Today the NYC DOT announced that they will expand the use of Transit Signal Priority, allowing buses to move quicker through key intersections. This measure was found to increase bus speeds by 18% for the five routes using the technology. The expansion, if approved, will add the feature to 11 more routes by 2020. Council Transportation Chair Ydanis Rodriguez issued the following statement in response to the announcement:
"With our subway system vastly over capacity right now, buses should be handling some of the load, yet riders feel they cannot rely on this service when it can be faster to walk than to take the bus sometimes. With MTA buses shedding over two million annual riders over the past decade, it is clear the system needs improvements. There are known solutions out there, we just need a plan to move them forward. Transit Signal Priority is one of the most crucial parts of improving bus service across the city. Steps like this are how we will regain riders trust that buses are a fast and efficient option.
Going forward, we should see a stronger effort from the MTA to add all-door-boarding and off-board-fare payment to more routes in the city. When riders are forced to enter the bus single-file to pay, it eats up valuable time and dissuades New Yorkers from choosing this option. While Transit Signal Priority is just one step in the larger effort to fully transform bus service, I am pleased to see DOT doing its part and it's great news."
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