By Olivia Scheck
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — So the MTA isn't a total train wreck.
The beleaguered agency made some gains last year when it came to reducing subway breakdowns, keeping cars clean and making audible announcements, according to the Straphangers Campaign Fall 2010 State of the Subways Report Card.
But not everything has changed for the troubled transit system.
For the second year in a row, the "C" train received the title of "Worst Train Line" in 2009, performing below average on five of six measures, including frequency of scheduled service, regularity of service, delays caused by mechanical breakdowns, announcements and cleanliness.
During the morning rush hour, "C" train straphangers were forced to wait an average of 9 minutes and 15 seconds between trains, compared to the system average of 5 minutes and 28 seconds, according to the report.
The only measure for which the Eighth Avenue local performed better than the average was "likelihood of getting a seat."
The 2009 winner of the "Best Train Line" award was also a repeat, with the "7" train, which serves Midtown Manhattan and Queens, receiving top honors.
Notably, the data used in the study were mostly taken from the last half of 2009. The MTA's positive turnaround may not survive this year's budget cuts.
The straphanger report also comes as the MTA board is expected to approve a set of proposed fare hikes on Thursday, raising the cost of an unlimited monthly MetroCard to $104 – according to the Wall Street Journal.
