Dec. 30, 2016 By Christian Murray
The NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign issued its 18th annual “State of the Subways” Report Card yesterday and rated the 7 train first equal– along with the 1 and the L– as the best of 20 subway lines.
The 7 was ranked number one for the third year in a row. It also was the ninth time– out of the 18 reports–that it got the top spot.
Straphangers, a transit interest group, evaluates subway lines on six measures of service: the number of breakdowns, car cleanliness, the number of seats available, the amount of scheduled service, the actual regularity of service and the quality of announcements in subway cars.
The 7 train got the top ranking largely because it offered the greatest frequency of service – along with the 6 train– during the rush hour periods and was the cleanest, according to the report.
The 7 train during the AM and PM rush hours is scheduled to arrive every 2 1/2 minutes. The system average is 5 minutes and 35 seconds. Outside of rush hour, the 7 train is scheduled to arrive every 5 minutes, compared to the system average of 8 minutes and 21 seconds.
The report also claimed that the 7 train breaks down less often than the system average. The report says the line experiences mechanical failures every 157,297 miles, compared to the average of 131,325.
The line, however, performed below average on regularity of service. The train arrives 75 percent of the time on schedule, compared to a system wide average of 77 percent. It was also deemed more crowded than other lines, with it being at 101 percent capacity during rush hour, compared to the system median of 94 percent.
The report card was based on an extensive review of transit data, according to Straphangers.
The 5 and the A tied as the worst performers, largely because the rate so poorly in terms of arriving on schedule. The 5 also was at 110 percent capacity during rush hour.
“Passengers on the top lines – such as the 1, 7, and L – hands down get a much better ride for their MetroCard than those on its worst, such as the 5 or A,” said Gene Russianoff, Straphangers Campaign Senior Attorney. “Disparities abound throughout the system.”
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4 Comments
By the end of the day, all of the subway services are bad because the overall system is bad through age and it needs modernization to the 21st century.
It’s an embarrassing indictment of our subway system when the “best” line runs on time just three-quarters of the time and is 101% full. That’s nothing to brag about. Just shows you how little it takes to be the A student in this dysfunctional city.
If the 7 is one of the BEST, I would hate to ride on the worst, as the 7 is not what they describe. Do these people actually ride the trains regularly?
I don’t think so… Too many delays and constructions.