The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says the number of people riding the subway has dropped for the first time in nearly a decade.

The agency says .3 percent fewer straphangers used subways last year compared to the year before.

That's about six million rides.

It's the first time the number has dropped since 2009.

Riders may not notice the dip, however, as overcrowding is believed to be the cause of more than 32,000 delays in December alone.

MTA officials say customers using car service apps may be to blame for lost rides.

"There's no reason for alarm. Could it be Uber? Could it be Lyft? Could it be the fact that we’re working on the system on the weekends and that sometimes causes inconveniences but in the long term makes our system safe and reliable," said Acting MTA Chair Fernando Ferrer.

Ridership is still 77 percent higher that subway system's lowpoint back in 1982.