Recent claims by Long Island Rail Road President Phil Eng that on-time performance is improving and averaging a record 96 percent in 2021 are misleading. A commuter train is considered on time by the LIRR if it arrives within 5 minutes and 59 seconds of its scheduled arrival time.
Thus, a train is considered late only if it arrives at its final destination 6 minutes or more after its scheduled arrival time. For many LIRR commuters who have to arrive at work on time, their bosses would not be happy. The LIRR definition of “On Time” is like a teacher giving students a passing grade by rigging the results.
Ongoing cancellations and combining of trains due to signal and other problems in the East River tunnels along with other locations on all nine branches of the LIRR system will continue for years to come. Amtrak will not initiate decades overdue major repairs of the 100-plus-year-old East River tunnels until 2025 (two years after East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal begins).
This work on all four tunnels, including two that suffered significant damages from Superstorm Sandy in 2012, may not be completed until 2029. Until this work is over, it will be impossible to guarantee reliable uninterrupted honest on time service
Larry Penner
Great Neck
Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously worked for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office.
