Only 59% of all buses showed up within half the time interval between it and the next bus. Just 61% arrived within 5 minutes of when scheduled. Neither percentage is significantly different than what was found the previous year. The most irregular route was the M104 running down Broadway and 42nd St. on which 60% of buses arrived bunched or with significant service gaps.

The average number of miles an MTA bus was in service between interruptions declined 4% after years of steady improvement. This trend is particularly alarming as since 1997, new purchases reduced the number of the oldest circa 1980 buses from 1,315 to 600.

Bus interiors were dirtier on average, falling from 92% in 1997-1998 with no or light dirt to just 80% last year. Riders understood fewer announcements on-board year; now less than 1/3 of the time do drivers make themselves understood. However, more correct and legible maps were found on buses, an increase of 4%.

The Straphanger's blame the stagnation, particularly in bus bunching and on-time service, on the MTA's failure to add enough service to meet the enormous 662,000 person surge in ridership over the last three years. The agency has increased service levels only 9% since then and has allowed for only a 2% increase over the next five years in its proposed capital plan. But the report also urges City Hall to do its part by creating more bus-only lanes, better enforcing parking restrictions around bus stops, and giving buses priority at stop-lights.

Along these statistics, the City's major dailies quoted an MTA spokesman claiming that the Straphanger's conclusions were "intellectually dishonest" because they compared the months of September to October (1997-1998, 1998-1999) instead of two full calendar years. The Straphanger's Campaign later countered that the MTA's slow release of its data determined their choice and went on to produce analysis that showed no statistically significant difference in their conclusions if calendar years are instead compared.