Primary day, Tuesday, September 10, 2013, is almost upon us, when voters around New York City (NYC) will take to the polls for the Republican and Democratic parties to select their nominees for Mayor. The University Transportation Research Center (UTRC), for Region 2 (NY, NJ & Puerto Rico), held a NYC Mayoral Candidates’ Transportation Forum at Baruch College on June 19th, moderated by Distinguished Lecturer and former NYC Taxi & Limousine Commissioner Matthew W. Daus, Esq. Since that time, the UTRC forum has inspired most every candidate to issue comprehensive transportation policy plans and platforms. As promised at the UTRC Mayoral Forum, the valuable ideas and positions of all candidates before, during and after the forum were carefully tracked, analyzed and set forth in detail in this final report entitled: New York City 2013 Mayoral Election Transportation Policy & Issue Primer: Candidates’ Positions and Plans. This seminal report will serve as a primer on transportation policy issues facing the next Mayor, as well as a reference tool for voters, the media, academics and others interested in transportation policymaking and the future of NYC. A sequel report will be released prior to the General Election scheduled for November 5, 2013, covering the updated and evolving positions of not only the Democratic and Republican nominees, but also of the Independence Party and any other major independent candidates.

This report is structured based on the topics selected for the Mayoral Forum, with additional categories and policy statements of candidates who both participated and did not participate in the event. The report is organized around the issues, with a primer or brief history framing the debate, and then analyzing, explaining and comparing the positions of the various candidates – in chart format. As an appendix to the report, each candidate’s biography and transportation policy plans and statements are set forth in a similar organizational framework – based on the forum topics – but with additional details and statements supporting each candidate’s positions.

In addition, the UTRC has prepared a voter guide, chart or “transportation palm card” for those who intend to review and rely on the candidates’ transportation policy positions prior to casting their ballots. Feel free to download this palm card here, share it with your friends and colleagues, and take it with you to the polls as you decide who to vote for. This simplified chart – with one page per primary election – is by no means entirely representative of the complexity of the subject matter or priorities of the candidates, but is intended as a mere guidepost for quick reference by voters; voters are advised to read this report or media of the candidates’ positions more fully before deciding. The voter palm card, focuses on some of the unique and new ideas each candidate has raised as part of their transportation plans, and also focuses on the topics that affect most commuters in the city and the issues most covered by the media.

The forum and the work surrounding this report has and continues to be a true exercise in participatory and representative democracy, making a true difference by changing the debate, and generating useful and pragmatic ideas. So please, put transportation policies near the top of your voter wish list, and don’t forget to vote!