Think LIRR is late now? Times have changed

The Long Island Rail Road’s 2010 on-time record of 92.8 percent may be its worst in five years, but LIRR historian Dave Morrison has reminder for riders: It used to be much worse.

In 1988, the LIRR issued to all its employees a commemorative pin, above, marking the agency’s then-record on-time performance for the previous year: 91.6 percent.

An internal LIRR newsletter published at the time noted that the record surpassed the agency's goal of 90 percent. The LIRR raised the bar in 1988, with an on-time goal of 91 percent.

Vice president of operations Larry Baggerly opined in the newsletter that the LIRR “should be able to deliver a 90-plus on time performance consistently in the future.”

The LIRR's current on-time record, set in 2009, is 95.21. Its goal for 2011 is 95.1.

"Time sure changes people's perspective of the LIRR's on-time performance," Morrison said.