99% Invisible

Service Request #1: What Happens When I Call 311?

March 17, 2026·34 min·5-min readnarrativetechnology
Podzilla Summary (5 min)
TLDR
This debut episode of Service Request explores how New York City’s 3-1-1 system functions as a hidden but vital piece of urban infrastructure, using a personal complaint about noisy ice cream trucks to unpack a vast, human-powered network that connects citizens to city services. It reve

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Guest

J

Joseph Morrisrow

narrative on 99% Invisible

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Christopher JohnsonDelaney HallJoseph MorrisrowSamantha Pierce

Companies

Campside MediaSiriusXM

Products & Tools

Mr. Softee

Topics

Long Form Journalism

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