IT'S ONE 'L' OF A GOOD RIDE: SUBWAY SURVEY
By Clemente Lisi
The L train pulls into the station first when it comes to the city's best subway line.
Not only do its riders have the best chance of getting a seat during rush hour, but they also have the shortest wait for their train, a new study found.
The Straphangers Campaign's sixth annual "State of the Subways" study ranked the L – which runs from Eighth Avenue through Brooklyn to Canarsie – in first place out of the city's 20 lines.
The study was based on six criteria, including cleanliness, regularity of service, breakdowns and the chance of getting a seat during rush hour.
The Straphangers Campaign ranked each line based on what a $2 ride is really worth – and the L train was best, at $1.30.
"This is the first time the L has ranked this high," said Gene Russianoff, staff lawyer for the Straphangers Campaign. "Riders on that line have never had it this good."
While L riders get more bang for their fare, Russianoff said the No. 5 line provides the worst ride because of frequent breakdowns and overcrowding.
"If you're in a real hurry and hope to get a seat, then the 5 is not a good bet," Russianoff said.
The 42-page report uses the Transit Authority's figures from the last six months of 2002.
The G and V were not ranked because data regarding cleanliness was not available.
Overall, the study found trains are 36 percent more reliable than two years ago, but 8 percent dirtier.
The survey also found:
* The No. 3 was the cleanest line, with only 7 percent of its cars plagued by dirt.
* The D was the line where riders had the best chance of getting a seat during rush hour – nearly 54 percent of the time.
* The Nos. 4 and 1/9 had the most scheduled service during rush hour with an average four-minute wait.
* The B and M had the most wait time – with as much as a 10-minute interval between each train.
TA spokesman Charles Seaton said the numbers in the report are "a bit old" and that improvements on several lines, including the L and 5, will be made this fall.
Russianoff said subway service and cleanliness could improve. "There are great disparities between the various lines," he said. "Some are clearly better deals than others. Riders should be able to get a good deal on all the lines."
RAIL VALUE
What your $2.00 ride is worth based on overall performance
3, D $1.25
E, 6, 1/9 $1.20
7, J/Z $1.15
2, F $1.10
Q $1.05
B, A $1.00
W $0.90
R, M $0.85
N $0.75
Source: Straphangers Campaign
MTA'S GROUNDED 'EAGLE'