Riders miss trains because they are too crowded to board.
Others lose precious time daily because of unreliable service. And some commuters may lose service altogether because of flawed plans that NYC Transit has tried to peddle without listening to rider suggestions. Ridership has soared dramatically by 29 percent since 1996, thanks to growth in the City's population, a strong economy and the MTA's own fare discounts. At the same time, though, the expansion of subway service has lagged, with only 11 percent more service planned by the end of 2001. And straphangers are clearly suffering the consequences.