Straphangers Campaign Subway Line Profiles


The 4 line ranks 9th out of the 19 subway lines rated by the Straphangers Campaign. Its line rating, 85¢, stayed the same as in our 2000 report. Our ranking is based on the MTA New York City Transit data below.

The 4 line is scheduled to come more often than most subway lines...

scheduled minutes between weekday trains
as of January 2000

but arrives with regularity less often than the average line.

% of trains arriving at regular intervals
(without gaps in service or train "bunching")
between 6 am and 9 pm

The 4 breaks down less often than the average line.

average miles traveled between delays caused by mechanical failures, July to December 2000

You're less likely to get a seat on the 4.

% of passengers with seats at most crowded point during rush hour

The 4 is cleaner than the average line...

% of cars with "light or no interior dirtiness" (as defined by NYC transit)

but is tied for worst on in-car announcements.

% of trains with correct announcements (as defined by NYC transit)

The NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign line ratings are based on a formula that gives the most weigtht to the amount of scheduled service, followed by other performance measure. Under this formula, a line would be rated $1.50 if on average its 2000 scores for the measurements above matched a baseline standard defined by the 1996 scores released in our first State of the Subways report. This year, the highest line rating goes to the Q, which scored $1.25. The worst line is the C, at 65¢.

Suggestions? Complaints? Call the 4 line superintendent at (212) 424-4129.

www.straphangers.org | line rating index | state of the subways report card 2001