NYC Transit Wants You to Grade Subways and Buses

New NYC Transit Authority president Howard H. Roberts, who replaced Lawrence Reuter just a few weeks ago, is apparently a man who doesn't mind being raked over the coals. And by that, we mean he appreciates the public's opinion so much that he wants straphangers to grade the subways and buses. Eliciting complaints from New Yorkers might seem like an invitation to an avalanche of abuse, but in a NY Times article today, Roberts doesn't seem like a man afraid to get his hands dirty.

“I want to know what passengers want,” Mr. Roberts said yesterday during a wide-ranging interview that touched on topics as diverse as dirty subway cars and his affinity for the poetry of Robert Frost.

“I think too often people sit around in offices like this and say, ‘O.K., I know better than the customer what it is they want and so this is what we’re going to do.’ I want the customer to drive the priorities.”

The first subway report cards would appear on the 7 train this summer, which seems like a good place to start if looking for an earful, given the recent round of weekend service disruptions. They'll be handed out as passengers leave stations and feature pre-paid postage so opinionated riders can just vent and drop in the nearest mail box. Roberts' plan is to have customer satisfaction cards on every line in the city by fall, and the cards themselves will ask passengers what the three most urgent improvements need to be made on each line. Only three?

One 7 rider gave an okay to the Daily News, "It's more democratic than when they just decide for us." We think it's a good move (it's also a page out of the Straphangers' notebook) but the real test is whether the Transit Authority will act on the suggestions.

And the MTA is expanding 7 service for the upcoming subway series game between the Mets and Yankees.

(Background image is brooklyn bound c train, by vinny716 at flickr)

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Dave Hogarty in News on May 15, 2007 12:58 PM

Comments [rss]

bloob

#29: I also think women should be allowed to sit with their arms spread out away from their chests as far as possible.

Still Not Amused

This goes too all of you posters complaining about guys sitting with their legs open ....., I sit with my legs open because it's comfortable . Now by no means does that indicate that I sit with my legs spread open the way some of you view . That's just stupid, and immature ! If I sat with my legs closed then I would be crushing my nuts between my thighs, Which well, Is very uncomfortable ! I know there are guys that can sit like that, but I'm sorry I'm not one of them ! I hate to come off sounding like a guy but "My ""Equipment"" needs some room to breathe ladies . I'll try to take up the least amount of space while seated on the train in the future for you . (No promises) Oh, One more thing, Guys who sit with there legs crossed look kind of fruity to me (Not trying too start anything, But it's a little to feminine for me !)

Sick of Waiting

Who cares about stupid real time arrival boards? Just make the trains, all of them, run more frequently.

Ed

This is the best news I've seen about the city in months.

Someone here keeps advocating shutting down the subways at night. I strongly disagree, but I can see designating special "night trains" on certain lines. Other lines get shut down for maintenance. During days on the weekends, maintenance is done on the night lines. It seems better to just shut down an entire line, on a fixed and public schedule, for maintenance then to play the three card monte game with subway riders that the MTA likes to do on weekends.

The highest priority is just to give riders more accurate information about service disruptions, which means electronic message boards. Then focus on fixing the maintenance problems. The system has been getting very unreliable in recent years.

mg

Real-time train arrival boards which are already years delayed. C'mon, MTA, it's 2007! Just get it done already!

Josh

LOL, #23.

Soliciting rider feedback is a great idea. Using paper "report cards" is just inviting more littering.

a

Thank God we have someone in there who actually cares about what the commuters want (and need!). I intend to give the guy an earful.

smello

The bad smell is #18 airing his balls.

Stevennnn

#21

The smell is when to transfer to and from the E/V to the 6 trains. When you walk underneath to the downtown side it smells like garbage.

d

#16

The 6 train is luxury. I wait on that platform every day and I don't know what smell you're talking about.

The E train is the worst and seems to attract the most bums for that long, uninterrupted ride to Jamaica.

pete

I want a better suspension, not be inside a washing machine on the F train as is goes down the Queens Blvd rocking like a ship in a hurricaine. Why cant they put LIRR style suspensions in the subway?

Michael

#13: You strike me as a guilty liberal constantly worried about other people but hopelessly uninformed... The entire public has internet access at public libraries (of which there are 81 branches throughout the city).

Conceivably: if the survey were online, a couple of additional dummy terminals could be placed outside of token booths at selected busy stations

As much as I'd like to think many people would take the time to fill out these surveys, I have a suspicion more are going to end up on the floors/stairs of subway stations and trackbeds. An online survey would save on postage, data entry, station cleaning and would be more eco-friendly. The info-gathering wouldn't need to be limited to the stations where they have the personnel to hand out leaflets.

Kojak

"... I also don't understand men who take up 2-3 seats by spreading their legs extra-wide on the train."

My balls need room to breathe.

brooklynbee

I don't understand why the V train doesn't run express to Brooklyn- they have express tracks already in place which used to be used long ago.

Then again I also don't understand men who take up 2-3 seats by spreading their legs extra-wide on the train.

oneTee

I'd like to see a report card for stations as well. For example, can't something be done about the smell at the downtown 6 at 51st street?

Bum

We need more seating for us bums to sleep and defecate on! I tried to get a good day's rest and suddenly people starting walking in, asking me for a damn seat and That I should sit like a NORMAL person!

fred

how bout a bar car on every train

j

#9/#10:

Not everybody whose opinion about MTA has convenient and easy access to a computer, perhaps? Or do we just want to run the subway for the benefit of White Collar Gothamist readers?

Ace

more trains outside of rush hour, especially night and late night. If only the employees of NYC subway depended on the subway for transportation, they would know all this already.