NYC subway riders are complaining about trains without air conditioning. Here's the MTA's response.
NEW YORK -- Subway riders who rely on the 1 train say they've encountered far too many cars without working air conditioning, especially on hot summer days.
On a recent steamy afternoon, riders already drenched in sweat on the platform at the Columbus Circle station boarded a southbound 1 train without A/C.
We got on too and it was extremely hot -- a thermometer we took on board said it was over 90 degrees.
"It's hot outside and coming into a hot train, it almost feels very suffocating," said Gracie Randis.
"I was hoping it'd be a little cooler because I came here and was expecting a little bit of a break from the heat," another rider said.
Riders said they deal with no air conditioning on 1 trains all the time. So we reached out to the MTA with their concerns.
MTA responds to subway air conditioning complaints
The MTA told us older railcar classes, like the 1 line, were three times more likely to undergo "hot car" incidents over the past three years.
"Running subway cars with functioning air conditioning is an operational goal for the MTA - meeting it 99% of the time. The MTA does not place a car with an identified A/C issue into service and it is an internal policy to remove a car for repairs if an air conditioning issue is reported," said Joana Flores, an MTA spokesperson.
The agency has urged riders who board a "hot car" to make note of the train car number and report it via the MTA app or by calling 511.
The MTA also said that despite routine checks made by crews at the end of the line, there could be subway cars with air conditioning issues that go unreported.