Governor Kathy Hochul today announced upcoming MTA subway service enhancements beginning Monday, August 7. The second phase of previously announced weekday service increases on the  line will increase frequency with midday trains arriving every eight minutes instead of every 10 minutes. About 800,000 riders are expected to benefit each weekday from the off-peak service enhancements made possible through increased funding in the FY 2024 New York State Budget.       

“With more frequent subway service, New Yorkers can feel confident that there is no better way than the MTA to get where they need to go, even beyond traditional commuting hours, " Governor Hochul said. “Thanks to funding from the FY 2024 Budget, we are able to respond to riders’ needs and keep the city moving - above and below ground.”   

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “HUGE thanks to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for heeding the call for increased subway service to meet the needs of post-pandemic riders. Not everyone is a rush hour commuter, and more frequent subway service throughout the day – and night – will better connect New Yorkers to Broadway, to education, to all kinds of recreation, and to everything the City has to offer. With this funding from the State Budget, the MTA can get nearly a million riders to where they need to go faster.”  

New York City Transit President Richard Davey said, “Increasing service is one of the top priorities for our customers, and these weekday service enhancements prove that we are listening to riders’ concerns. I want to thank Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for recognizing the importance of improving subway service to attract even more customers back to the system.”   

New York City Transit Senior Vice President of Subways Demetrius Crichlow said, “The goal of these service enhancements is to increase service in areas that have recovered faster than the traditional commuting hours. We will continue to monitor trends to ensure we are providing the best service possible for our riders.”    

The planned subway service enhancements focus on off-peak periods where subway ridership has recovered the highest from its pre-pandemic baseline. Subway ridership overall continues to recover, with weekday paid ridership around 65% to 70% of the pre-COVID baseline. The latest trend shows 3.5 million riders on an average July weekday.       

New York City Transit explored where additional off-peak service would have the most benefit, focusing primarily on lines with train frequencies of 10 to 12 minutes during off-peak hours. Planned work was taken into consideration when these enhancements were planned to ensure critical state of good repair work and capital work would not be affected.   

The first phase of weekend service increases on the  lines, increasing frequency on the three lines with trains arriving every 8 to 10 minutes instead of every 10 to 12 minutes, began on Sunday, July 2.    

State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said, "New Yorkers demanded more frequent subway service, and today, we deliver. My constituents are going to enjoy 20% more frequent midday service on the  train thanks to new investments I was proud to support in the State Budget. I thank Governor Hochul and MTA Chair Lieber for quickly implementing these service improvements and Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Deputy Majority Leader Gianaris for fighting to secure funding for the improvements in the budget. With more frequent service, I'm confident we'll see increased ridership and rider satisfaction with the MTA, and I look forward to further service improvements in my district in the near future."    

State Senator Andrew Gounardes said, “Today's announced increase in service will make meaningful differences in the lives of nearly 1 million New Yorkers — because New York isn't a city that stops outside of rush hour. That’s why in the budget this year, my colleagues and I in Albany fought hard alongside transit advocates to ensure an investment like today’s was made into off-peak service.”    

Assemblymember Daniel O'Donnell said, "New Yorker's rely on a reliable and robust transit system to get them where they need to go and this is an important step in that direction. We are making sure we are providing New Yorker's with more frequent service when they need it most."   

Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, “Off-peak subway riders experience the most infrequent and unreliable service. The increased frequency on the  line during off-peak hours will make our subway more equitable, getting riders to their jobs and destinations more efficiently.  It will also reduce subway crowding during peak hours and will attract more riders who avoid off-peak times. Thanks, MTA, for prioritizing this much needed upgrade.”      

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said, “Increased service on the  line will help Brooklynites and New Yorkers alike get to and from their destinations with ease and speed. Thank you to Governor Hochul, the State Legislature, and the MTA for recognizing the importance of the  line and implementing these exciting and impactful changes this August — they will be meaningful for New Yorkers.”     

Councilmember Lincoln Restler said, “In New York, every minute counts and  train wait times are often painfully long. I am so happy that New Yorkers will soon benefit from more frequent  line service. I applaud the MTA’s prioritization of more frequent and reliable service.”