NYC's Transit System Put To Shame By Seattle's, Study Says

NEW YORK — Bigger isn't always better. Seattle and other far smaller cities put New York City's sprawling public transportation system to shame, a new WalletHub study says.

Hosting the nation's largest and busiest subway network wasn't enough for the Big Apple to crack the top five on the personal finance website's ranking of American cities with the best public transportation.

New York placed seventh on WalletHub's list published Tuesday, which ranked 100 U.S. cities based on 17 public transportation-related metrics, from the average transit commute time to the age of each city's fleet.

The city's system placed fifth in the nation for accessibility and convenience, thanks in part to its widespread use. More than 56 percent of Big Apple commuters use public transit, the highest rate in the nation, according to WalletHub.

But the city tied for fourth-worst in the nation when it comes to pubic transit resources. That's partly because of its aging transit fleet, which is the ninth-oldest in the nation with an average age of 12.92 years, WalletHub says.

Seattle, by contrast, received high marks across all three major categories WalletHub reviewed, ranking third in the nation for transit resources, sixth for safety and reliability, and seventh for accessibility and convenience.

The Emerald City's public transit network is much smaller than New York's, comprising an extensive bus system, several streetcar routes and light rail.

But it's one of few U.S. cities where transit ridership has grown in recent years. The greater Seattle area's public transportation system saw total trips increase 2.5 percent in 2017, compared with a 1.7 percent drop in New York City subway ridership that year.

Other coastal cities — and even one in the Midwest — outranked New York on WalletHub's list. Boston took the No. 2 spot overall, while San Francisco ranked third and Madison, Wisconsin placed fifth.

Here are the 10 American cities with the best public transit, according to WalletHub. Read the full study here.

1. Seattle
2. Boston
3. San Francisco
4. Washington, D.C.
5. Madison, Wisconsin
6. Jersey City, New Jersey
7. New York City
8. Reno, Nevada
9. Honolulu, Hawaii
10. Portland, Oregon