The J/Z subway line that runs above Jamaica Avenue is the best in the city. Those are the findings of the Straphangers Campaign, an independent group run by the New York Public Interest Research Group that grades the MTA on its service.
The 2011 State of the Subways Report Card was released on Wednesday, judging individual subway lines for waiting times, regularity of service, adequate seats, clean cars and understandable announcements.
Straphangers grade the lines using a MetroCard fare system; lines closest to the $2.25 base fare give riders the fairest value.
In the report, the J/Z line, which runs from Manhattan to Jamaica, received a rating of $1.45. Straphangers found the line to have the best service regularity and performed above average in delays caused by mechanical breakdowns, seat availability and car announcements. The line only performed adequately in car cleanliness and amount of scheduled service.
Other subway lines in Queens did not share similar successes. The C line ranked as the worst line for the fourth time since the report cards were first published in 1997. The C line was valued at just 90 cents.
The C line performed well in some aspects. It rated as one of the system’s cleanest subway cars, riders find more seats than average and arrives with more regularity. But the amount of mechanical failures brings the rating crashing down. The average subway line travels 170,217 miles between mechanical delays, but the C line had a mechanical problem every 54,838 miles. Subway announcements also are not always accurate.
Other subway lines in Queens had mixed results. The A line is almost as bad as the C coming in with a 95 cent ranting. The A train is rated as the dirtiest subway line. The F line was given a $1.20 rating and performs average or better in most categories. However, the F line is one of the worst in getting a seat.
The 7 line was second best and came in with a $1.35 rating. The report found that trains don’t arrive regularly, but there are less mechanical failures and it is the best subway line to find a seat.
The M line, which runs along Myrtle Avenue, was not rated this year because last year’s route changes made the data unavailable.
By Eric Yun
