NEW YORK (PIX11) — Waiting for the train can be the worst part of the commute. Riders want to see more frequent trains, and the MTA said it is increasing service on eight lines.
Adding one or two more trains an hour can shave three or four minutes off the wait and add more frequency to a line.
The MTA said the adjustments would result in shorter wait times. Changes started this summer on the weekends for the G, J, M, 1 and 6 lines. C train weekday service has been increased.
Starting Aug. 28, the goal is for N and R trains to arrive every eight minutes, instead of every 10 minutes, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.
“Forever. You wait forever. They have to do something,” said Pamela as she waited for the R train in Brooklyn.
The N and R lines have earned the nickname “never and rarely.”
Service improvements were funded by $35 million in the state budget appropriated by legislators and Governor Kathy Hochul.
State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assembly Member Jo Ann Simon announced with NYC Transit President Richard Davey.
“It doesn’t sound like a lot. But these minutes add up, and we are seeing it on the G, J, and M lines,” Davey said.
Other increases for other lines will be considered based on the number of trains in the fleet and staffing. Signal upgrades will also bring more frequent service.
Commuting patterns show ridership has returned on nights and weekends. Davey says traditional rush hours are also rebounding.
