Governor Kathy Hochul highlights impressive performance metrics for Metro-North and LIRR, showcasing on-time performance rates and ridership growth

New York City, New York – In a significant update from the state capital, Governor Kathy Hochul has unveiled impressive performance statistics for New York’s commuter rail services, highlighting substantial achievements in both the Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road systems. The recent data not only showcases these railroads’ reliable services but also a consistent rise in ridership figures, reinforcing their pivotal role in the daily commutes of thousands across the state.

As of early 2025, the Metro-North Railroad has continued its streak of excellence, with a remarkable day on March 9, achieving 100% on-time performance across all its lines—a feat repeated 21 times since the start of 2023.

This year alone, the Metro-North has seen its on-time performance soar, averaging nearly 99% weekly, up from an already impressive 98% in 2024. These figures are bolstered by increased daily ridership, which saw a jump to 176,414 passengers in the last week of February, an increase of 13.8% from the week prior.

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On the other hand, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) has also reported exemplary service metrics, with a nearly 97% on-time performance rate in 2025, a significant improvement from 2024’s 95.65%. This reliability has been instrumental in attracting more riders, with the LIRR carrying 85% of its pre-pandemic ridership levels and seeing a monthly increase in both commutation and non-commutation travel.

“We are delivering a faster and consistently reliable mode of public transportation to riders with each milestone the commuter railroads achieve,” Governor Hochul said. “New Yorkers know that they can depend on the Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road trains every single day — whether it’s for their daily commute to work, or for a trip to a different part of New York State.”

Echoing the Governor’s sentiments, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber commented, “Even with surging ridership and hundreds of trains running every day, MTA’s commuter railroads keep delivering better and better service. LIRR and Metro-North continue to set the national standard for safe and reliable mass transit.”

Further details provided by Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi and Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free underline the operational strategies that have led to these successes. Rinaldi highlighted the importance of maintaining rigorous standards of punctuality and cleanliness, which have evidently resonated well with commuters, ensuring high satisfaction and return ridership.

Free emphasized the impact of consistent and dependable service on Long Island’s community, suggesting that such achievements contribute to making the area a desirable place to live and work.

From a local perspective, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson praised the state’s efforts, pointing out the broader community benefits such as enhanced connectivity and increased reliability of transit options that are especially valuable for the Bronx residents.

These rail systems’ success is reflected in detailed performance data and ridership metrics. The Metro-North’s individual line performances for the last week of February, for instance, were impressively high with the Hudson Line recording 99.4% on-time performance, closely followed by the Harlem Line at 99.2%, and the New Haven Line at 99%.

The LIRR also saw significant achievements, with its Port Washington, West Hempstead, and Babylon branches leading with on-time performances of 98.7%, 97.6%, and 97.0%, respectively.

In terms of ridership, January alone saw over 6 million riders—a significant 11.2% increase compared to the previous year—with notable increases across various ticket types, highlighting a resilient recovery and growing preference for rail travel among New Yorkers.

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This sustained performance enhancement and ridership growth underscore the MTA’s successful strategies and the ongoing investments in New York’s rail infrastructure, marking a promising trajectory toward further improvements and a robust public transportation system for the state.