Metro Trouble This Summer
This summer has been particularly challenging for Straphangers, marking the worst for subway service since 2018. However, MTA Chair Janno Lieber insisted on Wednesday that it was still a “good summer” for transportation.
He pointed to a report that highlighted significant incidents in June and July, claiming that August’s recovery mitigated the overall experience. “If you look at the overall picture, this was one of the best summers in MTA history,” Lieber stated, seemingly unfazed by the data suggesting otherwise.
Despite Lieber’s optimistic outlook, information from MTA officials revealed that the total number of major incidents—defined as events delaying more than 50 trains—remains alarming. This summer accumulated 194 such incidents, still trailing the 217 reported in 2018, though slightly better than the 192 seen last year.
June and July saw 69 and 70 major incidents respectively, dropping to 55 in August. While the decline in August looks positive on the surface, it doesn’t paint the complete picture Lieber described.
When pressed about potential fare hikes to $3 amidst the ongoing service issues, Lieber urged New Yorkers to appreciate the cost-effectiveness of subway travel compared to car ownership. “Sure, we had some tough days, especially during the blackout on Westforth Street. But overall, our service was decent,” he added.
However, real-world experiences tell a different story. For instance, Michelle Sanchez, a 25-year-old Bronx resident, shared her frustrating ordeal during a July heatwave. She spent 40 minutes underground with her young son on overcrowded, air-conditioning-free trains.
“The train sucks,” she remarked. “It was so hot, and they just kept sending us back to number 125.” Another Bronx resident, Bernal Middleton, 65, expressed frustration over the service. “They want to raise fares but aren’t improving anything,” she stated bluntly.
In response to the public’s discontent, an MTA spokesperson pointed to a customer satisfaction survey showing an increase from 47% to 57% in satisfaction this past spring. However, many Straphangers remain skeptical about this positive feedback amid ongoing service shortcomings.
