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Starting today, the special trains are running between Woodlawn and 149th Street – skipping nine stops along the way to get commuters moving faster.

"We want to see what we can do with our service. We want to make it more reliable for the customer," said Number 4 line General Manager Herbert Lambert. "That's the main effort here."

The trains are running weekdays through the end of the month, during the peak of the morning rush, between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.

The trains stop at Moshulu Parkway, and then head straight to Burnside Avenue. After that, they do not stop again until 149th Street.

"I hope they keep that up. I know it's a pilot program. So, you know, it was great," said one straphanger. "They have it on the 6, they have it on the 5, they have it on the D, I never understood why they never had it on the Jerome line. It was great."

"I like this whole thing with express, but would like it earlier," suggested a straphanger. "Usually I'm on the train at 6:30 a.m., so I hope they expand it."

The goal is to shave up to 3.5 minutes off the normal 20-minute ride.

Riders said that the new service did not only speed up their commute, but also increased their legroom.

"People even got seats at Burnside and they had a bit of a shocked look on their face, because usually when we get to Burnside, it is packed," said a rider.

"Express service is definitely much better. Get to work quicker and the local is always crowded. I'd prefer the express to stay," said another.

"It is usually crowded, hot, and stinky," said a third. "But now it is calm, cool, and less people. We can sit down."

The new service is set to end June 26th, but if it's successful, it could become permanent.