Squadron & Riders Alliance Announce Mta Full-Line Review of a & C Lines

Part Of Continued  Push To Improve Service Across The System

NEW YORK – Today, State Senator Daniel Squadron and the Riders Alliance announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will undertake a Full-Line Review of the A and C lines at the urging of both the Senator and the group.

In a letter to the MTA sent on April 30th (linked below), Senator Squadron asked the agency for an update on the status of Full-Line Reviews for all subway lines, something Chairman Prendergast had committed to do in his confirmation hearing last year. These reviews would follow those the MTA has already done for the F, L, and the G lines at Senator Squadron's urging.

In addition, Riders Alliance grassroots members wrote to the MTA in March, requesting improvements to C train service and highlighting infrequent rush hour service, outdated train cars, dirty stations and insufficient communication with riders about delays and service changes. Members of the Riders Alliance have collected hundreds of petition signatures in support of better C train service.

In response to these actions, the MTA has initiated a review of the A and C lines. The MTA has said this review should be “completed sometime next year.” This review will help address the service issues A and C riders experience all too often. Past Full-Line Reviews have led to significant improvements within the MTA’s budget.

“The Full-Line Review of the A and C line – the longest in the system – is a big deal for riders,” said Senator Daniel Squadron. “Again and again Full-Line Reviews have improved service for riders within the MTA's budget. I’m glad to have worked with the Riders Alliance on this and thank the MTA for heeding riders’ calls for this Full-Line Review."

"The C train is notoriously crowded and infrequent, especially during the morning rush hour," said John Raskin, Executive Director of the Riders Alliance. "Three times already, Senator Squadron's Full-Line Reviews have improved service for transit riders. That's why it's so valuable to have a review of A and C train service, and why we appreciate Senator Squadron continuing his advocacy and the MTA agreeing to undertake this review and focus on improving these lines."

Dupe Ajayi, a member of the Riders Alliance who lives in Bedford-Stuyvesant, said, "You never know what you're going to get when you board a C train. It's crowded, and dirty, and they don't announce delays, so everything is a surprise. It's time for a change for the C train. That's why I'm glad the MTA has agreed to conduct a Full Line Review."

Andrew Sloat, a member of the Riders Alliance who lives in Clinton Hill, said, "I use the C train to get to Penn Station for work. I try to leave extra time, but you can't ever predict when there will be delays, and on the C train the delays can be frequent and last a long time. I guess the good news is that over the years, I've gotten a lot better at sprinting through Penn Station when the C train makes me late.

In recent years, Senator Squadron has worked with the MTA to create the first-of-their-kind Full-Line Reviews. Those reviews resulted in more frequent and on-time trains and newer and cleaner subway cars along the F line beginning in 2009, increased service along the L line beginning in the summer of 2012, and improved service along the G line earlier this month.