Can the IBX be fully automated?

An urban planning research group in New York published a study on train usage, calling on the MTA to create a driverless system for the planned Interborough Express (IBX) rail line through Brooklyn and Queens.

As part of being studyNYU’s Maroon Institute of Urban Management assessed more than 400 trains in dozens of countries and found that fewer than 6.25 percent of systems have two staffers on board.

But the researchers, who have written extensively on IBX land use topics, specifically advocate that one of the MTA’s most anticipated projects be built as a fully automated system, eliminating the need for onboard personnel, including train operators, to optimize light rail speed and efficiency.

“Ideally, IBX will be fully automated at opening so it can provide the most robust service,” researchers wrote in the study.

Eric Goldwyn is program director and clinical assistant professor at Marron and contributed to the November 13 study. He told amNew York that the IBX “absolutely” needs to be automated to improve speed and service.

“When you have a metro, reliability and frequency are the most important things,” the researcher said. “And the way you achieve the highest frequency is through automated actions.”

A fast ride is a strong selling point for the IBX. The MTA has promised that a full one-way trip on the proposed 14-mile, 19-stop light rail will take about 33 minutes — a stark contrast to the nearly two-hour ride on most suburban trains that have to pass through Manhattan.

Goldwyn suggested that train headways (the amount of time between successive trains) could be reduced with automation, supporting a fast commute.

“There are train lines in the world that run every 90 seconds,” he said. “And with the IBX, that should be our goal.”

Goldwyn may be on to something. Vancouver’s SkyTrain uses fully automated driverless trains. A look at his schedule it turns out that some trains run every two minutes during peak hours.

According to an article in Railroad newsThese self-driving trains are expected to “play a central role in enabling more frequent and reliable operations on the expanding network.”

In New York City, the possibility of a fully automated train doesn’t seem far-fetched. The MTA is on a roll, modernizing its century-old infrastructure with Communications-based Train Control (CBTC) technology, which relies heavily on computers and wireless communications between trains and track equipment to improve service.

And it’s similar to the technology used in Vancouver.

“The CBTC system is expected to help manage rising passenger demand,” the Railway News article notes. “On an average weekday in 2025, the SkyTrain network will have recorded approximately 481,000 boardings. The enhanced automation is designed to improve reliability, reduce headway frequency between trains and provide a consistent travel experience for users.

The dark side of train automation

But some New Yorkers warn that the removal of human workers poses greater risks, pointing to a potential “dark side” of automation: the displacement of transit workers and the loss of safety that human presence helps provide.

John Samuelsen, president of the Transit Workers Union International, told amNewYork that under the union’s contract, no automated IBX will be exposed.

“If the IBX uses NYC Transit’s fare medium and provides seamless transfers to the subway, then it is TWU 100 work, covered by our contract,” he explained. “Automation and OPTO [one-person train operation] are prohibited. Fully staffed trains are needed.”

Earlier this week, Samuelsen also called the Maroon Institute’s study ‘garbage’.

“Academics think working people are stupid,” he said. “They can have the data lie for them. They’ve done research on subway systems worldwide. But there’s no subway system in the world like the New York subway system.”

The Transition Union and many politicians are working to legally strengthen this mandate through NYS legislation. Governor Kathy Hochul has until the end of the year approve a bill that would mandate the continued presence of conductors on nearly all New York subway trains, something that would likely extend to the proposed IBX.

What do New Yorkers think of an automated IBX?

amNewYork spoke to some subway riders about the idea of ​​a fully automated IBX in the suburbs.

“This is NYC where things will happen on the subway. It’s not a matter of whether they will happen, like track fires or crime,” said Teddy, a subway passenger in Manhattan. “We need people on the trains. We need people on the trains.”

Similarly, Christina Wilkinson, secretary of the Juniper Park Civic Association in Queens, is concerned about public safety.

“It is quite unsafe to have tens of thousands of people traveling at high speed over a distance of 22 kilometers without trained personnel on board,” she said. “There probably won’t be any staff at the stations either, and we already know there won’t be enough police to patrol them. It’s just an irresponsible idea.”

Liisa Lunden of Queens echoed these sentiments.

“Whether it’s unguided or automated, I think that’s a safety hazard,” she said. “People are already being pushed in front of trains. Light rail will be even more desolate.”

She also said train crews act as additional “eyes and ears” on trains and platforms to “see if anything is happening,” citing ongoing crimes, threats or passengers needing police or medical attention.

In terms of mechanical safety, Goldwyn of the Marron Institute explained that automation comes with precautions.

He cited airport trains as an example when describing how automated trains move – and how they know to stop.

“If there is a problem where the train automatically stops, that information is sent back to the central system so the trains behind it know to stop,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rachel Fauss, a senior policy advisor for Reinvent Albany, a group that advocates for transparency and accountability in government, agrees with the Marron Institute study. At a Nov. 19 MTA committee meeting, she said that “the trend globally is clearly toward automation” as more and more modern signaling systems are installed. While she did not discuss the IBX, she said Hochul should veto the state Legislature’s bill to keep conductors on city trains.

“Unfortunately, our state lawmakers have gone far too far in micromanaging the MTA by passing this misleading and outdated legislation,” she said.

The MTA has included robust funding in its $68.4 billion 2025-2029 capital plan to modernize the subway system. Fauss emphasized that he takes “full advantage” of modern signals.

“Let’s not waste this investment. By taking full advantage of modern signals, the MTA can run existing trains more efficiently and put those savings directly into better service, a win-win for passengers and transit workers,” she said.

The MTA declined to comment for this story.

The IBX, which is expected to cost approximately $6 billion, is currently in the design and environmental assessment phase. The state-run MTA will continue planning public meetings and outreach about the ambitious project.

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally appeared in amNY. Click here to see the original story.

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