7 Line Riders Making the Grade

Yesterday, the NYC Transit Authority gave 7 train riders the chance to tell them what they think about the 7 line and service with the first ever subway/bus report cards. NYCTA president Howard Roberts Jr. hopes that eventually all subway and bus riders will be able to grade their lines so the agency can work with customers' suggestions.

The Post got these thoughts from riders:

NYC Transit spokesman - and 7 train rider - Paul Fleuranges: "I ride the 7 every day, and if I had to grade it, I'd be in the B to B+ range," he said.

Richard Blansit, private contractor: "The No. 7 train is excellent - best in the city, best in the world [But] they could improve service in the afternoon and run more trains so it's less crowded."

Bobby Rivera, paralegal: "The 7 train has to be one of the worst of all of New York It's really horrible and always crowded. No question, it's got to be a big F."

Maxine Appling: "They really need to change the configuration of the seats. There aren't enough of them, and the seats aren't big enough, and for overweight people, that is a problem."

Brooke Maurer, summer intern: "The sign comes up that there's an express coming, and then it turns our to be a local. That's confusing."

No, Brooke, that's the MTA. None of the people the Daily News spoke to said they would give the 7 an "A" (the grades were in the B to F range). The News also found one station cleaner dealing with reports cards littered on the platform: Wilfred Fowler said, "A lot of people are reading them and taking it seriously, but a lot of people are throwing them away as quick as they get them."

Which sucks, because we're sure some people would love to grade the 7. Thankfully, you can grade the 7 online! Here's the MTA's website to do that - the survey is offered in many different languages. The report cards also allow you to make three other suggestions to improve the line.

And the physical report cards will also be handed out at 82nd Street – 33rd /Rawson Streets, and tomorrow at Queensboro Plaza – Times Square/42nd Street.

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

By Jen Chung in News on July 11, 2007 10:01 AM

Comments [rss]

guest

What about noise?? I guess it's not an issue, since we're all deaf by now from the screeching wheels and the over-compensated bullhorn announcements in some train cars.

chrisk

"There aren't enough trains in the morning and delays are frequent (or at least it was that way in the winter)"

in my experience the 7 generally comes every minute or 2 in the am. of course, it probably helps that i get on in LIC.

guest

#5 -- "I always get pressed into a sweaty morbidly obease woman, wheezing while she guards the door, on the 4 train. Maybe if her metrocard was twice as much she'd have less $ to spend on yodels and entenmann's . I tried going earlier but she followed me. it was bizarre. It's like MTV real life - I have a sweaty 400 lb stalker."

Maybe you should get a divorce!!

guest

Never mind the fatsos, but for those of us who actually ride the 7 none of the really serious problems are even answerable on their stupid report card.

Namely:

The trains are often mislabeled (express is local or vice-versa)

There aren't enough trains in the morning and delays are frequent (or at least it was that way in the winter)

The express train skips the biggest subway transit hub in Queens, 74th-St. Roosevelt Ave., in favor of 61st-Woodside (which is the LIRR). Practically speaking this makes the express train useless to most anybody who lives on another subway line in Queens, but it sure helps out a lot of people who live outside the city.

Crappy weekend service pretty much every weekend.

guest

fat disgusting blobs should not even be allowed on the subway. they should be forced to walk to work, or better yet, to just stay home so we won't have to see their fat jiggly asses block the sun!

guest

That's a good point, Nunyah Bidnit. I also challenge Jen to correctly use the preposition "of" in her posts--I notice that she often says "couple times" (instead of couple of times) and yesterday's post was mistitled "Please remember all your belongings" (instead of the correct "Please remember all of your belongings").

Nunyah Bidnit

Jen, I challenge you to write an article without any sentences beginning with the word "and."

guest

The seats aren't all that roomy if you have just a few medium-sized adult males sitting next to each other, either.

MT

First off, I agree with #3. Besides, they could use the exercise so they should walk (I go to the gym every day and so can you!)

Secondly, how can the MTA expect to get any sort of objective and useful data from ANY New Yorker where the Subway is concerned?!? This is an exercise in futility.

guest

Where's the story about the Republican Queens Councilman who is being investigated for raping a woman he met in a bar on a Sunday... in his district office?

guest

Can we charge fat people more to use the subway? I always get pressed into a sweaty morbidly obease woman, wheezing while she guards the door, on the 4 train. Maybe if her metrocard was twice as much she'd have less $ to spend on yodels and entenmann's . I tried going earlier but she followed me. it was bizarre. It's like MTV real life - I have a sweaty 400 lb stalker.

guest

I agree with number 3, if you're overweight, that's YOUR problem not the MTA's.

UMNomad

Maxine Appling: "They really need to change the configuration of the seats. There aren't enough of them, and the seats aren't big enough, and for overweight people, that is a problem."

Maybe the chubbos should just walk.

guest

Of course, when I take 5 minutes to thoughtfully fill out the report card online, I get some gobblygook server error message after I hit submit. It's very MTA of them..