Admin
New York City subway riders say conserving protected on the transit system stays their No. 1 concern, in line with a brand new MTA survey.
“Personal security & safety” ranked prime of the listing of “what wants to enhance” to extend rider satisfaction, the company’s June buyer survey discovered — adopted so as by “homeless individuals,” “individuals behaving erratically,” “wait instances” and “cleanliness.”
Nearly one in 5 respondents, in the meantime, mentioned they might journey the subway extra typically if there have been “fewer individuals behaving erratically,” the survey discovered.
Between 10% and 15% of respondents cited extra cops, shorter wait instances and their private safety as potential incentives to journey extra typically.
The issues over security come after a number of excessive profile subway crimes, together with a mass capturing on April 12 and the random murder of a Goldman Sachs worker gunned down as he headed to brunch in May.
But general transit crime dropped in June, in line with NYPD stats.
The division mentioned 162 felonies have been reported underground in June, a steep dip from the 219 seen in May. Murder, rape, theft, assault, housebreaking and grand larceny all dropped month-over-month.
Both figures mirror steep jumps in comparison with final yr, even when adjusted for this yr’s larger ridership — June 2022 noticed a median of 1.84 felony crimes per million, a 5.1% enhance in comparison with the 1.75 common recorded in June 2021.
Some 23 million extra individuals rode the subways final month in comparison with June 2021.
“There are some individuals clearly very nervous,” mentioned MTA board rep Andrew Albert, “I’m additionally seeing very crowded trains at numerous instances of the day. I feel individuals, once they select to exit, are utilizing the system.”
Wait instances on the subways on weekends and buses generally stay a prime concern for riders, common or in any other case, Albert mentioned. Bus riders cited wait instances, crowding, journey time, reliability and fare evasion as their prime issues, the MTA mentioned.
“Twenty-some odd minutes between trains in the midst of a weekend day is simply unacceptable,” Albert mentioned. “I can’t inform you what number of vacationers I’ve helped out within the final couple days, as a result of it’s so complicated for them.”
The MTA mentioned the survey is drawn from “statistically legitimate” pattern of round 1,000 self-selected respondents.
Spokesman Aaron Donovan praised NYPD for upping its presence underground below Mayor Eric Adams.
“New methods have proven indicators of success, and the MTA is inspired by Mayor Adams’ dedication so as to add social companies and law enforcement officials as obligatory within the subways to realize additional enchancment,” Donovan mentioned in an announcement.
