Remember those days of getting your friend with the really good handwriting to forge a note from your mom so you could avoid getting busted for being late to school? If you’re a New Yorker and take public transportation to work, the Metropolitan Transportation Administration is on board with a similar service. No, the agency won’t lie for you. But if you can’t make it to work on time because your train was delayed, the MTA now offers a web-based service that will get you a note to prove it to your boss.

According to The New York Post:

It usually takes five to 15 business days for the verification to be e-mailed to the rider — and the request’s progress can be checked with a tracking number that’s provided immediately.

The site asks straphangers for details about the subway station they entered and exited, along with transfer information. They can also write a description of “what happened” during the trip. Riders have to enter their names and e-mail addresses.

The service has long been available via phone and mail, and the MTA processed 36,657 requests in 2009. The web-based version, according to the agency, is designed to make it easier to get “the necessary delay documentation for school or work.”

If you need more than that, just check Facebook. Chances are that friend with the good handwriting is still out there, waiting to give you a hand.

Riders can now get subway delay work excuses by e-mail [ NYPOST.com via Gothamist]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.