Mamdani Promised Faster Buses. Now He Has a Road Map.

Key Points:

• Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled a 51-page plan titled “Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service” aimed at speeding up New York City bus commutes by up to six minutes on 50 bus corridors through service improvements, road redesigns, and enhanced traffic enforcement.
• The plan targets increasing average bus speeds by up to 20 percent, addressing the current slow pace of 8 miles per hour compared to subways at 18 mph and cars at up to 25 mph, with a focus on the 25 slowest routes.
• Key goals for 2030 include advancing 28 bus lane projects, purchasing 2,500 new buses to replace over 40% of the fleet, expanding all-door boarding by 2027, building 300 new bus shelters by 2028, and introducing five rapid bus corridors in underserved Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods.
• Enforcement will be strengthened by increasing traffic surveillance to ticket vehicles blocking bus lanes automatically and deploying more police officers to enforce bus lane rules on 20 routes daily, up from 14.
• The bus network serves 2.75 million riders daily, predominantly lower-income and people of color, highlighting the plan’s focus on improving transit equity and efficiency in New York City.