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Two Diesels, and a Hybrid Hope

Crumbling Foundations and One Lonely Slow Turn Toward Sustainability

Theo Gobblevelt

Aug 1

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For five years, RIOC ballooned its executive salaries while its infrastructure crumbled underneath them. Railing collapses, poisoned wildlife, steam tunnels reportedly at risk of failure, multiple piers facing structural instability, and elderly residents rattling across fractured Z-bricks that haven’t seen repairs in decades. The press releases told one story. Residents lived another.

And nothing revealed the consequences of neglect quite like the Red Bus fleet.

By 2024, Roosevelt Island’s transportation system had deteriorated to a single functioning bus. The Octagon Express was canceled. The Shopper Shuttle vanished. Riders faced abrupt changes in operating hours because RIOC simply had no backup. Years of inaction came to a head. For too long, leadership focused on ribbon cuttings and photo ops rather than the hard, daily work of running an island.

Ironically, this happened under the banner of “professionalism.” Under Shelton Haynes, salaries soared. Titles inflated. But the work didn’t get done. RIOC promoted people who weren’t ready, including placing the bus system under the Human Resources department instead of the Chief Operating Officer. It took a transit crisis for anyone to admit that maybe, just maybe, transportation shouldn’t be managed by HR.

“The state, from Cuomo thru Hochul, has never prioritized community management skills or those involving infrastructure,” said a senior Island advisor with direct knowledge of RIOC operations. “It’s a systemic problem, not just a staffing issue.”

The Diesel Dilemma: Leadership by Shortcut

Enter Mary Cunneen.

By title, she was Acting COO. By authority, she wasn’t granted real operational oversight until 2024. Internal sources revealed to us that Shelton Haynes wanted to reward Mary for her loyalty but acknowledged she lacked the qualifications to serve effectively as COO. As a result, he split the role's operational responsibilities between the HR, finance, and communications departments—leaving her with a largely symbolic position and a salary that recently crossed the $200,000 threshold.

For months, Mary communicated as if she were the transformational leader who brokered the MTA connection. Our sources confirmed that State Senator Kruger played a key role in getting RIOC to finally speak directly with the MTA—something that had never occurred before. That connection helped prioritize repairs and brought critical transportation expertise to an administration that had none. Mary eventually thanked Kruger, but only months later—and notably, only after she had flipped political alliances. (More on that in a future article.)

Critics question her preparedness. Supporters say she was the only one trying to fix things during the lowest point of the crisis. Wherever the truth lands, maybe somewhere in between, it was under her untrained leadership that RIOC authorized two new diesel buses.

Despite Roosevelt Island’s own mission statement pledging sustainability, RIOC leadership argued that diesel was cheaper and faster to deploy. Their argument: electric or hybrid models required infrastructure they hadn’t built. Yet hybrid buses don’t demand special infrastructure—some of RIOC’s aging fleet was already hybrid.

One Voice for the Environment

These excuses might have gone unnoticed if not for Dr. Melamed’s persistent questioning. At the time, the board wasn’t consulted until after the contract for diesel buses was finalized, forced to choose between approving it or getting nothing. The board ultimately moved forward, but the episode underscored a deeper problem: a lack of fiduciary stewardship that had become systemic in the old board’s structure.

“They don’t even give them part of the truth. RIOC keeps them blindfolded until a board meeting, then drop a decision in thier laps, usually something signed off on already. Rarely did someone ask meangful questions due to their lack of preperation.”

Dr. Michal Melamed, a board member and kidney health expert who cares enough to represent the interests of our environment, became the voice of reason in an otherwise chaotic chapter. As RIOC tried to deflect criticism by focusing on the long-term need for electric infrastructure—conveniently ignoring the immediate crisis—Melamed stayed focused on the present. Her argument was clear: if RIOC wasn't ready for electric, they should at least commit to hybrid now.

But RIOC staff had already signed the diesel contract before the board was consulted. At the meeting, they claimed it was too late to change the order, that hybrid was too expensive, and that the time crunch wouldn’t allow alternatives—notably at a moment when they claimed four buses were operating (though months later it became clear there had been periods with only one bus in service).

Given the limited choices and urgent need, the board voted to authorize the purchase of two diesel buses—accompanied by a vague oral commitment from RIOC leadership that going forward, all new buses would be hybrid or fully electric. It was far from an ideal solution, but it marked the beginning of accountability.

Melamed didn’t stop there. She also urged RIOC to invest in a small fleet of mini-buses to serve as backups when the main buses were out of service, and to provide more efficient late-night or off-peak transportation. RIOC pushed back hard: citing insurance restrictions, accessibility concerns, and more. But underneath those excuses was a deeper resistance—staff did not want board members directing or influencing decisions in areas where their competence was already in question.

Still, behind the scenes, RIOC eventually agreed to the mini-bus idea. Not only were the buses acquired, but they’ve since been used multiple times as a critical lifeline. RIOC also signed an agreement with RIDA to borrow their mini-bus when needed—apparently solving the insurance issue they had once insisted was insurmountable.

Dr. Melamed has served as a compass of logic and a steward of Roosevelt Island’s environmental future. Her persistence created cracks in the old leadership’s inertia and helped shift the island’s transit system toward something more responsible—if only incrementally.

A Small Step Forward, A Bigger Reckoning Ahead

This article focuses on the Red Bus fleet. But it is a symbol. A microcosm. The neglect that broke the buses also endangered wildlife, ignored wheelchair safety, and let public infrastructure teeter toward collapse. It speaks to a broader culture: one that paid for prestige but failed at performance.

Two new board members have been seated. While not directly elected, they represent a deeper and more relevant perspective of our changing population. Our sources have informed us that the CEO was selected by the board for the very first time, as ratified by the updated bylaws—another strong signal that things are changing. The old guard is still there, but their grip is waning. Does the future look brighter? We don't know, but we are hybrid in our optimism.

The hybrid bus is a modest beginning. The mission remains the same: sustainable infrastructure, competent management, and transparent governance. Roosevelt Island deserves better than one-bus emergencies and diesel apologies.

Thanks to those who refused to accept collapse as inevitable, it might finally get it.