By Hank Russell
Ridership on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) last month reached a post-pandemic high. In addition, the agency saw a record number of single-day riders, as well as an increase in ridership so far this year and on-time performance.
In June, the LIRR hit a new post-pandemic high for weekday riders by averaging 266,047 riders each day Monday through Friday. On June 18, the LIRR set a single-day post-pandemic ridership record, carrying 287,437 customers.
In addition, the LIRR carried 6.9 million customers in June, representing 89% of pre-pandemic ridership — the best June since 2019. Year-to-date ridership on the LIRR is up 9% compared to 2024 and up 64% from 2022. The LIRR also achieved the best June non-pandemic on-time performance in its history at 95.9%, up 1.4 percentage points from 2024.
“Not only do riders have more service options than ever before, but we’re getting them where they need to go more reliably with record levels of on-time performance,” said LIRR President Rob Free. “The big gains we’ve made in customer satisfaction prove that riders are noticing our commitment to great service and we will work even harder to improve the customer experience.”
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said this is “the new MTA” that is “a business-like organization that delivers for customers.” According to the governor’s office, since Grand Central Madison in 2023, LIRR service has been up 41%. “The proof is in the data – soaring ridership, historic levels of on-time performance and major improvements in customer satisfaction,” Lieber said.
“MTA ridership, performance and safety are all improving dramatically in 2025, serving nearly six million New Yorkers every day and keeping New York moving,” Governor Kathy Hochul added. “Thanks to the investments we’re making in safer, more reliable and more frequent service, riders are benefitting every day. When transit is thriving, New York is thriving.”