LIRR Commuters Unaffected by Rush Hour Delays

Commuters who traveled from Huntington to Manhattan at rush hour arrived late on one of every 10 trips, twice the average for the railroad, according to an article in last week's New York Times. But LIRR riders at the Huntington train station seemed indifferent about the report, acknowledging that trains are sometimes late, and that delays are something they've almost gotten used to.

"They're doing track work near Syosset, so that's a problem, but if you look at the grand scheme of things, they're not that bad," said West Hempstead resident Douglas Ostarch while waiting for a train at Huntington's LIRR station.

Laura Weiner, of Greenlawn, who takes the train from Huntington frequently, said that while she has experienced delays on the LIRR, she is not bothered by it. "I'm pretty flexible," Weiner said. "I budget my time to allow for the chance of a train being late. We just leave early to give leeway time."

The New York Times story took a closer look at a statement from the Metro Transit Authority (MTA), stating that 95 percent of commuter trains traveling into Penn Station are on time. The Times studied records from 2009, focusing on three major commuter rail lines that reach Penn: the LIRR, New Jersey Transit, and Metro North. The study found that trips during the morning and evening rush hours on all three lines were two-and-a-half times more likely to be delayed.

While the LIRR fared better than New Jersey Transit, who scored the worst when it came to on-time performance, the study revealed that one out of 10 rush hour trains on the LIRR's Huntington line were late when arriving at Penn Station. That's the overall average for LIRR trains.

The LIRR acknowledged in a statement that service is expected to experience delays during rush hour, when more trains are coming into Penn Station, with a limited number of platforms to arrive on. "During peak rush hour periods, when we are moving more trains and more customers, our On Time Performance (OTP) can be impacted by a number of factors, including limited track space at Penn Station, which we share with Amtrak and NJ Transit," the statement said.

Salvatore Arena, the LIRR's Assistant Director of Media Relations, also noted that the LIRR's On Time Performance was 95.21 percent, an all-time high for the railroad. "The LIRR's record-setting, overall On Time Performance (OTP) figure achieved last year – 95.21 percent – is the most meaningful statistic reflecting our overall annual performance. During each of the last three years, the LIRR's OTP has steadily improved."

But riders said they felt there are more things to be concerned with than trains arriving or leaving late. Weiner said she wishes there were more trains available throughout the day, instead of just at rush hour. "I understand they're cutting back, but options are very limited," she said.

Ostarch added that the MTA buses on Long Island are a bigger problem when it comes to delays. "They're not accurate, but these guys are a blessing," he said of the railroad.