View source for Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation

{{Short description|New York State public-benefit corporation}}
{{refimprove|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox Public transit
|name=Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
|image=RIOC logo.svg
|imagesize=100px
|image2=
|imagesize2=300px
|caption=
|locale=[[Roosevelt Island]], [[Manhattan]], [[New York City]]
|chief_executive= Shelton J. Haynes (President and Chief Executive Officer)<ref name="RIOC Staff"/>
|transit_type=Local bus, Aerial Tramway
|headquarters=591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, [[New York (state)|NY]] 10044
|vehicles=6 buses
|began_operation=1984
|lines=1 [[bus]]<br>1 [[aerial tramway]]
|ridership=1,566
|operator=New York State
|website=https://rioc.ny.gov
}}

The '''Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation''' ('''RIOC''') is a [[New York state public-benefit corporations|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]].

==Organization==
RIOC is guided by a 5-member board of directors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rioc.ny.gov/149/Board-of-Directors|title=RIOC Board Page|access-date=November 6, 2018}}</ref> Its management team is headed by President and CEO Shelton J. Haynes, who reports to the board.<ref name="RIOC Staff">{{cite web|url=https://rioc.ny.gov/158/Executive-Staff|title=RIOC Exec Staff Page|access-date=November 6, 2018}}</ref> In 2017, it had operating expenses of $26.09 million and a level of staffing of 175 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abo.ny.gov/reports/annualreports/ABO2018AnnualReport.pdf|title=NYSABO 2018 Report|pages=16,44|access-date=November 6, 2018}}</ref>

==History==
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 [[Roosevelt Island Tramway|aerial tramway]], an on-island bus system, an underground pneumatic tube garbage collection system, and seawall improvements. Basic services such as [[Metropolitan Transportation Authority|MTA]] stops on the subway ([[Roosevelt Island (IND 63rd Street Line)|Roosevelt Island]] station) and bus routes ({{NYC bus link|Q102}} bus), as well as water and sewage input and output, are provided by other agencies such as the MTA and the [[New York City|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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 Census Tabulation Tables|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?t=Populations%20and%20People&g=1400000US36061023802,36061023803,36061023804&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1|website=Census Bureau}}</ref> 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==
{{Infobox Bus transit
|name=Roosevelt Island Red Bus
|destinations=
|ceo=Shelton J. Haynes
|operator=Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
|fuel_type=[[Diesel fuel|Diesel]] and [[Hybrid-electric bus|Hybrid]]
|ridership=
|fleet=see below
|lounge=
|stations=
|hubs=
|stops=
|routes=3
|logo=
|alliance=
|service_type=[[Public transport bus service|Shuttle bus]]
|service_area=[[Roosevelt Island]] - Octagon, Main Street, Tramway, Cornell Tech
|locale=[[Roosevelt Island]]
|headquarters=
|parent=Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
|image_caption=Now-retired [[Orion Bus Industries|OBI]] [[Orion VII|Orion VII OG HEV 07.501]] #2 on the Red Bus shuttle.|image=Roosevelt Island Red Bus Orion VII hybrid 2.jpg
|logo_size=
|website={{official website|https://ny-rioc.civicplus.com/368/Red-Bus-Schedule}}}}

