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Feb. 19, 2020 By Kristen Torres
The MTA said on-time performance rates for city subways in January approached a record high.
Weekday subway on-time performance was around 83 percent last month—the highest of any January since 2013, the agency reported.
There were just 29 major weekday incidents that caused delays throughout the month—a 44 percent improvement from last year.
The MTA
Major incidents that cause disruptions in train times–such a mechanical problems–dramatically decreased to the lowest monthly figure since record keeping began five years ago, according to officials.
Trains were able to travel for longer distances before running into a mechanical problem during commutes, meaning faster trip times for customers and more reliable service.
MTA data also showed a continued trend of faster trip times—rush hour trains were faster this January on nearly every line in the system.
“Our operating statistics continue to show significant improvement, meaning customers’ trips are faster, more reliable, and less likely to be delayed,” said Sally Librera, MTA Senior Vice President for Subways.
“We are encouraged by our progress, but know we have more to do,” she added.
The Metro-North and Long Island Railroads also experienced record breaking on-time performances in January, according to the MTA.
Metro-North’s on-time performance rose to 97 percent in January—1.5 percent better than the year prior. Ridership on the Metro-North also increased, with nearly 7 million riders last month.
The LIRR’s on-time performance also reached record highs, with 93 percent of trains operating on time. The LIRR also saw its lowest amount of cancelled trains—down to 42 cancellations compared to 65 in January 2019.
“These numbers show the railroad’s efforts under LIRR Forward to aggressively improve our infrastructure,” said Phil Eng, President of the LIRR.
“We are putting ourselves in a stronger position to provide a safe and more reliable trip for our riders.”
