NYC’s Best & Worst Ways to Commute

[Narrator] For decades,

the subway has been the way to commute

in New York City.

54% of residents use it everyday,

but as ridership increases, so have the delays and fares.

So we wondered,

is the subway still the best way to get to work?

Today, we're following five Queens residents,

as they each take different modes of transit

to commute from Long Island City,

to Manhattan's Financial District.

We'll rate each mode's performance on five metrics;

time, cost, reliability, comfort, and available apps.

(race music)

What's up, man?

(slow lumbering music)

Oh, bye!

(fast-paced music)

(slow lumbering music)

(fast music)

So we basically made it in at the same time.

Yes.

[Narrator] So, how did everyone do?

The ferry is beautiful and relaxing,

but its limited schedule, speed, and number of stops

keep it from being a serious contender for now.

The taxi was cheaper than Uber, but it suffers

from a lack of apps, which is especially problematic

in the Outer Boroughs.

Uber was fast, comfortable, and had the best app,

but it loses points for being the most expensive.

If successful, the new Uber pool option could change that.

So it comes down to the bicycle and subway.

At first glance, the bike appears to have the win.

It was the fastest and cheapest in our test.

Ultimately though, weather, distance, and physical demand

keep it from being a reliable everyday mode of transit

for most people.

So overall, the subway is still the best option,

but it will need to modernize and secure funding

to keep up with demand, or risk being left behind

by better, faster choices.