By Philip Newman
For the first time in the history of the Straphangers campaign, it’s a three-way tie for the best subway in the New York City transit system,
The transit advocacy group’s State of the Subways report card said the No. 1, No. 7 and L trains had a MetroCard rating of $2.05. The No.1 was less crowded and cleaner than average, the No. 7 had less frequent breakdowns and cleaner interiors and the L provided the most accurate and nearly perfect car announcements.
The survey covered six different performance measures tracked in all or the last half of 2016.
The No. 5 and the A lines tied as worst performers in the subway system with a MetroCard rating of only $1.50 each reflecting their irregular service.
The No. 5 was the second most crowded in the city’s subway system. The A had less frequent midday service than the average subway line and had breakdowns at an above-average rate.
The Straphangers said its survey indicated what riders want:
“They want short waits, trains that arrive regularly, a clean car and understandable announcements that tell them what they need to know,” the report said.
Some disparities among subway train performance::
Breakdowns: The Q had the best record on delays caused by mechanical breakdowns, but was found to be the dirtiest line. The 7 line had 99 percent of its cars ranked as clean.
Degree of crowding: The No. 4 was the worst at 112 percent in crowding during peak morning rush house. The R was least crowded at 72 percent.
Scheduled Service:
The Nos. 6 and 7 provide the most scheduled service with average waits of 2-1/2 minute intervals in-between while the C provided waits averaging nine minutes plus.
The G had the best record for regular service, while the most irregular performance was turned in by the No. 5.
