The Straphangers Campaign is a New York City-based transit interest group that advocates on behalf of riders of public transport.
[1][2] The group's name is derived from the colloquial term "straphanger" for transit riders who gripped the hanging leather straps to keep their balance while the vehicle was in motion.
The Pokey Awards, a product of the Straphangers Campaign, tells the public which bus is the slowest in the city.
The Straphangers Campaign also conducts annual surveys checking the performance of all subway lines.
Key factors include timeliness, reliability (service breakdowns), seating availability, clarity of announcements, and cleanliness (dirtiness is colloquially called "schmutz").