Yesterday morning, the Transportation Committee of the NYC Council convened a hearing to discuss what the MTA plans to do with the results of its rider report cards. NYC Transit President Howard Roberts was present to discuss the initiative.

The rider report cards are the agency’s first widespread attempt to solicit direct feedback from subway riders. Between July and August 2007, agency volunteers distributed over 800,000 surveys during the morning rush hour for each of the 22 subway lines. Of these, 141,000 surveys were completed, a response rate of over 17%.

Roberts rebuked comments that the process was a publicity gimmick, arguing that it would be a “stupid publicity stunt” to ask customers to rate MTA service and then publicly display those results (The average systemwide grade was a C-). Roberts also countered comments that the MTA squandered needed funds on the survey. Administering the surveys cost $360,000, or 0.0018% of the MTA’s budget. Roberts indicated that the surveys yielded “vital management information” that will help guide priorities and resource allocation within the subway system. Prior to issuing the report cards, NYCT relied on load data, traffic checkers on station platforms, and the operations and planning departments’ adherence to the agency’s service standards to gauge where change and resources were needed. Roberts questioned the efficacy of these measures compared to the more direct report cards.

Though Roberts agreed with members of the Transportation Committee that the survey results were not surprising, he added that the power of the report cards lay in subway riders’ ranking of the 21 service attributes. For example, one of the reasons the survey took place in the summer was to measure air conditioning. Roberts was pleased to report this was not a priority, having ranked 11th. NYCT responded to the top concerns of 7 and L riders – reasonable wait times for trains, adequate room on board at rush hour, and minimal delays during trips – by adding 10 round trips to the 7 line weekday service and 23 weekday round trips and 30 weekend round trips on the L line.

Roberts also said NYC Transit would address the No. 4 priority – station announcements – by adding public address systems to the 86 subway stations that do not have them over the next few years.

Rider Report Cards will be distributed annually on subways, and will soon be used on MTA buses. In November, the MTA canvassed its express bus customers and is currently analyzing the data. This spring, the agency will distribute a Bus Rider Report Card on all local bus routes.

Overall, the Transportation Committee applauded the outreach efforts of the agency. It’s good to see some real changes resulting from public input, especially since many straphangers feel ignored and abused in the aftermath of the recent fare increase.

Roberts emphasized that he was looking within NYC Transit’s existing budget for resources to respond to the rider report card results. However, Councilmembers should understand that the results underscore the need for them (and their colleagues in the State Legislature) to restore funding to the MTA that has been cut or reallocated over the years. Most riders identified infrequent service, crowding, and delays as their top priorities for improvement – problems best solved by more service. Furthermore, some subway lines are at capacity during rush hour and new tracks are unlikely in the short-term; a serious investment in bus rapid transit could be done in a shorter time frame to help uncrowd trains.

None of these measures would come free. NYC currently funds only 4% of NYC Transit’s budget. It’s time for city elected officials to raise this share.