Let's stop hooping and hollering about the tap technology. It works on one line, and no way to incorporate transfers or discounts. They have to figure that out before they do any more roll out or they will get stuck with another obsolete technology, like the current metrocard.
As to the decrease in delays, it's too soon to declare this a success. They come in waves. I still suspect it was a coordinated action on the part of disgruntled MTA staff, but that's probably just the conspiracy theory part of my brain.
And my biggest annoyance ? The refusal to acknowledge the effect of the decimation of booth staff. For one, that is the reason fare beating has increased. Secondly there is no one to adjudicate when payments don't work. (Have you ever tried filing a claim? It's a procedure out of Kafka.)
And am I the only one concerned about the new fad of taking pets on the trains? I have seen it at least 4 times in the past several weeks.
Uggh. No we are not there yet. Andy, you have your worked cut out for you.
"Is New York's Subway Great Again?"
Spoiler alert: No.
5
How is that the MTA makes so much in revenue yet the system always is always in bad shape? I feel that better transparency is needed before even thinking about giving them anything else such as congestion pricing. Having this would give us an idea of where all the revenues they already have are going to first and correct those problems. However, I feel that groups such as Transportation Alternatives and other anti-car fanatics may not like this especially if it will make congestion pricing feel unnecessary. Another thing would be a better crackdown on fare beaters, because every time they don't pay, it forces those who do to pay even more just to cover for what they're not paying for, which is why they feel that they have hike up the fares so much. BTW, this isn't a race or class issue, because there have been people doing this of all races and classes. If they can afford the clothing they have on, they can afford the fares very easily. Seriously, I could never understand how the world's biggest subway system is feels as if it's the world's least maintained as well.
1
@Tal Barzilai, this headline needs to be brought up as often as possible, as I'm betting that this MTA audit in 2013 cost less than tens of thousands to do (besides people already employed by New York) and "found" $2-billion
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/09/28/mta-audit-reveals-unanticipated-surplus-of-nearly-2-billion/
that otherwise would not have been found. AND as we seem to now know from after that, they didn't save that money for later use, they treated it like it had to be seen right away. (This may be old school, but when you find yourself with an unexpected billion, let alone two billion, there's no need to spend it all in one place - and then wonder why Mnuchin just laughs at New York when we complain that the IRS code won't subsidize New York State spending through the deduction for state taxes. I think the Federal law on that went too far - but high-tac places like NY seem to keep giving the G.O.P. ammunition in this.
As the joke kind of goes, 28-million obsessive subway paint job here, 2-billion surplus treated as extra there - none is much on its own, but over the years, it adds up. :)
There is nothing great about New York, especially a subway filled with democrats.
5
I took the train early on Saturday, 9/7 at 5:00 a.m. and the local trains weren't making stops between Roosevelt Avenue and Queens Plaza because of something or other that they're always doing but never gets fixed. Going N/B and then coming home around 12, I never saw anybody working on the platform or on the tracks of the stations that were being bypassed. Yet Monday morning, as reliable as the sun coming up, there were numerous problems on the M/R/E/F lines. Yet I'm sure the people that were supposed to be working got paid for it.
8
Now that the general performance of the subway is on the upswing, could we do something about the manners of the ridership?
There used to be, back in the day, general unspoken (or spoken) subway etiquette. These days, most people behave as their the only person in a city of 8.6 million who are riding the subway...
... Standing on the platform directly in front of the doors, forming a human wall you have to shove through in order to disembark...
... Shoving on before letting riders off the train...
...Making sure they are the first person on, and then stopping abruptly right by the door to ensure they stake their claim to lean on the door so they can use their smart phone in transit...
... When standing near the door, refusing to step out or to the side to let people off...
... Letting your bag have its own seat or two rather than offering it to someone in need.
Yes, the one thing I can agree on with the MTA, courtesy counts!
