Long Island Rail Road service has plummeted in the past year with more late and overcrowded trains and faulty air conditioning, a riders’ survey found.
Riders gave the LIRR a grade of “C” – the worst grade in four years.
The LIRR Commuters Council report card found 30 percent of riders feel service has gotten worse. Only 20 percent felt that way last year.
The results – based on surveys of more than 2,000 riders – gave the LIRR lower grades in most of the survey categories, which include on-time performance, cleanliness of restrooms and cars, level of service, air conditioning, train crowding and employee conduct.
Riders gave the LIRR higher grades in just a few areas – putting new diesel cars in service and extending station ticketing hours.
In comparison, scores last year rose in seven categories and declined in just five, the council said. The rest of the categories remained about the same.
“Riders are fed up with the level of service,” said the riders’ council chief, Larry Silverman.
He said service will “limp along” for the next few years because the LIRR and its parent agency, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, waited too long to replace an aging fleet of diesel and electric cars.
In a statement, the railroad said service will improve in the next few years as hundreds of new diesel and electric cars hit the tracks. Officials also stressed they hired 95 additional mechanics.