MTA/NYCT Bus Rider Poll
February 2008
Two and a half million people ride the bus every day in New York City. They spend
much of their time waiting at the bus stop and idling in traffic. Congestion pricing will
benefit bus riders by thinning traffic to help buses arrive more quickly and stay on
schedule. Revenue from congestion pricing will be spent to purchase more clean fuel
buses and fund new bus routes and new subway service. When bus riders learn the
details of the plan, they support it. If congestion pricing is approved by the City Council
and State Legislature before the end of March 2008, New York will receive $354 million
in federal transit aid to make a down payment on the bus improvements to come: 367
new buses and innovative programs like Bus Rapid Transit will be put into operation
before congestion pricing starts. Annually, congestion pricing will raise close to a half
billion dollars, which will go into a lockbox for bus, subway and other public transit
improvements.
Right now, people in every borough have to put up with slow buses. Four of the five
slowest buses and the four most unreliable and off-schedule buses in the city run routes
completely or partially within the proposed congestion pricing zone 1 . Reducing traffic
within the zone will move buses and riders along faster both within the zone and into
and out of it. “Bus bunching,” where two or more buses on a route arrive at the same
time, is common citywide. There are often large gaps between arriving buses during the
day, and at night, buses depart significantly off schedule. Reducing the number of autos
driving to and from the congestion pricing zone will increase service and help keep
buses arriving on schedule.
What’s more, using the US DOT grant and congestion pricing revenue to buy more
buses will substantially improve mobility in outer-borough neighborhoods underserved
by mass transit. Improving transit in low income and working class areas is critical to
improving access and supporting middle class and aspiring middle class New Yorkers.
In every single borough, households without cars make half the income of those with
cars.
The lower a person’s income, the more likely they are to take public transportation to
and from work, so improvements to bus service funded by congestion pricing will
immensely benefit low and middle income New Yorkers. A recent report from the Pratt
Center for Community Development showed alarming inequities in transit service
among New Yorkers, with those who earn the least enduring the longest commutes.
1
NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives 2007 Pokey and Schleppie Awards
Retrieved from http://www.straphangers.org/pokeyaward/07/
1
Three-quarters of a million New Yorkers travel more than one hour each way to work.
Two-thirds of them earn less than $35,000 a year. By contrast, just 6 percent of these
extreme commuters earn more than $75,000 a year. 2 The longest commutes most often
involve bus-to-subway transfers, demonstrating the need for new bus routes to serve
neighborhoods with poor access to transit.
Despite the poor service, New York City bus riders do not have an organized means to
express their views on it. This winter the Campaign for New York’s Future, a citywide
coalition of over 150 organizations working for a more sustainable NYC, including
improved transit service funded by congestion pricing, conducted a poll to gather riders’
opinions about bus commutes and traffic, and to get snapshots of conditions on select
routes in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. Talk to anyone who rides the
bus regularly and they will tell you where gridlock grinds their commute to a standstill,
and about waiting and waiting for a bus to arrive, only to watch two buses approach the
curb, one directly behind the other. The Campaign for New York’s Future sought to find
out if, collectively, bus riders think their commutes and quality of life would improve with
less traffic congestion and more buses; and would they support congestion pricing to
make those things happen?
Citywide, bus riders agree:
• 85% think traffic congestion causes bus delays
• 84% think more buses would improve their commute
• 63% support congestion pricing to raise money for buses and public
transit
From mid-December 2007 to mid-January 2008, community based organizations and
advocates working with the Campaign for New York’s Future polled 2,305 riders on ten
bus routes across the city for their opinions on bus service. Riders were asked how
traffic congestion affects their commute and if they would support congestion pricing to
pay for better bus service. Staff and volunteers polled riders on each bus route for 8
weekday hours during the morning (7:30-9:30 AM) and evening (4:30-6:30 PM) peak.
They gathered data from riders both on the bus and at stops to get a true sense of the
riders' opinion of their daily commute. Polled routes were selected based on their
locations and the MTA’s plans for additional service if congestion pricing is
implemented. Participating groups led polling activities on the following routes: NYPIRG
Straphangers Campaign polled riders on the Q31 and Q60 in Queens; the 167th Street
Business and Professional League and the Point CDC talked to riders on the Bx19 and
Bx55 (respectively) in the Bronx; Transportation Alternatives interviewed riders on the
B44 in Brooklyn; Citizens Committee for New York City surveyed riders on the B41 in
Brooklyn, the M14 and M23 in Manhattan; and the Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood
Association polled riders of the M20 and M104 in Manhattan.
