Subway Etiquette Do's and Don'ts: Porn Is Bad, Eye Contact Is Okay
Complaints: You've had a few.With the average New York commuter spending about 6 hours a week getting to and from work, there's plenty of time for subway etiquette pet peeves to fester.The problem is,...
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All Aboard the 24-Hour Subway Listening Tour
It's called #RidersRespond: a two-day event in which politicians take to the subway, talking to riders and gathering opinions to present to the MTA at a City Council Transportation Committee hearing on...
View ArticleHere's Looking at You: Takeaways From Commuter Etiquette Week
In an ideal universe, every week on the train would be etiquette week.But for We the Commuters, this was officially Etiquette Week — because if a main goal of this project is to hold those in charge of...
View ArticleSubway Self-Care: What Do You Do to Make Your Commute More Than Bearable?
In our quest to empower commuters, we've delivered your comments and criticisms to the MTA, and we've broadcast your train etiquette tips for other riders.But this week, it's Self-Care Week. And we...
View ArticleTaxing the Wealthy to Fix the Subways
Michael Gianaris, New York State Senator from Queens (D, 12), and Jeffrey Dinowitz, Bronx Assemblyman (D, 81) discuss Mayor de Blasio's plan to tax the wealthy in the city in order to fix the NYC...
View ArticleSign Up to Get a 'We the Commuters' Button
If one thing was made clear during Etiquette Week, it's don't wear a backpack on a crowded train.Instead, wear a We the Commuters pin, so everyone knows you’re part of the movement that’s trying to...
View ArticleCity Council to MTA: Show Us You've Got What it Takes
It's the question of the summer: How do you solve a problem like the subways? MTA chairman Joe Lhota last month announced an $836 million repair plan, which he and Governor Andrew Cuomo want the city...
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Give This a Spin: 5 Takeaways From Commuter Self-Care Week
After a valiant effort to deliver your comments to the MTA—and each other—we brought things a little closer to home this week. We asked, is there something you do that actually makes your commute...
View ArticleQuiz: Are You a Penn Station Pro?
Penn Station is a pain. But it's less of a pain if you know what you're doing. So this week, We the Commuters are all going to get better at this. And it starts with a quiz. If you're hungry for more...
View ArticleDay 2 Quiz: Are You a Penn Station Pro?
After Monday's quiz, you know where to get oysters. But do you know how to actually get to your train without running into a mob of people? Take today's quiz to see if your Penn Station proficiency is...
View ArticleDay 3 Quiz: Are You a Penn Station Pro?
So you already know about Penn Station's secret corridor from the 1 train, and the best place to get oysters. But do you know the Amtrak cheat to end all Amtrak cheats? If you want more questions, good...
View ArticleThe Final Exam: Are You a Penn Station Pro?
You've reached this week's final Penn Station quiz, so cheers! Now, do you know where in the station to find the best happy hour? We'll be back tomorrow with our top five Penn Station survival tips,...
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From Rush Hour to Happy Hour, Here's Your Penn Station Survival Guide
Commuting through Penn Station is kind of like golf: It's frustrating, you'll never perfect it, and it's a sure way to spot guys in bad trousers.But, like golf, the Penn Station commute can indeed feel...
View ArticleThis Week, We're All About That Bus
Say you're normally an afternoon subway commuter, but you're dying to watch the eclipse today. There's a solution. Take the bus. Other things you can do on the bus: Make friends, get stuck in traffic,...
View ArticleThe Wheels on the Bus...Go. Really. Slowly.
WNYC's We The Commuters project is all about buses this week, and Kathy from New Paltz kicked things off on Monday with this summary of her commute into the city:"It's almost like a family. You get to...
View ArticleUnpacking the Two Proposals To Fix Mass Transit
Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have competing ideas to improve the MTA. Mayor de Blasio recently proposed taxing the 1%ers and Governor Cuomo has another idea.One way to fix the broken subway...
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'We Never Saw Skateboards Before': Being a Bus Driver Today
We know bus riders are frustrated. It's common to wait 20 minutes for a bus to arrive. Then, depending on your location in the city, that bus could move at a mere five miles per hour. But there are...
