Senator Squadron, MTA Announce Release of F Line Review
Daniel L. Squadron
October 8, 2009
Full Line Review Called for by Senator Identifies Solutions for Delay-Plagued Line
New York, NY – State Senator Daniel Squadron and the MTA today announced the release of the full line review of the F Train that the Senator called for this summer. The comprehensive 25-page report details serious problems on the F Line, and offers strategies for improvement. Senator Squadron praised the MTA for its responsiveness in studying the line and pledged to work with New York City Transit and F train riders to implement solutions to improve service on the line.
“The findings in this report confirm what so many riders already know: when it comes to consistent, reliable service, the F train fails. But the report has a more heartening conclusion too: with high-level commitment and a willingness to change, improvement is possible. When elected officials, communities, and the MTA work together, we can make our transit system more accessible and dependable. I look forward to continuing to work to ensure the report I called for leads us toward first-class service for F train riders and becomes a model for subway improvements across the city," said Senator Squadron.
The report identifies several central problems, paired with strategies for improvement, some of which are already under way:
• Train spacing and on-time performance on the F line are well below the system average
• The MTA has created an internal F Line Task Force to focus exclusively on improving the F line, chaired by the President of New
York City Transit
• Subway cars on the F line are older and less reliable than the system average
• All train cars on the F Line will be replaced with newer models within months, a process that has already begun
• Maintenance and reconstruction work contribute significantly to delays along the line
• Reconstruction and capital projects will be better-managed to mitigate service disruption
• Skip-stops, service changes and other strategies employed to combat delays often make the rider experience worse, not better
• A new line manager has been designated and is charged with improving problems identified in the report, including skip-stop problems and service changes
As part of his pledge to work with community members and the MTA to continue to identify and implement solutions for improved F line service, Senator Squadron will soon be hosting a town hall meeting on the topic in his district.