Overcrowding on a train or bus, for example, or anything related to a passenger’s experience inside a subway or bus, is not relevant to these performance metrics. They don’t describe the state of the system, or the quality of services provided. These metrics, for the most part, simply overview whether or not transit has been operational, with little to no information on much else. In assessing these metrics, it becomes clear that there exists a gap between how my co-workers and I measure the quality of our commutes, and how the MTA measures its performance and reports on it to the public. Subways: On-Time Performance, Subway Wait Assessment, Elevator Availability, Total Ridership, Mean Distance Between Failuresīuses: % of completed Trips - MTA Bus, Bus Passenger Wheelchair Usage, Mean Distance Between FailuresĪ snapshot of the MTA’s Performance Dashboard from. The MTA, for its part, considers the following metrics for subway and bus services provided: Metrics and key performance indicators are one way of ensuring that it does. It is no small task to ensure that transit keeps the city moving the MTA runs a mammoth-sized transit system, and the city’s day-to-day life depends on it. The availability of public transit services, and their quality and consistency, is a constant factor of life for New Yorkers. This overview is a daily ritual and revolves around a singular subject: quality and reliability of transit service, two essential indicators of transit performance. Was the trip smooth? Were trains and buses overcrowded? Were there delays? Was someone lucky enough to get a seat?

Most mornings after I arrive to the office, I gather with co-workers to make my morning coffee and overview our commutes.

Mta new york city transit