20
@NBrooke
If you had a young child for whom you had not paid, you were expected to hold her in your lap, not take up another seat. You also weren't supposed to spit. There were signs expressing these rules:
"Little enough to ride for free?
Little enough to ride your knee!"
"Don't expectorate if you expect to rate."
3
"Are the subways great again?" Says no sentient being in NYC.
8
I got a kick out of your lead story photograph of a woman in a crowded subway car holding her smart phone. Interesting as you would think that you would prefer to have both hands free while standing/hanging on, plus I wonder if a phone would get reception underground in a moving subway?
Yes, I'm a different generation and do not understand the 24/7 fascination. And yes, I have a flip phone. Lol. But you would still think that riding a subway with one hand closed/occupied around an object that will not function underground is a bit unusual?
3
@Billy from Brooklyn
You can get reception in the stations. Please don't generalize. I'm closer to your generation and when in a subway car my eyes are glued to the icon that indicates the availability of WiFi. Reading material on my phone is easier than carrying a book that can get lost or banged up. And when I read books, I sometimes get so engrossed that I miss my stop.
6
@Billy from Brooklyn. It's so interesting that sometimes people want to take a break from the responsibilities of being available for questions from work. While I was in Florida, people in my parent's senior-oriented complex might say what's the harm in putting that phone away for a few hours. We did fine before people had them. Yet expectations have changed. Just because I want the break (like weekdays during a busy season) from being available doesn't mean the world that expects me to be available cooperates with me on that, LOL. (It seems the only time this is understood when a project is actively going on is while you're on a plane, and even that is changing as email ability is getting more available and reasonable on flights!)
2
@Billy from Brooklyn
There are lots of thing you can do on a phone without having service, including reading (previously downloaded) NY Today.
5
Just got back from Europe and I can assure you that our subway system is third world at best. I thought we were the greatest, richest country on earth? I thought NYC was the greatest city in the world. When it comes to public transportation, boy was I wrong. We have the worst system of any industrialized nation on earth.
15
@Mick
I’d like to know what city you were in. Did the system carry as many people as NY and run all day, every day? And have to deal with New Yorkers on top of it all? Trash, fights, volume, food, rats, etc. etc. I’m amazed that - even with the problems - our transit system works as well as it does!
10
Is there a European subway that runs 24/7? That charges one fare no matter how far you ride? That is as relatively cheap as NYC? MTA is VERY far from perfect but I have yet to find a system that can actually provide, not to mention, win a head to head comparison.
10
Yes the subways in Europe are smaller and carry less people than the NYC system (lets not talk about Japan’s train Station) BUT all those others ills are a reflection on our society here in NY. My position is simple, if your calling yourself the greatest city in the world, put up or shut up is my motto. We have record real estate transactions happening everyday, with many making millions and still have a third world subway system. How’s that for a kick in the pants?
5
There seem to be fewer subway disruptions.
However subway "frequency" (rather than the "on-time" metric) still is not sufficient to cover the crowds. And especially as subway cars are often crowded with bicycles, strollers, suitcases....
In the meantime, since 2010, bus routes and bus frequency have been cut steadily.....
11
A good start would be getting the subway under the control pf the NYC, away from Albany. This is crazy that Albany controls a major city transport system. I think, the city would manage it better as they would have a vested interest and possibility of backslash from angry voters if they don't do anything. Now they just wash their hands and point at Albany.
12
Question is, when was NYC subway ever great? 100 years ago? MTA needs to stop patching up and improve the infrastructure significantly. Take a look at France, Germany, Japan...etc
5
@MrBullet: Not sure how you imagine they can 'improve the infrastructure significantly' without tearing out a lot of the system for many billions of dollars, which will never happen. And no point telling us to compare our system with other countries' systems that are newer than, or less extensive than, or that don't run 24/7/365. Just talk to the people who take the Underground in London and ask them how satisfied they are with their system!
The subway system in NYC was great in the 1950's, 60's, 70's (yes, despite the graffiti), 80's, 90's and up until about 8 years ago.
