By Hank Russell
A recent report from New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found that, while the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) has made strides in improving its on-time performance, the agency has a ways to go to reduce the number of cancellations and delays.
According to the report, 90 trains were late by more than an hour (less than in 2019), including eight trains that were more than two hours late. The longest delay occurred on August 27, 2023, when the 1:11 a.m. train from Jamaica to Port Jefferson was delayed 188 minutes — more than three hours — due to police activity on the track.
In 2023, there were 17,064 trains that were late systemwide, including 2,465 that were more than 15 minutes late and 14,598 that were less than 15 minutes late. This compares favorably to 2019 when 17,682 trains were late systemwide and 2,868 trains were more than 15 minutes late and is even more impressive considering the increase in service in 2023
In addition to lateness, there were issues with trains being canceled or delayed. DiNapoli found that, in 2023, there were also 742 trains canceled at the terminal before departing and another 559 were taken out of service, or terminated, while on a route. There are many reasons trains can be delayed, canceled, or terminated.
Cancellations and terminations that resulted from things that are under the LIRR’s control such as infrastructure maintenance, capital work and train problems increased from 365 in 2022 to 572 in 2023 (57 percent) and 13 percent higher than in 2019. The main reason was the increase in mechanical problems, rising from 132 in 2022 to 376 in 2023 (70 percent more than in 2019).
Cancellations and terminations resulting from things outside the LIRR’s control increased from 434 in 2022 to 729 in 2023 (68 percent) but was less than 1 percent higher than in 2019. External factors such as weather were the main cause for the 77% increase from 2022 to 2023.
According to the LIRR and the Comptroller’s Office, last year’s 7:40 a.m. train from Huntington to Grand Central Madison (GCM) had the worst on-time performance for morning peak performance with an on-time performance on 51.2% and 105 cancelations or delays. The 7:31 a.m. train from Babylon to Penn Station had the best on-time performance at 80.3% and only 50 cancelations or delays.
For the evening peak performance, the worst was last year’s 6:12 p.m. from Penn Station to West Hempstead with an on-time performance of 60.2% and 101 cancelations or delays. The best-performing were the 5:01 p.m. train from Penn Station to West Hempstead and the 4:22 p.m. train from Penn Station/GCM to Farmingdale with an 84.6% on-time performance and only 39 trains either delayed or canceled.
“The LIRR has made improvements in on-time performance since the pandemic devastated New York’s public transportation system,” DiNapoli said. “The recent rise in train delays and cancellations, especially from train problems, is troubling, however, because it comes at a time when LIRR needs good service to help convince riders to come back.”
In responding to the report, Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) spokesperson Michael Cortez said in a statement, “Long Island Rail Road riders have enjoyed on time performance of 95.7% year to date. This is all the more impressive when you consider that the railroad is also providing 40% more service.”