NYC Subway

October 27, 2008

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Profile America — Monday, October 27th. One of the symbols of New York City began operation 104 years ago today — as the city’s famous subway system was inaugurated. The original line was just over nine miles long. Today, the system has 230 miles of track and 468 stations. Each weekday, an average of some 6.5 million people ride the New York City subway. Among large cities of the world, the New York system is the only one to run 24 hours a day all year long. Across the U.S., just under 5 percent of workers use public transportation — including subways — to get to their jobs. More than three-quarters of us drive to work alone. About 11 percent ride in car pools. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2008, 530
Famous First Facts, 6411
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2008, t. 1068
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2008edition.html