Survey results show that bus riders demand better service, support traffic reduction and
want more funding for better bus service. Riders on routes that are slated to receive
2
Pratt Center. (2007). Transportation Equity Project. Retrieved from
http://www.prattcenter.net/transportationequity.php
2
additional service when congestion pricing is approved overwhelmingly support
congestion pricing to support better bus and public transit service. The Q31 and Q60
routes in Queens will receive six and two new buses per route, respectively. Riders on
these routes support congestion pricing to fund transit improvements by 79.8% and
73.7% respectively. Riders there also believe more buses will improve their commutes
(97% in the Q31 and 92% on the Q60). Borough-wide, congestion pricing will add 105
new buses in Queens, including four new express bus routes from Eastern Queens to
Manhattan’s business district.
The B41 will receive 33 new local and limited buses on Flatbush Avenue, while the B44
route will become a Bus Rapid Transit line along Nostrand Avenue. Fifty nine percent of
riders on each of these Brooklyn routes support congestion pricing. Riders there also
believe more buses will improve their commutes (80.1% on the B41 and 86.7% on the
B44). Also notable from the service ratings on these Brooklyn routes, the majority of
B44 respondents rated Adequate room on board at rush hour a D, and the vast majority
of B41 respondents rated this category D or F. More detailed results for each route are
included in the following pages. On bus line after bus line, poll results show that, given
information about upcoming service improvements, bus riders are willing to get behind
congestion pricing.
Without congestion pricing, New York commuters will not receive the substantial
package of immediate bus improvements planned by the MTA or the continuous
investments in service that congestion pricing revenues would bring. 3 By meeting
requirements set out in the Urban Partnership Agreement signed with the USDOT, New
York will have the funds to immediately purchase 367 new clean fuel buses that will
improve existing service and create new routes to meet the needs of underserved areas
and the city’s growing population. Moreover, the traffic thinning effect of congestion
pricing will help clear bus lanes and make way for faster buses. In London, after
congestion pricing was implemented, bus speeds increased 9% - 15% simply because
there was less traffic. With New York’s average bus speeds under 10 mph, any increase
in speed is welcome, it could make all the difference in getting New Yorkers where they
need to be on time.
3
Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Comments on the New York City Traffic Congestion Mitigation
Plan. October 2007, Retrieved from
https://www.nysdot.gov/portal/page/portal/programs/congestion_mitigation_commission/presentations
3
MTA Proposed Bus Improvements 4
4
Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Comments on the New York City Traffic Congestion Mitigation Plan,
October 2007
4
5
6
Participating organizations:
167th Street Business and Professional League
Citizens Committee for New York City http://www.citizensnyc.org/
Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association http://www.chekpeds.com/
NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign http://www.straphangers.org/
Transportation Alternatives http://www.transalt.org/
The Point CDC http://www.thepoint.org/
Riders were asked:
1. What bus route are you rating? _____________
2. Please mark your grade for each topic:
Good
Minimal delays during trips
A
B
C
D
Reasonable wait times for buses A
B
C
D
Adequate room at rush hour
A
B
C
D
Speed of buses
A
B
C
D
Cleanliness of buses
A
B
C
D
Overall performance
A
B
C
D
3. Do you think traffic congestion causes delays?
YES NO
4. Would more buses improve your commute?
YES NO
5. Would you support congestion pricing to raise money for buses and
other public transit?
YES NO
6. What is your zip code? _____________
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Bad
F
F
F
F
F
F
Bus Riders on MTA Route B41 Support Congestion Pricing
_____________________________________________________________
The Campaign for New York’s Future polled
493 Bus Route B41 riders and found that
59% of them support congestion pricing
if the money raised goes to mass transit.
YES
59%
And 80.1% of these B41 riders think that
more buses would improve their commute.
YES
80.1%
The B41 Bus Route:
•
•
•
5
Runs service between Bergen Beach or Kings Plaza and Downtown Brooklyn
Has an average weekday ridership of 41,786 5 passengers
The MTA plans to purchase 33 additional local and limited buses
Data Source: 2005 Subway and Bus Ridership Report, MTA New York City Transit, May 2006
8
Bus Riders on MTA Route B44 Support Congestion Pricing
_____________________________________________________________
The Campaign for New York’s Future
polled 466 Bus Route B44 riders and
found that 59.9% of them support
congestion pricing if the money raised
goes to mass transit.
YES
59.9%
And 86.7% of these B44 riders think that
more buses would improve their commute.
