceived to deal with the repercussions of what will be a massive (and extended) headache for many commuters.
Ridership on the L has more than tripled since 1990, according to the MTA. The agency has said [contingency plans](http://web.ta.info/sandy/resources.html) include increased bus and ferry service, though it's admitted that up to 85 percent of impacted riders will opt for other subway lines. That will create a spillover effect on already crowded trains like the J, M, and Z.
Getto said her initiative can help alleviate that "chaos."
"I had to create this company because the MTA's mitigation plan was not feasible," she said, [echoing](https://www.villagevoice.com/2018/05/17/the-l-train-shutdown-scenario-just-got-a-whole-lot-worse/) the concerns of many locals.
Getto's idea began as a way to provide a service to her neighbors, though she said it immediately became clear that she could appeal to a wider base. The New L is mostly a technology platform, she added, and does not own any vehicles or employ any drivers. Instead, it will utilize fleets of for-hire cars already licensed by the Taxi & Limousine Commission.
The company is currently collecting data from potential riders to build the most efficient routes, Getto said. The fleet will consist of luxury sprinter vans and include Wi-Fi, chargers, and even a rotating breakfast menu from local cafes. Pricing is still in process, she said, but will include a $155 monthly option. That, though, just covers rides into Manhattan in the mornings ー getting home is up to the riders.
"The service will operate for the duration of the shutdown," Getto said, and will cease "once there's a suitable alternative provided by the MTA," presumably after the repairs are over.
The New L will help reduce the amount of cars on the road during this critical time, Getto said. She did not indicate how long a commute on the New L will take.
*(Disclosure: The author's father is a former executive at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.)*
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-new-l-a-luxury-transportation-alternative-during-nycs-l-train-shutdown).
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