Office of the MTA Inspector General releases audit on bathrooms in subways
The Office of the MTA Inspector General observed 32 bathrooms across 14 subway stations in NYC from December 2024 to April 2025.
A new audit of bathrooms inside New York City subway stations is sparking some strong reactions from commuters.
The Office of the MTA Inspector General observed 32 bathrooms across 14 subway stations in NYC from December 2024 to April 2025.
Their audit found that most restrooms they checked were relatively clean and functional.
Commuters in Bushwick told News 12 they don’t feel that’s enough.
If you’ve ever had to run into the restroom at a subway station, it’s safe to say that it’s the case of an emergency and you really had no other option.
That’s the sentiment shared by commuters at the Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues station.
Minutes before a News 12 reporter walked into the bathroom at that station, a woman said she desperately needed to go in.
When she finally did, she was still unable to use the restroom.
“An older woman was in there,” said Ivonne. “Doing her drug use in there, and I had to hold my urge. So I let the MTA worker know that this lady was in there doing drugs. All the needles were scattered all over the ground. This is what we pay for.”
Shortly after, MTA workers swept in to clean up, which is an action that inspectors say is consistent from MTA.
Inspectors say the 27 of the 37 bathrooms they observed across 14 stations were open, relatively clean and had working plumbing.
OIG found that 23 of the 27 bathrooms surveyed lacked at least one basic amenity – such as toilet paper and soap — or had a deficiency, such as litter, graffiti or a broken stall lock.
Defective locks are especially concerning because they can render the stall unsafe and essentially unusable.
Missing amenities, like garbage bins and even missing toilet seats were also present.
“They should have a 24 hours cleaning service,” said Jamar Robinson. “There’s a lot of MTA workers.”
Unlike the 24/7 subway system, the bathrooms are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with an hourlong closure for mid-day cleaning.
Inspectors say some bathrooms would benefit from more attention and maintenance overall.
Riders say they still seek other options.
“Even if I had a case where I needed to use it,” said one commuter, “I’d rather not.”
“In fast food, they say you have to be a customer, and then you have to use a code,” said Ivonne. “There are no restrooms anymore.”
According to the OIG, during the COVID-19 pandemic, NYC Transit closed the subway bathrooms for health and safety reasons.
Prior to reopening the bathrooms beginning in January 2023, the agency performed necessary maintenance and upgrades to the facilities. NYC Transit was not required to bring the bathrooms up to current standards, including those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, because the upgrades represented a refresh and not an alteration.
In a statement from MTA, a spokesperson said:
“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. We’re grateful to the inspector general for recognizing this progress, as we seek to continuously improve the customer experience.”
