My Friend at the Port Authority
Posted by rssommer July 07, 2008 11:30AM

Toll increases. Brutal traffic at the Hudson River crossings. Jam-packed airports. WTC construction delays. Let's face it - when it comes to the Port Authority there is nothing small, simple or even easy. So what happens when a motorist suffers from a flat tire in rush hour just before entering the New York side of the Lincoln Tunnel?

Well, I'm one commuter who can happily tell you that the service is like buying a suit at Nordstrom. It's fast, pleasant and personal. And, even funny.

Just this week I ran over a nail and watched the car's dashboard telling me my tire was quickly flatter than a pancake. I pulled over right in front of a sign conveniently providing a number to call in case of emergency. I thought why not. The phone was answered on the first ring by a nice man who instantly found me on one of the tons of video cameras the Port employs. Who cares about privacy when you're in trouble?

He told me a tow truck would be there to help me in less than 10 minutes. I thought sure and pulled out the spare and got ready to unhinge the bolts. But before I got very far the tow truck arrived -- in FIVE minutes even though traffic was moving at a snail's pace. I walked over to what I figured would be the typical tow truck guy and instead out stepped Carmella.
Uh oh I thought. This is great. In front of hundreds of crawling cars I'm going to have a woman change my tire. But this was Carmella from Bayonne. She wouldn't hear of it.

"You're in a suit. I don't want to see you mess it up. Please let me do my job," she told me with a smile. Sounded good but still...
So I sort of helped but she did all the work. Drivers honked at us saying some things that might have been funny if they weren't directed at Carmella and me. She told me, "Don't worry about it. I hear it all the time - just laugh back at them." Then one woman driver came by and shouted out her open window, "You go sister!" That got a wave from Carmella.
In a few minutes the tire was ready to be bolted on. Carmella had to take off her work gloves to tighten the bolts and then I saw her first frown. "Shoot," she said. "I just had my nails done." I agreed. They looked good to me. So I leaned in and tried to help. Unfortunately, that brought her second frown. "I appreciate what you want to do but please let me do my job. My nails will survive."

Ten minutes after she arrived the work was done. I wanted to tip her but she refused. "I'm paid by the Port Authority to do this work but thanks anyway." Wow, this was free and fast. How great.

Carmella smiled goodbye and we went on our separate ways.  Next time I'm annoyed at the behemoth Port Authority - and that could be as soon as tomorrow - I will think about Carmella and the great service I got from the Port when I really needed it.