View ArticleThrill Rides: All-Speed Playlist Offerings
Music can take the edge off, soothing the savage commuter's soul, or perhaps providing the perfect escape. We can't claim that there is something here for everyone, but here are six playlists for your...
View ArticleA 'Summer of Swell'? Share Your Takeaway From the Summer Commute
With three of Penn Station's 21 tracks under repair this summer, about 17,000 commuters from New Jersey and Long Island were promised "hell." Instead, we saw commuters from Long Island essentially...
View ArticleQuiz: Are You Ready to Commute This Fall?
Summer vacation is nearly over, and so are the Penn Station track repairs. So now it's time to put 8 weeks of learning to the test, to see whether you're ready to commute like a pro this fall. If you...
View ArticleThe Summer Is Over, But Commuting Challenges Remain
After eight weeks of track repairs at Penn Station, normal service is set to resume on Tuesday.But "normal" is not completely synonymous with "perfect." For New Jersey commuters like Seth Huling, a...
View ArticleThe Horror! A Short Film Depicts One Man's Struggle With an MTA Turnstile
As the MetroCard gets phased out, so might a familiar horror story captured in the short documentary, Mr. Yellow Sweatshirt.The film by New York-based directors Pacho Velez and Yoni Brook chronicles...
View ArticleThe City Never Sleeps... But Should the Subway?
Five years in the making, the Regional Plan Association released its fourth-ever (since its 1922 founding) plan for the metro area. Tom Prendergast, board member of the Regional Plan Association,...
View ArticleThe Cost of Fixing the Subways? $11.52 per Car, Panel Says
A new plan commissioned by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recommends a series of actions to reduce congestion in Manhattan and create a dedicated revenue stream for the MTA. Under one scenario, drivers...
View ArticleCongestion Pricing to 'Fix NYC'
Scott Rechler, CEO and chairman of RXR Realty, chairman of the Regional Plan Association, and MTA board member, talks about the proposal put forth by Fix NYC, a commission convened by the governor, to...
View ArticleIf You Choose to Commute by Car in NYC: Why?
If you live in Queens but drive a truck into Manhattan for work, we get it. It's probably a necessity. And if the congestion pricing plan commissioned by Governor Andrew Cuomo went into effect, your...
View ArticleTRussia: Flynn Again; Meet the New NYC Transit Chief; Women at Work; NYC...
Coming up on today's show:Carol Lee, national political reporter for NBC News, talks about the latest on the Russia investigations, including her report that Michael Flynn kept secrets from the...
View ArticleMeet the New NYC Transit Chief
Andy Byford, new president of MTA New York City Transit and the former head of Toronto's transit system, talks about his new job running New York City subways, buses, para-transit services and the...
View ArticleMonday Morning Politics; Making Sense of Trump's Long-Promised Infrastructure...
Coming up on today's show:David Corn, Washington bureau chief of Mother Jones and MSNBC analyst, and Michael Isikoff, chief investigative correspondent at Yahoo News, co-authors of the forthcoming...
View Article'Can I Get a Swipe?' Can We Get in Trouble?
With Mayor Bill de Blasio now at odds with some progressives over the issue of subway fare evasion, we're revisiting an age old question in New York City: Should you offer a swipe to a stranger,...
View ArticleWould a Chocolate MetroCard Sweeten Your Hellish Commute?
The commute of your nightmares is now worthy of a prize, courtesy of the advocacy group, Riders Alliance.The group's new contest, called Worst Commute of the Week, has its first winner: A librarian...
View ArticleFor a Pleasant Commute, Talk Up a Stranger
We all know the MTA's rule: If you see something suspicious, say something.But we also know the unwritten rule of being a good commuter: Lower your headphone volume, and don't talk to anyone.Which is...
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Welcome Back, Fair-Weather Ferry Fans
With temperatures destined for the mid 80s this week, New Yorkers are about to get a friendly reminder of what it's like to stand on a hot, muggy subway platform.But here's another reminder: Some of...
View ArticleWhat's Your L Train Shutdown Survival Plan?
