Cleanest to Dirtiest subway cars

[DetSMART45]

Glad to see B35's observations regarding more trash in the street receptacles -- was going to bring up that very question.  I, too, thought the MTA's hypothesis of customers taking their trash home a bit too optimistic ... plain crap, to be completely honest -- just pure conjecture for the sake of press release.  So, really, just moving the problem elsewhere and calling it a "success".  Similar to you putting huge black bags into your neighbor's bin, then when yours goes out there's only one little bag in it, allowing you to beam "proudly" that you generate hardly anything -- it's called hypocrisy.

 

You don't "train" people to modify their patterns by total withdrawal.  Fewer trashcans in the stations, with regular pickups as part of normal cleaning operations would actually mitigate the trash/rodent problems significantly.  Take a lesson from shopping malls, where cleaners regularly tend to restrooms, sweep up as needed -- but they are visible deterrents.  Most people do have that little voice that kicks in because of possible "shame".  Granted, in today's "it's all about me" world, it's a bit less noticeable, but usually that's group bravado, not individual.

 

Apply the same thinking to the subway cars themselves and your "overhaul"/deep cleaning spending will also be reduced.  Customers do appreciate a clean environment for travel and will help keep it that way.  You will always have the "pigs" to deal with, but you can stop their reproduction habits if you take away their sty.