More than 80 million passengers rode the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PATH) train system in 2017, which marked a 5.4 percent increase over 2016 and set a new ridership record.
PATH attributed the record 82.5 million riders to overall regional economic development, new residential development near PATH stations, and an influx of riders who were diverted to the PATH system during repairs and renovations to Amtrak’s New York Penn Station. Despite record ridership, PATH trains maintained an on-time percentage of 97.7 percent.
“We continue to strive to effectively meet and manage the challenges of providing the highest level of service to our growing passenger population,” PATH Director and General Manager Michael Marino said. “Our performance in 2017 is a tribute to our customers and our employees, and to the agency’s enduring commitment to a safe, efficient and timely ride each day for our passengers.”
PATH’s World Trade Center station was the busiest in 2017, recording a 5.8 percent increase. The 33rd Street station saw an 8.3 percent increase and was the second busiest. Meanwhile, Hoboken saw an 8.9 percent increase, Newark Penn Station saw a 5.4 percent increase and Grove Street saw a 6.2 percent increase in ridership.
PATH also brought a new mobile app online as part of a larger initiative to use technology and system upgrades to improve the customer experience in 2017. Going forward, PATH identified implementing positive train control (PTC) before the year-end federal deadline as its top priority.