The MTA says it will write ‘late-to-work’ notes for commuters as subway delays surge, leaving people stranded and furious

Passengers wait inside a stopped C subway train in New York City after a power failure stopped multiple subway lines during the morning commute in New York.Reuters/Brendan Mcdermid

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) reminded commuters it will verify subway delays as disruptions continue to multiply, leaving people stranded and furious.

The official NYC Subway Twitter feed said Monday it will verify subway delays that have occurred within the last 90 days. Commuters have to fill out a form on the MTA website with information about the delay, like the subway line and time of day it occurred.

The MTA first launched the online service in 2010, but reminded commuters about the system Monday morning after over a dozen subway lines experienced delays due to signal issues.

An MTA spokesperson said verifications are emailed to customers within two business days.

Subway delays have more than doubled from roughly 28,000 per month in 2012 to 70,000 each month this year, according to the New York Times. Mechanical performance has also worsened, leading to stalled trains and overcrowding.

The MTA announced a new version of its five-year, $32.5-billion Capital Plan that directs $14 billion toward improving New York’s subway system. The revised plan includes a six-point system to tackle short-term subway issues, like improving signal issues and subway car equipment failures.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is also providing a $1 million “Genius” grant to the person with the best solution for fixing problems directly connected to subway delays, like an aging signal system.

As a state agency, the MTA is controlled by Cuomo, who has taken heat for channeling more funding toward subway expansion projects than tackling delays.

Many NY subway commuters voiced their discontent with the growing number of delays on social media after the MTA announced its verification system: