Report: Trains are 95% on Time

An article published on Tuesday in The New York Times reported that by official accounts, 2009 was a stellar year for the commuter railroads that serve New York City. Of all the trains that ran last year, the railroad said nearly 96 percent were on time. This was one of the best performances since they began keeping records.

According to findings of an examination by The New York Times of more than 685,000 trips last year involving the region's three major commuter railroads, trips to and from Penn Station during rush hours were two-and-a-half times as likely to be late as trips taken at any other time. The 95 percent success rate encompasses every trip a railroad makes. However, only a third of those trips take place during rush hours when the vast majority of commuters use the trains. Therefore, during periods where fewer trains are running most trips go smoothly, which lifts the numbers higher than what most commuters might expect.

In addition to this, railroads only consider a train late if it arrives at its destination more than 5 minutes 59 seconds after the scheduled time of arrival.

Statistics can be misleading, according to commuters at Sayville Train Station. An informal man on the street survey conducted at the station during peak hours Tuesday evening garnered diverse reactions when commuters were asked if their experience mirrors the fact that trains run on schedule 95 percent of the time.

Jeff, a resident of Sayville, takes the train to Penn Station two times a week. "It's more like 85 percent," he said.

While a man from Mastic said, "Yes definitely 95 percent of the time; I'd have to agree. I take the train quite often at different times and different locations."

Mara who takes the train every weekend concurred, "Yes I agree.  I'm very impressed that it runs on time."

A NYC worker who travels from Sayville five days a week believes the findings are, "somewhat true, probably 80 percent."

Scott Gingroz has been a taxi driver with Colonial Taxi in Sayville for 11 years. He spends a lot of time at the station waiting for anyone who might need a lift. "About 95 percent of the time it's on time,"  he said. "They're usually pretty good at announcing when it's not on time on the electronic board and PA."

A salesman for Home Depot who lives in Manhattan said, "Every time I've taken it they're on time."  He usually takes the train once a week.

A volunteer firefighter with the Sayville Fire Department who was waiting for someone to arrive on the 7:07 p.m. from Penn said, "I'm retired, I only take the train for entertainment...  Any train I've ever taken is pretty much on time."

Joseph Hengerle of Sayville said, "The train is usually on time. Weekends are a little different. This past weekend the trains [out of Babylon] were running 20 minutes late. I don't know if it was because of the weather or problems."

Sayville resident John McManus also experienced train delays this past weekend.  He said, "On Saturday the train was 15 minutes late. When we got into Babylon to get the connection, it left without us.  The next train showed up 20 minutes later, and it was a local so we had to stop I don't know how many times; that happens all the time.  They're so concerned with their on time percentage that they end up screwing the clients."

A young woman from Sayville interviewing in the city said, "It depends on the time of day. Higher traffic times of day trains are a little slower. Jamaica at 8 a.m. is usually a couple of minutes late—it's not too bad."

As the 7:07 p.m. train pulled into the station "on time," since it was just 3 minutes late, the Sayville firefighter said, "Not too shabby."