YES
86.7%
The B44 Bus Route:
•
•
•
6
Runs service between Sheepshead Bay and Williamsburg Bridge Plaza
Has an average weekday ridership of 43,155 6 passengers
This route will become a Bus Rapid Transit before congestion pricing comes into effect
Data Source: 2005 Subway and Bus Ridership Report, MTA New York City Transit, May 2006
9
Bus Riders on MTA Route Bx19 Support Congestion Pricing
_____________________________________________________________
The Campaign for New York’s Future
polled 189 Bus Route Bx19 riders and
found that 54% of them support
congestion pricing if the money raised
goes to mass transit.
YES
54%
And 82.5% of these Bx19 riders think that
more buses would improve their commute.
YES
82.5%
The Bx19 Bus Route:
•
•
7
Runs local service between NY Botanical Garden, Bronx, and Riverbank State Park,
Manhattan
Has an average weekday ridership of 34,128 7 passengers
Data Source: 2005 Subway and Bus Ridership Report, MTA New York City Transit, May 2006
10
Bus Riders on MTA Route Bx55 Support Congestion Pricing
_____________________________________________________________
The Campaign for New York’s Future
polled 203 Bus Route Bx55 riders and
found that 57.6% of them support
congestion pricing if the money raised
goes to mass transit.
YES
57.6%
And 75.4% of these Bx55 riders think that
more buses would improve their commute.
YES
75.4%
The Bx55 Bus Route:
•
•
8
Runs service between Fordham Plaza and The Hub
Has an average weekday ridership of 17,058 8 passengers
Data Source: 2005 Subway and Bus Ridership Report, MTA New York City Transit, May 2006
11
Bus Riders on MTA Route Q31 Support Congestion Pricing
_____________________________________________________________
The Campaign for New York’s Future
polled 203 Bus Route Q31 riders and
found that 79.8% of them support
congestion pricing if the money raised
goes to mass transit.
YES
79.8%
And 97% of these Q31 riders think that
more buses would improve their commute.
YES
97%
The Q31 Bus Route:
•
•
•
9
Runs local service between Bayside and Jamaica
Has an average weekday ridership of 6,122 9 passengers
The MTA plans to purchase 2 articulated buses
Data Source: 2005 Subway and Bus Ridership Report, MTA New York City Transit, May 2006
12
Bus Riders on MTA Route Q60 Support Congestion Pricing
_____________________________________________________________
The Campaign for New York’s Future
polled 213 Bus Route Q60 riders and
found that 73.7% of them support
congestion pricing if the money raised
goes to mass transit.
YES
73.7%
And 92% of these Q60 riders think that
more buses would improve their commute.
YES
92%
The Q60 Bus Route:
•
•
•
Runs local service between South Jamaica, Queens, and East Midtown
Ridership for the Q60 was not reported in the 2005 Subway and Bus Ridership Report
The MTA plans to purchase 2 articulated buses
13
Bus Riders on MTA Route M14/M23 Support Congestion Pricing
_____________________________________________________________
The Campaign for New York’s Future
polled 105 Bus Routes M14/M23 riders
and found that 60% of them support
congestion pricing if the money
raised goes to mass transit.
YES
60%
And 82.9% of these M14/M23 riders think that
more buses would improve their commute.
YES
82.9%
The M14/M23 Bus Routes:
•
•
•
10
The M 14 runs local crosstown service between Chelsea Piers or West Village and
Lower East Side via 14th Street
The M 23 runs local crosstown service between Peter Cooper Village and Chelsea Piers
The M 14 has an average weekday ridership of 41,370 passengers
The M 23 has an average weekday ridership of 21,026 10 passengers
The MTA plans to purchase 6 articulated buses for route M 14
Data Source: 2005 Subway and Bus Ridership Report, MTA New York City Transit, May 2006
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Bus Riders on MTA Route M20/M104 Support Congestion Pricing
_____________________________________________________________
The Campaign for New York’s Future
conducted a poll on Bus Routes
M20/M104 riders and found that 66.4%
of them support congestion pricing if the
money raised goes to mass transit.
YES
66.4%
And 80.5% of these M20/M104 riders think that
more buses would improve their commute.
YES
80.5%
The M20/M104 Bus Routes:
•
•
•
11
The M 20 runs service between Lincoln Center and Battery Park City
The M 104 runs service between Harlem and Murray Hill via Broadway and 42nd St
The M 20 has an average weekday ridership of 6,028 passengers
The M 104 has an average weekday ridership of 25,750 11 passengers
The MTA plans to purchase 4 additional local buses for routes M 20 and M 104
Data Source: 2005 Subway and Bus Ridership Report, MTA New York City Transit, May 2006
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