Riders Report Misery, Lost Opportunities from Subway Delays

Lost wages. Missed medical appointments. Missed job interviews. There's a real-life toll to subway delays, and a survey of more than 1,200 commuters by the New York City comptroller's office attempted to illustrate how the agony of transit problems has played out in people's lives.

City comptroller Scott Stringer said 74 percent of respondents reported having been late to a work meeting because of subway delays; 13 percent reported lost wages; and 18 percent of respondents said they had been reprimanded by their employers. About two dozen respondents said they had been fired from their jobs because of transit problems.

The surveys were conducted face-to-face between staff in the comptroller's office and riders at 143 different stations during a two-week period in June. Stringer released the results in a report on Sunday, and held a press conference about the data outside the 1-2-3 subway station at 72nd Street and Broadway.

"We all know that transportation is our lifeline to our jobs, to our families and to our kids," said Stringer. "And this report shows the voice of the people — the working people of the city."

Stringer praised the appointment of Joe Lhota as chairman of the MTA, but said the agency needed a "massive" reorganization in order to respond more nimbly to current transit problems and to better shore up the subway system for the future. 

He also called for a major infusion of funds — and a healthy dose of political will — to make urgent repairs and improvements. Stringer proposed a $3.5 billion bond act to take to voters potentially in November 2018. The governor and legislature would have to approve a bond act.

At its most recent board meeting, MTA officials said the agency would conduct a "top to bottom review" of how it handles problems and communicates with the public.

Recent subway delays, including repeated signal issues and a derailment in Harlem, last month prompted Gov. Andrew Cuomo to declare a "state of emergency" for the MTA. The executive order was meant to expedite processes for buying equipment. The governor also said he would increase the state's contribution to the MTA's capital plan by $1 billion.