(BROOKLYN, NY) — While Brooklyn commuters are dreading the shutdown of the L train in 2019, there’s a new startup ready to save the day.
750 would-be riders have already signed up on “The New L” luxury shuttle website. But advocates say the private shuttles may worsen congestion #MorningsOn1 https://t.co/kJDor706lN pic.twitter.com/1W3Ut0Fh0O
— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) August 1, 2018
Come April, the L train will shut down between 8th Avenue in Manhattan and Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn for 15 months to repair damages caused by Hurricane Sandy. “The New L,” a high-end shuttle service, wants to provide stranded L train commuters with a luxurious alternative.
The shuttle service will offer Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans decked out with professional chauffeurs, WiFi, phone chargers, and snacks.
“We’ll be launching when the line shuts down, and we’ll continue to operate until there’s a suitable solution provided by the MTA,” Said the company’s founder and president, Jaime Getto.
For $155 a month members will be provided a single, one-way ride every weekday morning.
As for now, the fee only covers a trip into Manhattan, but Getto hopes to soon provide return trips as well as rides to subway stations.
The mission of The New L is to increase accessibility to transportation for all Brooklynites during the #LTrainShutdown 🚐We’re launching with shuttles from BK->NYC and will rapidly expand w. additional micro-transit options that will help shuttle BK residents to nearby subways. https://t.co/SvpB8hMdec
— Jaime Getto (@jaimegetto) August 2, 2018
The startup already has a waitlist of around 500 North Brooklyn commuters, and with more than a few months before the shutdown, there is still plenty of time to catch the attention of others. With different subway lines, additional buses, ferries, and bikes as alternatives, a high-end ride to work sounds very appealing.
