NYC Subway Riders Charmed by Chief’s British Accent, Tap Entry

(Bloomberg) -- New Yorkers navigating the subway’s faster tap-and-go entry system are now being entertained by announcements from the British-accented chief of the transit agency.

“No more queuing to buy or refill your Metrocard!” Andy Byford, the New York City Transit president who started his career in London, says in one announcement. “Thank you and have a simply lovely day.”

The electronic-fare payment system will be installed at 60 stations this month, including Manhattan’s Herald Square, Rockefeller Center and downtown Brooklyn’s Metrotech, bringing the total to about 150. The state Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees NYC Transit, said last week that about 5 million uses have been recorded since its May 31 introduction at 16 stations

Byford’s announcing debut received good reviews from some Twitter users. “Very cheerful,” said one. “I love that word,” another said of Byford’s choice of “queuing” rather than “standing on line” as one might expect of a New Yorker.

Since arriving in January 2018, Byford has obtained billions of dollars for subway and bus improvements. In September, the MTA reported its on-time rate had improved to 84% from 69% in August 2018.

To contact the reporter on this story: Henry Goldman in New York at hgoldman@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Flynn McRoberts at fmcroberts1@bloomberg.net, Stacie Sherman

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