NYC subway’s emergency intercom system backed up by prank calls, audit finds

Over 1,000 emergency Help Point calls went unanswered, while half of all calls were attributed to “mischief” callers.

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Half of all calls to the New York City subway’s Help Point intercom system were prank calls, according to an audit by the Metropolitan Transportation Agency (MTA) Inspector General.

The Nov. 26 report collected data from May through October 2023 to assess public use of the over 3,000 Help Points across all 472 subway stations. Help Points allow subway riders to contact New York City Transit Authority personnel to request information or report an emergency. Investigators found that out of the 140,698 calls received, only 28% were from riders seeking genuine assistance, which they attributed to technical issues and an influx of prank calls.

“This high volume of calls from people not seeking assistance burdens Operation Control Center (OCC) stations,” the report stated. “In addition, it contributes to delays in answering actual customer calls—or encourages callers to abandon their efforts without reaching OCC stations at all.”

New York City Transit Authority documented over 70,000 mischief calls, with 68% done on the emergency line. Some prank callers made multiple calls a day for several days in a row, to the point that call center operators could often recognize their voices, according to the report. 

Genuine calls to the emergency line mainly reported injured passengers, harassment, or an individual on the tracks.

“The Help Point system is important for public safety, and an immediate response to genuine emergency calls is crucial,” MTA Inspector General Daniel Cort wrote in a statement.

The report also found that emergency calls aren’t prioritized over informational calls. New York City Transit Authority’s practice is to answer all calls, regardless of type, in the order they are received.

Only 75% of Help Point emergency calls were answered within 15 seconds, compared to the 90% standard for 911 calls, according to the report. Over 7,000 emergency calls waited longer than one minute for a response and nearly 4,000 were not answered.

“Riders need to know that they can contact someone when they need help, whether an emergency or for information,” Lisa Daglian, executive director of the MTA’s Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee, wrote in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) told the New York Post that Help Points are an “ineffective program” and a waste of government funds. Malliotakis also criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul’s revised congestion pricing plan aimed at funding the MTA—which had an outstanding debt of $42 billion in 2023, according to the New York State Comptroller's Office. 

The MTA spent $252.7 million to install the Help Point system between 2011 and 2018, according to the report. A $79.2 million capital project is underway to upgrade subway communication systems, including Help Points.

“This is yet another example of government waste by the chronically cash-strapped MTA that abuses taxpayers by shoveling money down their black hole,” Malliotakis said.

The report made nine recommendations to the MTA to improve the Help Point system, such as collaborating with the NYPD to deter misuse and updating call prioritization protocol.

“Our top priority is always ensuring customer and employee safety,” Meghan Keegan, an MTA spokesperson, wrote in a statement. “We’ve closely reviewed the Inspector General’s recommendations concerning Help Points and are evaluating ways to improve their effectiveness.”