When the L train tunnel closes next April for 15 months of repair work, Canarsie resident Sharon Williams should be set. She's already figured out three alternative routes to get to her job. Her real...
View ArticleNightmare Commutes, Boaty Boatwright, 'Charlie For The Culture'
WNYC reporter Stephen Nessen joins us to discuss the terrible road conditions and nightmare commutes people experienced due to the snow storm. We'll also take your calls to hear what you experienced...
View ArticleJanet McTeer & Theresa Rebeck's New Show, Ziwe Fumudoh, Snowy Commutes
Janet McTeer discusses starring in the Broadway production of “Bernhardt/Hamlet.” Theresa Rebeck talks about her fourth play, “Bernhardt/Hamlet.” Ziwe Fumudoh discusses her career, including being a...
View ArticleBrooklyn Businesses Say Customers are Local, But Staff Might Be Ensnarled in...
In Brooklyn some business owners along the L train route were wrapping their minds around New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's push to avert a total shutdown of the train tunnel. They told WNYC's Shumita Basu...
View ArticleYour Favorite-Least Favorite Parts of Your Commute
Chances are, if you're in the rhythm of commuting, there are certain things that can happen along the way to brighten your day and other things that can put a damper on your trip.Tell WNYC about both...
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A Rolling Retirement Party on NJ Transit
When Conductor Gene Ruocchio let slip a few weeks ago that he’d be retiring in April after nearly 31 years with NJ Transit, one of his regular commuters took note.“I said okay, we’ve got to commemorate...
View Article'We the Commuters'
WNYC reporter Shumita Basu updates us on her New York City transit coverage as part of the WNYC and Gothamist newsletter "We the Commuters."
View ArticleTeens Say the Reason They're Loud on the Subway Is They're Having Fun (Ever...
"Loud." "Obnoxious." "The #1 biggest offender of blocking doors."These are just a few ways that adults described teenagers on public transit, in their responses to the We the Commuters survey we shared...
View ArticleE-Bikes and Electric Scooters Could Soon Be Legal in NY
We the Commuters focuses on bikes with Shumita Basu, reporter, host and producer in the WNYC newsroom, and WNYC transit reporter Stephen Nessen discuss best practices, the new e-bike state law,...
View ArticleBrush Up on Bike Lingo
WNYC and Gothamist's ongoing transit project We the Commuters is presenting a month-long series on cycling. We're welcoming your input on topics and questions to address — you can do so below — and in...
View ArticleHow to Get a Bike Lane Built
Shumita Basu, reporter, host and producer in the newsroom, shares what she discovered about how to go about getting a bike lane in your neighborhood and the role of community boards.As @WeTheCommuters...
View Article'We the Commuters'
Shumita Basu updates us on her New York City transit coverage as part of the WNYC and Gothamist newsletter "We the Commuters."This segment is guest-hosted by Shumita Basu.
View ArticleThose Broken Elevators in Grand Central? We Looked Into It.
As of September 2019, two elevators have been taken out of service at Grand Central. One is the elevator connecting the 7 platform to the mezzanine; the other connects the mezzanine to the street. We...
View ArticleHow One Wheelchair User Conquers The Sometimes Accessible NYC Transit System
For all the talk about New York City’s lack of accessible transit, Katherine Valdez, who uses a wheelchair because of a spinal cord injury, moved to New York largely because of the subway. Hear how she...
View ArticleHead of New York City Transit Andy Byford Resigns
When the fresh-eyed, British-born, globally-recognized transit pro arrived via Toronto in 2018, subway service was at a recent low. Trains were arriving on time, on average, 58 percent of the time....
View ArticleWho's More Generous With Giving Up Their Seat: Subway Or Bus Riders?
It's a classic New York debate: Who is most deserving of a seat on a crowded subway? And does the calculation change when you're on a bus? WNYC's Shumita Basu set out to test the theory that bus...
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How To Redesign Queens' Bus Network (Step 1: Make People Mad)
Bus routes in Queens have largely stayed the same since the 1940s. The MTA says that’s why it's scrapping that map and developing a new Queens bus network from scratch. But when the agency released its...
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