“Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service” identifies 50 priority corridors for speed improvements, including five next-generation rapid bus routes, saving riders as much as six minutes each ride
Plan will install shelters and seating at hundreds of bus stops, roll out thousands of new buses, phase in all-door boarding in 2027 and deliver a new, world-class rapid bus route on Flatbush Avenue by 2030
Rendering of a future rapid transit corridor in New York City. Credit: NYC DOT
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul today unveiled Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service, a sweeping bus action plan to build the next generation of bus service in New York City.
The plan marks a historic partnership between the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to transform how New Yorkers experience the city’s buses — with investments that will make service faster, more accessible and more comfortable from curb to destination. The City has committed $254 million in expense funding and $628 million in capital funding over five fiscal years to carry out Next Stop.
Next Stop identifies 50 priority bus corridors for improvements across the five boroughs and launches the City’s next generation of rapid bus service along five key routes. Together, these investments will speed up buses by 20%, shorten commutes by up to six minutes each way, improve reliability, expand accessibility and create a bus system worthy of the city that depends on it.
“For working New Yorkers, every minute matters. But for too long, our buses have been stuck in traffic instead of keeping pace with the city that never sleeps,” said Mayor Mamdani. “When a commute stretches longer than it should, that’s less time with your kids, less time with your loved ones and less time enjoying the greatest city on earth. Together with Governor Hochul, we’re investing in faster, more reliable buses because New Yorkers deserve a transit system that respects their time. This plan will make it easier to get to work, school and home — and build a city that works better for the people who keep it running.”
“Every day, millions of New Yorkers rely on buses to get around this city, but for far too long, making their journeys faster and their lives easier has seemed out of reach. That all changes today,” said Governor Hochul. “New York is in the midst of a transit renaissance, with historic investments being made to improve the lifeblood of our city. Now, working with Mayor Mamdani, we are advancing a bold and ambitious plan to move buses faster, dramatically expand bus priority, reduce delays and make our bus system the envy of the world.”
“For years, we at MTA have wanted more bus lanes, more enforcement of cars and trucks blocking bus lanes. Faster buses. Congestion pricing. But it’s no secret we didn’t have support at the local level,” said Janno Lieber, Chair and CEO of the MTA. “That is not the case anymore. Our partners today — this Governor, this Mayor and this NYC DOT — all want to make sure that riding the bus is always faster than walking. They want to follow through on long overdue commitments to build bus lanes and busways. They will ramp up traffic enforcement to keep streets moving. Buses can only move as fast as traffic allows, so if you are a bus or a bus rider this is terrific news.”
“Next Stop represents a historic partnership to build the fastest, best bus system in our city’s history,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “The plan is designed to deliver for riders, to give time back to our neighbors and to make our bus system easier, more reliable and more comfortable for everyone. It represents a unique spirit of collaboration in which Albany and City Hall do not hesitate to work together to improve working people’s lives. The City has the streets, the State has the buses, and together, we are committed to delivering fast buses and better service for New Yorkers.”
“Too often, New York City’s bus riders have felt like an afterthought. The Mamdani administration is putting the city’s one million daily bus riders front and center through this historic partnership and investment,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “Bus service shouldn’t be treated as a second-rate option at the mercy of traffic congestion. It should be a world-class system for a world-class city: fast, comfortable, reliable and convenient enough that every New Yorkers sees the bus as a great way to get around. Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service provides the blueprint for transforming our bus system, and we are deeply appreciative of Governor Hochul and the MTA for their strong partnership.”
“The Mayor came in with a mandate for fast and free buses, and today he’s proudly delivering on fast, with a bold plan that will speed up buses for millions of daily riders,” said Elizabeth Adams, Senior Advisor for Fast and Free Buses for Mayor Mamdani. “Thanks to a historic partnership between the MTA and DOT, we are marking a new chapter for bus riders. These improvements will give people real time back in their day for what’s truly needed. The bus is a lifeline for countless New Yorkers and when someone is made late to work, school or to pick up their kids, it can have devastating impacts. Thank you to the advocates and partners who made this plan possible and helped bring this vision forward.”
New Yorkers take 2.75 million trips on New York City buses each day, making the system the busiest in the nation — carrying more riders than the bus systems of Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Philadelphia combined. But New York’s buses remain the slowest of any major U.S. city, averaging just eight miles per hour.
Improving bus service is central to Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul’s promise to make New York City more livable for working people. Bus riders are disproportionately working class, women and people of color and are more likely than subway riders or drivers to live in households earning less than $100,000 annually.
Five corridors in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx have been selected as the first phase of New York City’s next generation of rapid bus routes:
- Tremont/Cross Bronx, the Bronx
- Northern Boulevard, Queens
- Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn
- Utica Avenue, Brooklyn
- Kensington-JFK, Brooklyn and Queens
These corridors were selected because they connect New Yorkers to jobs, schools, subway service and major destinations while supporting current and future housing and economic growth.
Beginning in 2026, NYC DOT and the MTA will advance these projects with dedicated, protected bus lanes, frequent all-day service, upgraded stations with sheltered waiting areas and public space improvements modeled after the best rapid bus systems around the world.
Through the MTA’s historic $68 billion 2025-2029 Capital Program, fully funded by Governor Hochul and the State Legislature in the FY26 Enacted Budget, the authority will purchase approximately 2,500 new buses, replacing 40% of its aging fleet.
The MTA will also phase in all-door boarding in 2027 with the complete transition to tap and ride, reducing time bus riders are stuck at stops and helping buses move faster throughout the city.
To make bus stops safer, more comfortable and more accessible, NYC DOT and the MTA will:
- Expand the bus stop accessibility program to reach 65 stops per year by 2030.
- Install 300 new bus shelters by 2028.
- Add seating at 875 bus stops annually, ensuring every feasible stop has seating by 2035.
- Plant 30 trees at bus stops in 2026 and pilot shelter design improvements for mitigating extreme heat at bus stops.
- Install 90 new Real-Time Passenger Information displays in 2026 and expand to 2,900 displays citywide by 2030.
Automated Camera Enforcement (ACE) has increased bus speeds by as much as 30% while reducing collisions by 20%.
To build on those gains:
- NYC DOT and the MTA will expand bus-mounted ACE to 25 additional routes each year in 2026 and 2027.
- NYC DOT will install 200 additional stationary bus lane cameras by 2027, an effective program to capture vehicles illegally driving in bus lanes.
- The New York City Police Department (NYPD) will expand targeted bus lane enforcement from 14 to 20 corridors beginning in 2026.
Working alongside the Mayor’s Office of Mass Engagement (OME) and other City agencies, NYC DOT and the MTA will hold community events, conduct surveys and partner with advocacy organizations and community groups before the projects begin. Public education campaigns will help riders understand upcoming improvements and service upgrades.
To ensure accountability, NYC DOT and the MTA will publicly release performance data within six to 12 months after projects are completed, measuring impacts on travel times, reliability and rider experience while identifying opportunities for further improvements.
