Photo Courtesy of MTA New York City Transit
Double-decker buses is just one aspect of the new plan.
By Michael V. Cusenza
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority this week unfurled the red carpet reserved for special occasions.
The New York City Transit Bus Plan has arrived.
NYC Transit President Andy Byford on Monday unveiled the highly anticipated initiative to MTA Board members at the NYC Transit Committee meeting, touting it as a “comprehensive reimagining” of the largest public bus system in North America.
Some specific elements of the plan include:
• A completely redesigned bus route network: Route changes, Byford noted, will provide better connectivity and more direct service in every neighborhood, with updated stop spacing and the expansion of off-peak service on strategic routes.
• Collaboration with the City Department of Transportation, NYPD, and local communities: Work with DOT to expand the implementation of bus lanes, exclusive busways, queue jumps, bus stop arrival time displays, and bus priority technology on traffic signals and buses known as “traffic signal priority.” NYC Transit has pledged to advocate for strengthened NYPD enforcement of bus lanes, dedicated transit-priority traffic teams, and legislative approval to expand bus-mounted cameras beyond 16 existing routes to help enforce bus lane rules in more locations.
• Speeding up boarding by using all doors: Pursuing new approaches to speed up bus boarding, particularly using upcoming electronic tap-to-pay readers to facilitate all-door boarding. NYC Transit will also explore cashless options to speed up boarding time in select circumstances, Byford said.
• Improving customer service and the customer experience: NYC Transit is in the midst of implementing a renewed and intensified dedication to customer service across all of its services. Additionally, bus customers will benefit from technological advancements like digital information screens providing helpful bus route, next stop and real-time service advisories. Seat availability information on express buses will become available via a mobile application, and the Bus Performance Dashboard unveiled earlier this year will see continual enhancement. NYC Transit will also develop simpler and more helpful bus route maps – including dynamic, customizable and location-specific maps – and work with NYCDOT to have more bus shelters equipped with real-time bus arrival info displays.
• Enhancing NYC Transit’s bus fleet: The plan will also focus on enhancing the fleet using zero-emission, all-electric buses, as well as double-decker buses. A pilot test of 10 electric buses began earlier this year, while a double-decker express bus will be tested on a Staten Island route starting this spring. The rest of the fleet is being upgraded with digital displays to show real-time route, stop and service update information, as well as traffic signal priority and new fare payment technology. The fleet is also being outfitted with new safety technologies such as turn warnings for pedestrians, and security cameras.
Byford also noted that the plan was inspired, in part, by City Comptroller Scott Stringer’s November 2017 report, “The Other Transit Crisis: How to Improve NYC’s Bus System.”
On Monday, Stringer thanked Byford for considering his office’s recommendations.
“Overhauling our bus system is an economic and social imperative that is absolutely critical to our future. The plan announced today by the MTA is encouraging and offers hope for real progress,” the comptroller added. “New York is a world class city, and it is time we have a world class bus system to go with it.”
lis
