All topics / Basic Services for All New Yorkers
311 Customer Service Center
Announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and launched on March 9, 2003, NYC311 consolidated more than 40 separate city agency call centers and hotlines — previously spread across roughly 4,000 listings in the phone book — into a single number for non-emergency government services. It has since grown into the nation's largest municipal customer-service operation, connecting New Yorkers to services from more than 200 agencies in over 175 languages and fielding tens of millions of calls, texts, and online requests each year.
What's working
Nothing stands out as a clear win right now.
What's getting worse
- On average, how long is the wait for tier 1 calls?: 0 min 37 sec — decreasing overall, despite a recent staffing-driven increase in wait times
- What percent of calls answered within 30 seconds?: 78% — misses target by 2%
Critical indicators
With a numeric target
On average, how long is the wait for tier 1 calls?
0 min 37 sec — decreasing overall, despite a recent staffing-driven increase in wait timesMisses target by 7 sec
On average, how long is the wait for tier 1 calls?
0 min 37 sec — decreasing overall, despite a recent staffing-driven increase in wait timesMisses target by 7 sec
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 0 min 29 sec | 0 min 30 sec |
| FY23 | 0 min 17 sec | 0 min 30 sec |
| FY24 | 0 min 31 sec | 0 min 30 sec |
| FY25 | 0 min 25 sec | 0 min 30 sec |
| FY26 (YTD) | 0 min 37 sec | 0 min 30 sec |
NYC311's own reporting attributes the FY24 jump in Tier 1 call wait times to "an increase in more complex customer inquiries," which take agents longer to resolve, after wait times had reached a low in FY23. The subsequent increase into FY26 is attributed to staffing constraints in the call center during July and August 2025, which the agency says were resolved by the end of that reporting period.
Researched July 16, 2026 — NYC311, Fiscal 2024 Mayor's Management Report, NYC311, Preliminary Fiscal 2026 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
Before NYC311 launched in March 2003 under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, city government phone numbers filled roughly 4,000 entries across 11 pages of the phone book, split across more than 40 separate agency call centers and hotlines, with no single place for residents to get help or report a problem. 311 consolidated all of it into one 24/7 number (paired with 911 for emergencies), and later added an online portal in 2009. It has since become both a public access point and a management tool the City uses to track service requests and hold agencies accountable for response times.
NYC Mayor's Office - Bloomberg Commemorates Ten Years of NYC311, NYC311 - Wikipedia
What percent of calls answered within 30 seconds?
78%Misses target by 2%
What percent of calls answered within 30 seconds?
78%Misses target by 2%
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 83% | 80% |
| FY23 | 85% | 80% |
| FY24 | 74% | 80% |
| FY25 | 80% | 80% |
| FY26 (YTD) | 78% | 80% |
78% in FY26 — missed the City's own target for this indicator (2% below the 80% target), and it has trended in the wrong direction over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
Before NYC311 launched in March 2003 under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, city government phone numbers filled roughly 4,000 entries across 11 pages of the phone book, split across more than 40 separate agency call centers and hotlines, with no single place for residents to get help or report a problem. 311 consolidated all of it into one 24/7 number (paired with 911 for emergencies), and later added an online portal in 2009. It has since become both a public access point and a management tool the City uses to track service requests and hold agencies accountable for response times.
NYC Mayor's Office - Bloomberg Commemorates Ten Years of NYC311, NYC311 - Wikipedia