The problem isn't just old infrastructure - it's also that NYC has allowed vast overbuilding of high-rises without ever taking into account what that would mean for demands on existing infrastructure.
Worse, NYC has certainly not effectively 'looked ahead' to try to provide better infrastructure ... case in point is the 2nd Avenue subway (all 3 stations of it), which took forever and a zillion dollars to achieve. BTW, they built a section of it under 2nd Ave. between 12th-14th Streets about 45 years ago and never did anything with it; I lived in that area while they were doing that work.
17
@L
Neither myself nor my circle of friends mention anything about infrastructure projects when griping about the sorry state of the MTA.
The areas of our complaints are solely things that are already addressed by the existing budgets: police that actually enforce the anti-loitering/public-urination/defecation laws on the junkies that set up camp in the trains/stations and use them as bathrooms, and cleaning crews that actually clean the trains.
The problem is a transit cop workforce who are told to not enforce the laws, and lackluster cleaning standards.
18
@asdfj: Both infrastructure AND quality-of-life, as experienced by the riders in the stations and on the trains, fall well short of what most of us would wish for.
Poor or non-existent city planning, police not enforcing the laws, workers featherbedding so that disruptive projects go on for ages, and riders who seem to think only of themselves (that includes those with SUV strollers as well as those who bring their bikes on the train) - these are ALL issues that are legitimate gripes about the subway system in NYC.
3
The Post Office issued a stamp good for three ounces?This the first I've heard of that.I'm going to have to look into this.
4
@Lazarus Long
I noticed that, and wondered if it is actually a "forever" stamp, which is what most commemorative stamps are. Does anybody know?
1
@Lazarus Long A quick check of the USPS site shows that the Whitman stamp really is a 3 oz. stamp, selling for 85¢. Its initial issue date is 9/12/19.
3
@Joan, it's so odd that Whitman is for three ounces, which I need maybe twice a year, if that!
Is it going to be for anything but stamp collectors?
From And Finally: "It’s Monday — send something by snail mail." The snail had a cameo here at 0:29, for the Edith Piaf "Forever" stamp - the snail's only known appearance with La Môme.
Celebrating that Piaf stamp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Z6iz4jPsw
2
Of course the subway is very far from being great. Just yesterday I found out, after boarding the Nol. 1 train uptown that it's last stop would be 138th St, considerably short of my intended destination, I would have to take a bus to continue my uptown trek. Furthermore, when I checked online about the train there was no mention of that aberration. Not a sign of a "great" transportation system.
11
The subway system will never be 'great' again for one reason: ridership numbers are getting bigger as more & more glassy buildings go up in NYC, and as tourism numbers go up as well. As long as ever-increasing numbers of people need or want to ride the subway, the subway will never be the way it was designed to be.
PS: Always remember, Mayor Bloomberg decided that any bus or subway that was not running at 85% of capacity was being underutilized - and he cut bus service to achieve that number! So even if you can get on a bus or train, don't expect to have a seat, or even reasonable standing room. (And it was so easy for him to make that decision, since it didn't inconvenience him at all!)
14
The trains may be running better today but it looks like the long-term battle is a lost cause. Face it, the TWU really controls the subway system and they will never agree to even modest sensible work rules.
I just want to say I love reading these every day. Keep up the great work.
3
Oh but you forgot that most traditional of all American honorifics: there is a shopping mall named after Walt Whitman! (On Long Island across the road from the birthplace).
12
@NYCSandi Good catch!
4
@NYCSandi, also for TV viewers of a certain age, that shot of the "Walt Whitman High School" entrance in the credits for "Room 222". (late 1960s/early 1970s)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOYx_6h4MJs
They kept rearranging the theme music almost every year. Back then, we'd sit for the same 90 second theme every week all season. (We didn't have what we often feel like we have now, 900+ channels and nothing's on.)
1