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100 Millionth Caller to 311 Gets Mayor Michael Bloomberg on the Line

By DNAinfo Staff on May 10, 2010 9:25pm  | Updated on May 10, 2010 9:24pm

Mayor Bloomberg answered a ceremonial phone call on Monday to honor the 100 millionth call to come into 311.
Mayor Bloomberg answered a ceremonial phone call on Monday to honor the 100 millionth call to come into 311.
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Mayor's Office

By Jennifer Glickel

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — A random caller to 311 got a surprise on Monday when Mayor Michael Bloomberg answered the phone.

The mayor ceremoniously picked up the line to commemorate the service surpassing the 100 million caller benchmark — which technically happened the day before, on Sunday morning at 11:50 a.m.

“311 has truly revolutionized how New Yorkers communicate with their government,” said Bloomberg of the city's one-stop phone number for all non-emergency city issues. 

“Before 311, if you wanted to get non-emergency information, there were 11 pages of phonebook numbers to plow through and even if you found the right number, getting the right person was often hit or miss. Not anymore."

The service has come along way since its first call at 12:01 a.m. on Mar. 9, 2003, when the first-ever 311 caller registered a complaint about loud noise from a neighbor's party.

In 2009, 311 received a record 18.7 million calls — more than 50,000 per day — with an average answer speed of 18 seconds, according to the city.

Sunday morning's 100 millionth call was a complaint about an abandoned vehicle.

Since its launch on March 9, 2003, the 311 service has operated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the city said.