The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) revealed the results of the fall 2022 bi-annual Customer Satisfaction Survey for New York City Transit (NYC Transit), Metro-North Railroad, and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). The survey is used to gauge MTA customer satisfaction by soliciting detailed feedback from customers on their experience across the authority’s agencies. The scope of the survey covered a vast number of topics ranging from service reliability and on-time performance to station cleanliness and personal security.
The latest survey results revealed satisfaction on all transportation modes increased or remained high. Overall satisfaction for personal security while on board trains increased for both LIRR and Metro-North since the last survey conducted in the spring of 2022. For subway customers, the top concerns included safety and security, with improved perception of conditions since the spring 2022 survey. For bus customers, overall satisfaction increased and customers’ top concerns included service and reliability.
“The customer satisfaction survey shows our customers are feeling more and more confident in using mass transit,” said MTA Acting Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara. “We hear what is important to our customers, are focusing on those needs, and we will do everything we can to make sure customers have the best experience using the subway, buses, Access-A- Ride and the commuter rails.”
“Improving customer satisfaction is our North Star, and we appreciate the thousands of responses we received,” said NYC Transit President Richard Davey. “This feedback directly informs what we focus on to ensure safe and reliable service on every subway, bus or paratransit trip.”
“I want to thank our customers who took the survey and ensure them we are taking their responses into consideration on the railroads,” said Metro-North Railroad President and LIRR Interim President Catherine Rinaldi. “This feedback will help ensure our customers have the best experience possible.”
Customer feedback has been central to help the MTA focus on the right areas to improve the overall customer experience as it continues to welcome back riders to the transit system. The MTA has taken unprecedented measures since the all-transit agency bi-annual customer satisfaction survey was initiated, including running shorter monthly ‘Pulse’ surveys to gather feedback more regularly.
The fall 2022 Customer Satisfaction survey was conducted from Nov. 21 to Dec. 5, 2022, and was offered in English, Spanish and by phone for those who preferred speaking to a live agent. The MTA in total received approximately 150,000 line evaluations and survey responses.
NYC Transit highlights
- Subway- Subway customer satisfaction increased to 54 percent, up six percentage points from the spring 2022 survey. Meaningful gains were seen in service reliability (up four percentage points), personal security (up seven percentage points in stations and nine percentage points on trains) and reduced people behaving erratically on trains (up seven percentage points). All subway lines had improved satisfaction scores, with strongest showing by the lines. Among those using the subway less now than pre-COVID, the most frequently mentioned reasons were personal security at 44 percent, down from 61 percent, and ability to work from home at 40 percent, down from 47 percent.
- Buses- Local, Limited and Select Bus customer satisfaction levels were at 64 percent, a marginal increase from spring 2022 at 63 percent. Bronx customers indicated a two-point gain in satisfaction to 61 percent. Express Bus customer satisfaction bumped up three points to 79 percent. Bus cleanliness rose four points, up to 70 percent.
- Access-A-Ride- Access-A-Ride customer satisfaction increased by four points to 65 percent. Satisfaction with the two highest importance attributes rose, on-time pickup rose by eight percentage points and customers’ rides showing up rose six percentage points.
LIRR highlights
- Since the spring 2022 survey, overall satisfaction with the LIRR has remained high at 81 percent.
- LIRR line level satisfaction remained high on all lines. The Oyster Bay branch had the largest increase of six percentage points in customer satisfaction, bringing it to 76 percent.
- Key drivers of satisfaction for LIRR are primarily service-related, including service reliability, on-time performance and seat availability.
- Nearly two thirds of LIRR customers who are riding less frequently cite their top reason as their ability to work from home.
Metro-North Railroad highlights
- Since the spring 2022 survey, overall satisfaction with Metro-North Railroad increased by two percentage points, with 89 percent of customers saying they were satisfied or very satisfied.
- The Hudson (90 percent) and New Haven (88 percent) lines each had an overall satisfaction increase of three percentage points while the Harlem line remained constant at 89 percent.
- Key drivers of satisfaction for Metro-North are primarily service-related, including service reliability, on-time performance and seat availability.
- Two thirds of Metro-North customers who are riding less frequently cite their top reason as their ability to work from home.
The MTA conducted a robust outreach campaign to invite participation and ensure a statistically valid sample. Outreach included extensive marketing and a recruitment campaign, including a direct email blast sent to two million MTA customers, who were also approached through the authority’s social media channels.
