Comments on: Straphangers report cards name 1 the top, C and W the worst http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/07/23/straphangers-report-cards-name-1-the-top-c-and-w-the-worst/ A New York City Subway Blog Wed, 23 May 2012 12:37:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lucas http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/07/23/straphangers-report-cards-name-1-the-top-c-and-w-the-worst/#comment-994 Lucas Wed, 25 Jul 2007 23:03:15 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/07/23/straphangers-report-cards-name-1-the-top-c-and-w-the-worst/#comment-994 The #1 is tops? Really? I ride it every day (transferring from the 2-3), and it is ALWAYS late, so much so that my fellow co-workers and I have concluded that - contrary to the MTA's promises - there is definitely reduced service following the dissolution of the #9. Case in point: from 116th street/Columbia University at least once per week during the commute home, the station will be packed with people, and after an interminably long wait, the next #1 will skip 116th and go on to 110th street, a move which absolutely defies logic. Wouldn't it make more sense to pick up passengers from the far more crowded 116th street station and run them express to 96th, while the "following" train (and not always "immediately" following) handles the rest - with far less passengers waiting? Oh, and - the train that skips 116 is usually NOT overcrowded. Frankly, the illogic of this is quite maddening and reflects how much of the MTAs problems is not "antiquated" equipment, but rather stunningly stupid decision-making. The #1 is tops? Really? I ride it every day (transferring from the 2-3), and it is ALWAYS late, so much so that my fellow co-workers and I have concluded that – contrary to the MTA’s promises – there is definitely reduced service following the dissolution of the #9. Case in point: from 116th street/Columbia University at least once per week during the commute home, the station will be packed with people, and after an interminably long wait, the next #1 will skip 116th and go on to 110th street, a move which absolutely defies logic. Wouldn’t it make more sense to pick up passengers from the far more crowded 116th street station and run them express to 96th, while the “following” train (and not always “immediately” following) handles the rest – with far less passengers waiting? Oh, and – the train that skips 116 is usually NOT overcrowded. Frankly, the illogic of this is quite maddening and reflects how much of the MTAs problems is not “antiquated” equipment, but rather stunningly stupid decision-making.

]]> By: Fellow-ette http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/07/23/straphangers-report-cards-name-1-the-top-c-and-w-the-worst/#comment-996 Fellow-ette Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:32:13 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/07/23/straphangers-report-cards-name-1-the-top-c-and-w-the-worst/#comment-996 Hey, I'm a big fan of the C train, fo' realz. It may be a bit dank, but it sure is fast. On the other hand, the straphangers campaign is awesome and I used to work for NYPIRG so I have to have a little faith in them. Hey, I’m a big fan of the C train, fo’ realz. It may be a bit dank, but it sure is fast.

On the other hand, the straphangers campaign is awesome and I used to work for NYPIRG so I have to have a little faith in them.

]]> By: Megan http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/07/23/straphangers-report-cards-name-1-the-top-c-and-w-the-worst/#comment-995 Megan Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:19:15 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/07/23/straphangers-report-cards-name-1-the-top-c-and-w-the-worst/#comment-995 The 1 train is my train. Recognize! The 1 train is my train. Recognize!

]]> By: Marc Shepherd http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/07/23/straphangers-report-cards-name-1-the-top-c-and-w-the-worst/#comment-997 Marc Shepherd Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:34:39 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/07/23/straphangers-report-cards-name-1-the-top-c-and-w-the-worst/#comment-997 The W isn't that bad. The Straphangers' methodology gives a heavy weight to service frequency, but every W station stop is also made by at least one other service, so it's not really a relevant measure. Along the Astoria Line, if an N train comes along, there probably aren't many riders who say, "Damn, I wanted a W." For most of those riders, it's the combined frequency of N+W that counts, not the W frequency alone. Several of the lowest-ranked services have this same characteristic, namely, that along all or most of their route, they aren't the only service. The survey also doesn't weigh service frequency against demand, so it fails to recognize that in running L trains more often than M trains, the MTA has probably made the correct decision. The W isn’t that bad. The Straphangers’ methodology gives a heavy weight to service frequency, but every W station stop is also made by at least one other service, so it’s not really a relevant measure. Along the Astoria Line, if an N train comes along, there probably aren’t many riders who say, “Damn, I wanted a W.” For most of those riders, it’s the combined frequency of N+W that counts, not the W frequency alone. Several of the lowest-ranked services have this same characteristic, namely, that along all or most of their route, they aren’t the only service.

The survey also doesn’t weigh service frequency against demand, so it fails to recognize that in running L trains more often than M trains, the MTA has probably made the correct decision.

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