An MTA Inspector General audit found that subway bathrooms need improvement when it comes to cleanliness and maintenance, with broken doors, missing toilet seats and no soap or paper reported in some of these public restrooms. While the audit found that the NYC Transit subway system “bathrooms were generally functional and available for use, most of those visited during the audit had at least one deficiency such as missing toilet seats, toilet paper, or soap.”     The Office of the MTA Inspector General spearheaded the audit, which concluded last year, to compile information on subway bathrooms, their conditions and if they were OK for public use. In total, NYC Transit is in charge of 125 public bathrooms (in 65 different subway stations) which make up about 11% of all public restrooms in the city. For the audit, 32 of these bathrooms were inspected. Among the findings: 27 of the 32 bathrooms were open, “relatively” clean, and working. The other five were closed. 23 of the 27 open bathrooms were either missing one basic amenity (like toilet paper, soap, a garbage can) or had “a concerning problem” like litter, graffiti, or a broken lock. 10 of the 37 toilets did not have seats. (These were found in both men’s and women’s bathrooms.) NYC Transit was inconsistent with the level of severity it assigned bathrooms needing repairs. NYC Transit does not clearly communicate the subway bathrooms locations or if they are open. Due to the finding, the OIG made a total of nine recommendations to NYC Transit to improve the state of the subway bathrooms, including: making sure each newly installed toilet has a seat attached and that one is installed on existing bowls. placing QR codes in bathrooms so that customers can provide immediate feedback. (This was not accepted by the NYC Transit because of the communication channels currently available.) “It is important to have bathrooms that are not only functional but are usable. Bathrooms that lack a toilet seat, toilet paper, or a lock on the door fall short of providing the comfort, hygiene, and safety that riders deserve,” MTA inspector General Daniel Cort said in a statement. “I appreciate New York City Transit accepting the bulk of our recommendations and committing to providing fully usable restrooms to its customers.” Meanwhile, MTA spokesperson Joana Flores 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.” ...read more read less