Regular users of the New York City subway and buses feel less safe from crime and harassment than they did six months ago, when the pandemic and lockdown were still at their climax, according to data from the latest deficit survey Metropolitan Transportation Agency (MTA).
The survey released this week surveyed 25,205 "active" users of public transportation in NYC in March and showed that only 26% of them were "satisfied" with "safety against crime and harassment on trains," a figure that reflects a 15.1% drop from September.
Crime and harassment were recorded as the main fear of the passengers consulted: 72% were “very concerned” about safety during their trip. COVID-related concerns were ranked much lower. Travelers who have not yet used MTA services during the pandemic ranked "wearing a mask" as their main obstacle to returning to public transportation, according to the survey.
In addition, the majority (57%) of the surveyed passengers who have not yet traveled attributed their absence from the Metro and buses to concerns about the coronavirus. But they are also concerned about crime and harassment: 36% said they had not used public transportation due to fears about crime, while 70% cited that issue as "extremely important" in their decision to return.
“These are not just people who are using the (transportation) system, they are people who are considering going back. Our passengers have sent a clear message here: If you make the system safer, they will come back, "Acting Transit President Sarah Feinberg told the New York Post.
"I think there are two things that are holding people back: safety from crime and harassment, and safety from COVID," summed up Feinberg, who reiterated on Monday his long-standing calls to the New York Police Department to expand its presence in the system.
Traffic officials say that crime, in general, has decreased in the Metro, and the number of passengers is still reduced by 70% due to the pandemic, but attacks on civilians and police officers, and even homicides, have risen, as in the rest from the city.
The violence and "mental health crisis" in NYC are wreaking havoc on the transportation system, Feinberg denounced in a letter sent to Mayor Bill de Blasio in January. In February, the city added 644 police officers to the Metro, but the new survey found that less than half of riders (45%) had noticed the additional officers.
De Blasio, NYC Mayor, and NYPD Chief Executive Officer did not react positively to the new MTA poll, stating that this survey will further alarm users.
It is understandable that many users are still working from home due to the pandemic, and that many have preferred to opt for another means of transport to take care of COVID, but we cannot blind ourselves to this problem that the city is facing.
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