March On-Time Percentage

In the most recent version of Train Talk the LIRR made available their March On-Time Percentage Numbers.  They are shown below:

A train is considered on time if it arrives at its final destination within 5 minutes and 59 seconds of it's scheduled arrival time, and in the month of March this year, 92.52% of the LIRR's trains arrived within this generous arrival window.  That's down a LOT from this time last year, a drop of nearly 4% from 2012.

This month, the Hempstead Branch dethroned the Far Rockaway branch as being the most punctual branch on the month, a position the Far Rockaway Branch had held onto for a couple months in a row. The Mainline and Port Jefferson Branch tied this month for last place, with the Mainline scoring under 90% for the fifth month in a row.

Less than a full compliment of trains were run this month thanks largely due to the March 18th derailment of a non-passenger train west of Jamaica.  The cancellations and the loss of track 1 during that week was the single leading cause of delay minutes this month as well.

It is also unfortuante to note that this is the third month in a row that the LIRR's OTP numbers have slunk lower compared to 2012.  This month, not a single branch improved upon last year's OTP numbers.  The Babylon Branch's OTP dropped nearly 6% in March 2013 over March 2012.  The single biggest problem for the LIRR is keeping trains running smoothly in the AM rush period, with almost 15% of those trains arriving at their final destinations six or more minutes late.