elevator operators. During fiscal year 1962, two of the station's elevators were replaced. Funding for the rehabilitation of the other two elevators was initially provided in the 1976 New York State budget, but was reallocated. $940,000 would have been required to improve these elevators and those at 181st Street on the IND Eighth Avenue Line. In 1981, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) listed the 191st Street station among the 69 most deteriorated stations in the subway system. On May 18, 1983, bids for the rehabilitation of elevators at the two stops were put out to tender. On August 21, 1989, with the start of 1/ weekday skip-stop service, 1 trains began skipping this station between 6:30 am and 7:00 pm, while 9 trains served the station during these times. On September 4, 1994, midday skip-stop service was discontinued, and 191st Street was no longer a skip-stop station. Skip-stop service ended on May 27, 2005, as a result of a decrease in the number of riders who benefited. 21st century In 2001, the nonprofit group Upper Manhattan Together made it a priority to improve the 191st Street station. At the time, passengers had to wait on long lines to get to the platforms because only one or two of the elevators at the station usually worked. The group had persuaded the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) to paint and improve the lighting in the pedestrian tunnel, and turned their attention to the station's elevators. According to an MTA spokesperson, three elevators were supposed to be running during rush hours - one of the elevators was being renovated, with a second to be done later - and the station would be completely overhauled in 2003. The station and pedestrian tunnel were closed between July 1 and December 31, 2003, for the renovation project. The $15 million renovation was done by New York City Transit crews in-house. As part of the project, the station's elevators were upgraded. New lighting, ceramic wall tiles, granite floor tiles, and public information systems were installed, and steel and concrete supports were repaired. All of the deteriorating tiles and mosaics were replaced with faithful reproductions made by Serpentile. The token booth was moved to the opposite wall as part of the project. Several of the elevators in the station are staffed by elevator attendants. The attendants serve as a way to reassure passengers as the elevators