The MTA is doing a crappy job making the city’s subway bathrooms No. 1.
The MTA Inspector General’s Office reviewed 32 of the underground transit system’s 125 public johns and found many of them flush with issues — including lacking the basics such as toilet paper, soap and garbage cans — not to mention secure locks and even toilet seats, it said Tuesday.
“It is important to have bathrooms that are not only functional but are usable,” MTA IG Daniel Cort said in a statement.
“Bathrooms that lack a toilet seat, toilet paper, or a lock on the door fall short of providing the comfort, hygiene, and safety that riders deserve.”
Of the 27 bathrooms inspected, 23, or 85%, lacked at least one basic amenity, such as toilet paper, soap, a garbage can, or a working stall lock, or were strewn with litter or graffiti, according to the IG’s report.
Ten of the 37 toilets, or more than a quarter, had stainless steel bowls without seats in both men’s and women’s bathrooms.
“Toilet seats are not a luxury but rather a necessity,” the report said, citing sanitary concerns.
Thirteen of the 37 toilet stalls inspected — or more than a third — had no toilet paper
Fourteen bathrooms lacked a garbage container; eight bathrooms had litter; six stalls had broken locks or were marked with graffiti, five dispensers had no hand soap and one hand dryer and a light fixture were not working.
At least the bathrooms were functional with working plumbing, even when unsanitary, the IG’s office said.
But when you gotta go, the bathrooms are hard to find, the report added.
MTA NYC Transit fails to effectively communicate the locations of its subway bathrooms or whether they are open, the report said.
The IG made nine recommendations to NYC Transit to better improve the comfort, cleanliness and maintenance of subway bathrooms.
The suggestions included ensuring a seat is attached to every newly installed toilet and installing missing seats on existing bowls.
The report also recommended posting QR codes so customers can provide immediate feedback.
NYC Transit said it considered that recommendation but deemed it unnecessary, given the currently available communication channels.
The MTA insisted it is doing a better job of keeping subway bathroomsopen — and clean — after closing them during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“NYC Transit has reopened bathrooms in 60 stations serving all four subway boroughs since Covid-era closures, improving lighting, adding tiles, modern fixtures, and new paint,” said MTA spokeswoman Joanna Flores.
“We’re grateful to the inspector general for recognizing this progress, as we seek to continuously improve the customer experience.”
The MTA OIG noted that the last time it inspected subway bathrooms was in 2001 — nearly 25 years ago.
“While OIG found that NYC Transit has improved its maintenance of its bathrooms since this report was issued 24 years ago, many of the same issues persist,” the report said.
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