I’ve got three trains left in this whole Rider Report Card thing, and I’m saving the Q — the future Second Ave. Subway — for last. Today, we’ve got two lesser-used train lines, and the results are a little bit different than usual.
The result, gradewise, are the same. The Staten Island Railway received a C-plus while the Franklin Ave. Shuttle received a C. But what the riders think are markedly different than the norm.
The Staten Island Railway is a lonely train. It runs for 14 miles from St. George and the Staten Island Ferry terminal to Tottenville and is completely disconnected from any other rail system in the nation. The Franklin Ave. shuttle is a single-track, four-car shuttle that connects the B and Q at Prospect Park with the 2 and 3 at the Botanic Gardens and the C at Franklin Ave. It makes four stops and connects the IRT to the BMT to the IND. That’s pretty nifty.
Anyway, both of these subway lines are rather quirky. They run through some of the least safe neighborhoods in New York City and some of the most deserted, in terms of staffing, stations in the system. Those safety concerns are reflected in the rankings. Take a look.
- Adequate room on board at rush hour
- Sense of security in stations
- Trains depart and arrive as scheduled
- Sense of security on trains
- Cleanliness of cars
- Comfortable temperature in cars
- Cleanliness of stations
- Train announcements that are easy to hear
- Minimal delays during trips
- Availability of MetroCard Vending Machines
- Reasonable wait times for trains
- Sense of security in stations
- Minimal delays during trips
- Sense of security on trains
- Adequate room on board at rush hour
- Cleanliness of stations
- Cleanliness of subway cars
- Station announcements that are easy to hear
- Working elevators and escalators in stations
- Availability of MetroCard Vending Machines
Notice that? Riders ranked safety in stations second in both instances. Having ridden the Franklin Ave. shuttle on the way to and from JFK, I don’t blame frequent riders if they are a bit more on guard here. The rest of the complaints are what we’ve heard time and again with these report cards.
The full grades are after the jump. One more to go.
| Rider Ratings of Staten Island Railway Service | 2007 Grade | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimal delays during trips | B | |
| Reasonable wait times for trains | B- | |
| Adequate room on board at rush hour | C- | |
| Sense of security in stations | C | |
| Sense of security on trains | C | |
| Working elevators and escalators in stations | C+ | |
| Signs in stations that help riders find their way | C+ | |
| Signs in subway cars that help riders find their way | C+ | |
| Cleanliness of stations | C | |
| Cleanliness of subway cars | C | |
| Station announcements that are easy to hear | C- | |
| Station announcements that are informative | C- | |
| Train announcements that are easy to hear | C- | |
| Train announcements that are informative | C | |
| Lack of graffiti in stations | C | |
| Lack of graffiti in subway cars | C+ | |
| Lack of scratchitti in subway cars | C- | |
| Courtesy and helpfulness of station personnel | B- | |
| Comfortable temperature in subway cars | C | |
| Ease of use of subway turnstiles | B- | |
| Availability of MetroCard Vending Machines | C | |
| Overall performance | C+ |
| Rider Ratings of Franklin Ave. Shuttle Service | 2007 Grade | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimal delays during trips | C+ | |
| Reasonable wait times for trains | C- | |
| Adequate room on board at rush hour | C | |
| Sense of security in stations | C | |
| Sense of security on trains | C | |
| Working elevators and escalators in stations | C | |
| Signs in stations that help riders find their way | C+ | |
| Signs in subway cars that help riders find their way | C | |
| Cleanliness of stations | C | |
| Cleanliness of subway cars | C | |
| Station announcements that are easy to hear | C- | |
| Station announcements that are informative | C- | |
| Train announcements that are easy to hear | C | |
| Train announcements that are informative | C | |
| Lack of graffiti in stations | C | |
| Lack of graffiti in subway cars | C | |
| Lack of scratchitti in subway cars | C- | |
| Courtesy and helpfulness of station personnel | C | |
| Comfortable temperature in subway cars | C+ | |
| Ease of use of subway turnstiles | B- | |
| Availability of MetroCard Vending Machines | B- | |
| Overall performance | C |