MTA Boss Admits What New Yorkers Already Know: Service Sucks

NEW YORK CITY, NY – The MTA's boss admitted this week what every New Yorker already knows – service sucks.

"Our customers are right; we aren't very good right now," said Joe Lhota, who is in charge of the subway as well as the Long Island Rail Road, both of which are in the middle of tumult.

"We’re not providing the quality service they deserve,” he said in a memo published Tuesday by the Transit Center, a research group that focuses on transportation.

Acknowledging recent service woes, Lhota sought to inspire rank-and-file MTA employees in the memo.

“I know that together, the men and women of the MTA will change this situation,” he wrote.

The MTA announced a six-point plan to improve service in May. Since then, an A train derailed in Harlem on June 27, injuring 34, and delays have become increasingly common. On Monday, major repair work began at Penn Station, prompting huge changes to rail service into the hub.

NYC Commuters Brace For The 'Summer Of Hell'

Lhota’s letter outlined a few new steps to boost service.

He said over the next 60 days, the MTA will make a roadmap for improving the subway and launch a “dashboard that presents the metrics of how we’re doing.” It was not immediately clear what the “dashboard” would look like, though Lhota said it would “not be just a tool for the MTA, but a report card to the public on our progress.”

The transit boss also said the MTA will review its organizational structure over the next 30 days.

Lhota pointed to the MTA’s work after Hurricane Sandy to rally the troops.

“The brightest light in the region was all of you – the MTA workforce. Let’s ignite that spirit and get BACK ON TRACK for the benefit of all of our customers and the region,” he stated.

“We have some 70,000 employees who work hard every day to serve our customers. Together, we’re going to make the MTA more modern, resilient and reliable,” Lhota’s memo concluded.

Lead Image by Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press