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Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation

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The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) is a New York State public-benefit corporation responsible for developing Roosevelt Island, a small island in the East River that is part of the New York City borough of Manhattan.

Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
Overview
LocaleRoosevelt Island, Manhattan, New York City
Transit typeLocal bus, Aerial Tramway
Number of lines1 bus
1 aerial tramway
Daily ridership1,566
Chief executiveShelton J. Haynes (President and Chief Executive Officer)[1]
Headquarters591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, NY 10044
Websitehttps://rioc.ny.gov
Operation
Began operation1984
Operator(s)New York State
Number of vehicles6 buses

Organization

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RIOC is guided by a 5-member board of directors.[2] Its management team is headed by President and CEO Shelton J. Haynes, who reports to the board.[1] In 2017, it had operating expenses of $26.09 million and a level of staffing of 175 people.[3]

History

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Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation was created by New York State in 1984 to manage development and operations of Roosevelt Island. Before RIOC there existed other state agencies which ran the island's day-to-day operations such as the Welfare Island Development Corporation and later the Roosevelt Island Development Corporation. The first RIOC Board and President were appointed by the Governor in 1986.

The New York State Urban Development Corporation (UDC) operated New York City’s Welfare Island, as Roosevelt Island was previously known, prior to RIOC. Development of the island was based on the principles of urban "new communities" under President Lyndon Johnson’s "Great Society" programs of the 1960s and early 1970s, and development of the "new" community there was authorized by the 99-year ground lease and accompanying General Development Plan (GDP) agreed upon by New York City and New York State in 1969. The NY State GDP, which has been amended from time to time, provides for the development of housing, shops and community facilities for a mixed-income, handicap-accessible residential neighborhood.

Roosevelt Island requires specialized operations and infrastructure maintenance such as the aerial tramway, an on-island bus system, an underground pneumatic tube garbage collection system, and seawall improvements. Basic services such as MTA stops on the subway (Roosevelt Island station) and bus routes (Q102 bus), as well as water and sewage input and output, are provided by other agencies such as the MTA and the City of New York. Meanwhile, RIOC supplements these services with its own specialized operations, infrastructure, and capital improvements.

Today, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation manages a mixed-income community of about 12,000 residents featuring numerous parks and greenspaces, recreational facilities, and six city-designated landmark buildings.[4] The waterfront promenade circling the island provides panoramic views of New York City icons such as the United Nations Headquarters, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the Queensboro Bridge, and the landmarked Pepsi-Cola sign in Queens.

Transportation

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Roosevelt Island Red Bus
 
Now-retired OBI Orion VII OG HEV 07.501 #2 on the Red Bus shuttle.
ParentRoosevelt Island Operating Corporation
LocaleRoosevelt Island
Service areaRoosevelt Island - Octagon, Main Street, Tramway, Cornell Tech
Service typeShuttle bus
Routes3
Fleetsee below
Fuel typeDiesel and Hybrid
OperatorRoosevelt Island Operating Corporation
Chief executiveShelton J. Haynes
WebsiteOfficial website

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation operates the Roosevelt Island Tram and the Red Bus, which connects the tram to island locations.[5] The bus service started charging a small fare in 1991;[6] the fare was completely removed in 2014.[5]

Routes

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Route Termini Streets traveled Times
Red Bus Octagon Apartments
888 Main Street 		↔ Southpoint Park Main Street, East Drive, West Drive Monday-Sunday, 5:30AM-2:30AM, Fridays and Saturdays extended to 3:30AM (every 15 minutes)[7]
Octagon
Express 		Octagon Apartments
888 Main Street 		Tramway station, Roosevelt Island
(East) 		Main Street, East and West Drives Monday-Friday, 7AM-10AM (every 20 minutes)[7]
Shoppers Special Costco, Astoria, Queens
32-50 Vernon Boulevard 		Roosevelt Island Senior Center
546 Main Street 		Main Street, Vernon Boulevard Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:30AM[8]

Bus roster

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Active Roster
Fleet
Number(s) 		Photo Year Make Model Notes
6   2009 OBI Orion VII NG HEV
(07.501)
  • Runs mainly during rush hours
8-9

 

2016 New Flyer XD40 Xcelsior
10-11   2018
Unknown Number Unknown Year Ford/Glaval Unknown
  • Temporary use as of September 3, 2024.
  • Used mainly between the hours of 11 PM and 1 AM.
Retired Roster
Fleet
Number(s) 		Photo Year Make Model Notes
1-4   2005 OBI Orion VII OG HEV
(07.501)
  • Retired in 2018
  • 1 and 2 were bought by the Port Authority for JFK shuttle use
1-3, 6, 8[9] 1994 New Flyer D40LF
  • Likely retired by the purchase of buses 1-4 and 5-6
5   2009 OBI Orion VII NG HEV
(07.501)
  • Stopped running in mid-2023.
  • Officially retired in September 2024.
7   2007 OBI Orion VII NG HEV
  • Ex-Orion demo
    • Demoed with the MTA as #1294
  • Purchased in March 2010
  • Last ran in June 2023 and confirmed retired October 2023[citation needed]

[10]

Future Fleet: RIOC will be getting 2 future New Flyer Xcelsior XD40 models in late 2024 or early 2025.[11]

AVAC

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See also: Roosevelt Island § Waste disposal

RIOC operates the island's high-tech sanitation system, called automated vacuum collection (AVAC). In this system, a computer turns on the trash receptacles in each building every hour, opening a valve that releases garbage into one of two underground pipes. These pipes then suck the garbage into the AVAC complex, where dust and waste are filtered, packaged, and released. When the system was installed, the only other pneumatic garbage system in the US was in Disney World.[12]

Public safety

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Main article: Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department

The RIPSD protects the island's property including all facilities by patrolling certain contracted residential buildings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the New York City Police Department is responsible for providing policing service on Roosevelt Island. RIPSD public safety employs approximately 40 special patrol officers.

Parks and recreation

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RIOC maintains and rents out sports fields around the island for public use. The Sportspark exercise facility at the southern end of Roosevelt Island features a pool, basketball court, fitness center, and a rec room with billiards, ping pong, and air hockey.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "RIOC Exec Staff Page". Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  2. ^ "RIOC Board Page". Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  3. ^ "NYSABO 2018 Report" (PDF). pp. 16, 44. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  4. ^ "2020 Census Tabulation Tables". Census Bureau.
  5. ^ a b Bashan, Yoni (2014-04-03). "Save Your Change: This Ride on New York's Roosevelt Island is Free". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  6. ^ Daley, Suzanne (1991-05-30). "Roosevelt Island Journal; Dime Bus Ride: A Way of Life Ends". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-11-23.
  7. ^ a b "Red Bus Schedule | Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation of the State of New York". rioc.ny.gov. Retrieved 2020-10-06.
  8. ^ "Shopper's Red Bus | Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation of the State of New York". rioc.ny.gov. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  9. ^ "RIOC's NFI Group Media (1994 D40LF) | TTMG". www.ttmg.org. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  10. ^ "Roosevelt Island Red Bus Service - CPTDB Wiki".
  11. ^ Islander, Roosevelt. "First Board Of Directors Meeting For New RIOC Leadership Team Thursday February 1, Come See What Happens And Ask Your Questions - Purchase Of 2 Diesel Red Buses On Agenda, Why Not Hybrid Buses Instead Asks Directors". Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  12. ^ "How New York's Roosevelt Island Sucks Away Summer Trash Stink". NPR.org. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
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