NYC’s Metropolitan Transit Authority Just announced that it’ll get a lot more inclusive. How? By no longer including the phrase “ladies and gentlemen” in its subway announcements. Here are all the details:
Battered and broken, delayed and derailed, it seems like the MTA is willing to do just about anything to please the people of New York City… everything except run on time and fix the broken trains and platforms of course. There, now we’ve taken out our frustration a little, we can get on with what is a positive news story.
New York City’s public transit has replaced the phrase ‘ladies and gentlemen’ with more gender-neutral announcements.
A memo was set to MTA staff this week notifying them of the new policy, which went into effect immediately. Bus drivers and subway conductors were told to use gender-neutral language when communicating with their passengers, also, pre-recorded messages will be updated to comply with the new rule. Goodbye “Ladies and Gentlemen,” and hello, “passengers,” “riders” and “everyone.”
This move is the latest phase of a larger effort to improve communication with passengers, as laid out in the MTA’s “NYC Subway Action Plan.”
Metropolitan Transit Authority is also moving away from pre-recorded messages in favor of more live announcements by the subway staff in an effort to deliver real-time, more detailed and personalized information. MTA spokesman Jon Weinstein said:
“We’re fundamentally changing the way we talk with riders to give them better and clearer information, […] This is a small part of a larger effort.”
Other changes in the pipeline include a new app, new station signage and employee training to improve communication of service changes and alternative options.
Now at least you’ll be informed of the depressing amount of delays in real-time with gender-neutral language… that should help you get to work on time, right?
Featured image source [Flickr | Colin Mutchler]