In its third annual survey of NYC subway cleanliness, the Straphanger's Campaign reported that an average of two out of every three subway cars still do not meet NYC Transit's standard for cleanliness. However, the report found 5% more clean cars than last year and fewer "heavily dirty" cars, meaning cars with open or scattered food, bad-smelling or dangerous spills, sticky spots or unusable seats. These worst offenders declined from 47% dirty cars to 24%. The findings also showed big reversals in cleanliness from the previous year, with clean lines in decline and formerly dirty lines sparkling (see chart). "There's still a long way to go before the war on subway grim is won," said Straphanger's Neysa Pranger. The G line was declared the grungiest, with only 9% of all its cars clean. "G riders get the shaft in most categories," said a long-suffering rider from Greenpoint. "Why should cleaning be any different?" Other low-performers were the 6 and Q lines.

Sixteen surveyors carried out the study over the last six months, visiting 100 cars on each of the city's 20 major lines.

The Straphangers credited the inch-up in cleanliness to the increase in cleaning workers on the NYC Transit payroll. There are 1,112 car cleaners employed in 1999, roughly 200 more mops moving since last year when the agency finally restored money for car cleaners cut in previous years. Straphangers is calling for NYCT to restore numbers to the 1994 level of 1,234 and to raise their standard from an 80% of cars clean goal to 95%.

NYC Transit responded with their own statistics. Transit's 1999 survey found that 72% of all its cars were kept clean. Differences in methodology might explain the gulf in findings. Although the same in both rating system and sample size, the Straphangers Campaign surveyed cars during overnight and weekend service, while TA surveyors visited cars only during the week-day. Also, the Straphangers looked at cars while parked at terminals, though not in terminals where cleaners were working.