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation operates the [[Roosevelt Island Tram]] and the Red Bus, which connects the tram to island locations.<ref name=wsj-2014-04-03/> The bus service started charging a small fare in 1991;<ref>{{Cite news|last=Daley|first=Suzanne|date=1991-05-30|title=Roosevelt Island Journal; Dime Bus Ride: A Way of Life Ends|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/30/nyregion/roosevelt-island-journal-dime-bus-ride-a-way-of-life-ends.html|access-date=2023-11-23|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> the fare was completely removed in 2014.<ref name=wsj-2014-04-03>{{Cite news|last=Bashan|first=Yoni|date=2014-04-03|title=Save Your Change: This Ride on New York's Roosevelt Island is Free|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304441304579477862046443926.html|access-date=2023-09-01|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>
===Routes===
{| class=wikitable style="font-size: 100%;" |
! Route
!colspan=3|Termini
!Streets traveled
!Times
|-
| style="background:red; color:black" align="center" valign="top" |<span style="color:white;">'''Red Bus'''</span>
|'''Octagon Apartments'''<br>888 Main Street
! rowspan="3" |<span style="font-size:140%;">↔</span>
|'''Southpoint Park'''
|Main Street, East Drive, West Drive
|Monday-Sunday, 5:30AM-2:30AM, Fridays and Saturdays extended to 3:30AM (every 15 minutes)<ref name="Red Bus Schedule">{{Cite web|title=Red Bus Schedule {{!}} Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation of the State of New York|url=https://rioc.ny.gov/368/Red-Bus-Schedule|access-date=2020-10-06|website=rioc.ny.gov}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:red; color:black" align="center" valign="top" |<span style="color:white;">'''Octagon<br>Express'''</span>
|'''Octagon Apartments'''<br>888 Main Street
|'''[[Roosevelt Island Tramway|Tramway]] station, Roosevelt Island'''<br>(East)
|Main Street, East and West Drives
|Monday-Friday, 7AM-10AM (every 20 minutes)<ref name="Red Bus Schedule"/>
|-

<!-- Remarked out the following route as it is now inactive.
|-
| style="background:red; color:black" align="center" valign="top" |<span style="color:white;">'''Tram Shuttle'''</span>
|'''Tramway station, Manhattan'''<br/>59th Street and 2nd Avenue
|'''Tramway station, Roosevelt Island'''
|Main St, Vernon Blvd, Queens Plaza
|Saturday/Sunday, 3:30 PM-7:30PM (every hour)<ref name="Red Bus Schedule"/> 
|-

End of remarked out Tram Shuttle-->

|-
| style="background:red; color:black" align="center" valign="top" |<span style="color:white;">'''Shoppers Special '''</span>
|'''[[Costco]], [[Astoria, Queens]]'''<br/>32-50 Vernon Boulevard
|'''Roosevelt Island Senior Center'''<br/>546 Main Street
|Main Street, Vernon Boulevard
|Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:30AM<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shopper's Red Bus {{!}} Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation of the State of New York |url=https://rioc.ny.gov/343/Shoppers-Red-Bus |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=rioc.ny.gov}}</ref>
|}

===Bus roster===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="6" |Active Roster
|- align="center"
!Fleet<br>Number(s)
!Photo
!Year
!Make
!Model
!Notes
|- align="center"
|6
|[[File:RIOC 6.jpg|VII NG #6|200px]]
|2009
|[[Orion Bus Industries|OBI]]
|[[Orion VII#Next Generation|Orion VII NG HEV<br>(07.501)]]
|
* Runs mainly during rush hours
|- align="center"
|8-9
|
[[File:RiocXD40.jpg|200px|]]
|2016
| rowspan="2" |[[New Flyer Industries|New Flyer]]
| rowspan="2" |[[New Flyer Xcelsior|XD40 Xcelsior]]
| rowspan="2" align="left" |
*Purchased to replace [[Orion VII]] OG HEV buses due to unreliability{{cn|date=October 2023}}
|- align="center"
|10-11
|[[File:RIOC 11.jpg|XD40 #11|200px]]
|2018
|- align="center"
|0.5/S-24
|[[File:RIOC Bus number S-24.jpg|RIOC S-24|200px]]
| 2024
|[[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]/[[Glaval Bus|Glaval]]
|Unknown
|
* Temporary use as of September 3, 2024.
* Used mainly between the hours of 11 PM and 1 AM.
* Also known by RIOC staff as 0.5, officially number S-24
|- align="center"
|250-251
|[[File:RIOC 251.jpg|200px]]
| 2025
| [[New Flyer Industries|New Flyer]]
| [[New Flyer Xcelsior|XD40 Xcelsior]]
| align="left" |
*Purchased to replace [[Orion VII]] NG buses 
|- align="center"
! colspan="6" |Retired Roster
|- align="center"
!Fleet<br>Number(s)
!Photo
!Year
!Make
!Model
!Notes
|- align="center"
|1-4
|[[File:Roosevelt Island Red Bus Orion VII hybrid 2.jpg|VII OG #2|200px]]
|2005
|[[Orion Bus Industries|OBI]]
|[[Orion VII|Orion VII OG HEV<br>(07.501)]]
|
* Retired in 2018
* 1 and 2 were bought by the [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey|Port Authority]] for JFK shuttle use
|- align="center"
|1-3, 6, 8<ref>{{Cite web|title=RIOC's NFI Group Media (1994 D40LF) {{!}} TTMG|url=https://www.ttmg.org/rioc-nfia.html|access-date=2021-05-07|website=www.ttmg.org}}</ref>
|
|1994
|New Flyer
|D40LF
|
* Likely retired by the purchase of buses 1-4 and 5-6
|- align="center"
|5
|[[File:RIOC 5.jpg|VII NG #5|200px]]
|2009
|[[Orion Bus Industries|OBI]]
|[[Orion VII#Next Generation|Orion VII NG HEV<br>(07.501)]]
|
* Stopped running in mid-2023. 
* Officially retired in September 2024.
|- align="center"
|7
|[[File:RIOC 7.jpg|VII NG #7|200px]]
|2007
|OBI
|Orion VII NG HEV
|
*Ex-[[Orion Bus Industries|Orion]] demo
**Demoed with the [[New York City transit buses|MTA]] as #1294
*Purchased in March 2010
* Last ran in June 2023 and confirmed retired October 2023{{cn|date=October 2023}}
|}
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Roosevelt_Island_Red_Bus_Service|title = Roosevelt Island Red Bus Service - CPTDB Wiki}}</ref>

== AVAC ==
{{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 [[Walt Disney World]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=How New York's Roosevelt Island Sucks Away Summer Trash Stink|language=en|work=NPR.org|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/07/26/539304811/how-new-york-s-roosevelt-island-sucks-away-summer-trash-stink|access-date=2022-01-26}}</ref>

==Public safety==
The Roosevelt Island Public Safety Department (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 Officers are designated as Special Patrolmen in connection with special duties of employment, and such designation confers limited Peace Officer powers upon the employee pursuant to New York State Criminal Procedure Law § 2.20. The exercise of these powers is limited to the employee's geographical area of employment and only while such employee is actually working.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Public Safety Department {{!}} Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation of the State of New York |url=https://rioc.ny.gov/338/Safety-PSD |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=rioc.ny.gov}}</ref>RIPSD officers are prohibited the use of a firearm as per NYS criminal procedure law. 

Officers complete a peace officers' course which includes training in law, police science, powers of a peace officer, self-defense/tactics, arrest procedures and basic life support/[[CPR]]. There is also an additional eight weeks of field training which new officers must satisfactorily complete as part of their supplemental training. For those seeking the certification, there is bicycle training.

==Parks and recreation==
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 ==
* [[Hudson River Park|Hudson River Park Trust]]
* [[Battery Park City|Hugh L. Carey Battery Park City Authority]]
* [[Lower Manhattan Development Corporation]]
* [[Municipal Assistance Corporation|Municipal Assistance Corporation for the City of NY]]
* [[Javits Center|New York Convention Center Operating Corporation]]
* [[United Nations Development Corporation]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://rioc.ny.gov/}}
**{{cite web |url= http://rioc.recdesk.com/ |title= Parks & Recreation |publisher= RIOC |quote= <small>Events, memberships, permits</small>}}
* {{cite web |url= http://www.riraonline.com |title= RIRA Online |publisher= Roosevelt Island Residents Association}}

{{Roosevelt Island}}
{{NYC surface transit}}
{{Transportation in New York City|state=autocollapse}}
{{NYStateOfficers}}
{{New York state agencies}}
{{New York state public-benefit corporations}}

[[Category:Public benefit corporations in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Roosevelt Island]]