'I’m Afraid To Ride The Subway': Commuters Slam Service At MTA Board Meeting

We can’t fix Penn Station or update the subway’s signal systems. But we can give voice to your frustration, hold those in charge accountable and find creative ways to make commuting more pleasant. Patch is partnering with WNYC and Gothamist to do just that. Join "We the Commuters" and you’ll receive tips, inspiration and a megaphone for your voice this summer.

NEW YORK CITY, NY - They’re mad as hell – the “Summer of Hell,” that is – and they’re not going to take it anymore.

Dozens of New Yorkers packed the MTA board’s monthly meeting Wednesday to sound off on the city’s lousy subway service.

“I’m afraid to ride the subway,” said Upper Manhattan resident Lee Rogers. “I ride the A line, where two of the track derailments took place.

“Are you afraid to ride the subway? Do you ride the subway?” she added, going on to urge board members to regularly use public transit so they can experience the conditions straphangers have endured in recent months.

Members of transit watchdog groups delved into subway policy.

Masha Burina of the Riders Alliance urged the MTA board to work with Gov. Andrew Cuomo to find a steady source of funding for public transit.

“Not only does he have oversight of the agency, but he’s central to defining a state budget and the legislative process that funds the MTA,” she said, alluding to Cuomo's recent attempts to say the state is not really responsible for the subways.

William Henderson of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA urged both the city and state to fund the authority. On Tuesday, MTA boss Joe Lhota called on the city and state to split the estimated $836 million in costs for sweeping repairs, though Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city will not contribute any more funds.

“The state and city are being asked to make a substantial investment,” Henderson said. “But they have to ... consider the fact we’re already paying in terms of missed appointments, lost family time, foregone wages, additional childcare costs and frustrations and stress that result from subway delays.”

(For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

WNYC, Patch.com’s partner for “Summer of Hell” coverage, sent a commuter “ambassador” to the meeting. Adam Payne presented 300 comments from straphangers to the board.

“The main question is: What are you doing to resolve signal problems?” he stated. “Enough with the cosmetic changes – give us more reliable service!”

Others made a litany of complaints during the two minutes allotted per speaker.

“The errant trash bag, the garbled announcements, the scurrying rats – they all define our shabby system,” one South Bronx resident said. “They do not cause the meltdowns, but they symbolize the political indifference to a system in desperate need of resources and critical attention to detail.”

Once the 55 total speakers had their say, the MTA board went on to its chief business of the day – the authority’s latest financial reports.

The board discussed different projections for savings and deficits over the coming years. But there was one certainty among the financial data: the board is still planning to oversee 4 percent fare and toll increases in 2019 and 2021.

Patch is partnering with WNYC to get your voice heard. Sign up for the We The Commuters project here.

Lead image by Shant Shahrigian/Patch.