Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul have announced an $800 million plan designed to accelerate bus travel times in New York City. The initiative, a joint effort between the NYC Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), aims to reduce bus rides by an average of six minutes through the implementation of new rapid bus routes and enhanced camera enforcement.
At a press conference in Flatbush, officials stated the plan would introduce dedicated bus lanes and traffic signal prioritization to speed up journeys. The plan also includes adjustments to bus stop spacing, aligning them with national and international standards, which may result in the elimination of some existing stops. The city intends to allocate $254 million and $628 million in capital funds over five years for these improvements.
However, the effectiveness of the proposed time savings has been met with skepticism. Allan Rosen, vice chair of rider group Passengers United and a former MTA bus planner, argued that the six-minute saving is only applicable to longer, full-route trips. For the average local bus rider, who travels a shorter distance, the time saved would likely be only two to three minutes on a trip that currently takes 45 to 60 minutes. Rosen also noted that the removal of bus stops could potentially add time to some passengers' commutes if they miss a bus, negating any gains from faster travel.
Rosen also highlighted concerns about bus reliability, suggesting that the plan does not adequately address the number of supervisors needed to keep the city's 6,000 buses on schedule. He suggested that the expansion of traffic camera enforcement is a primary driver of the plan, intended more to generate revenue from fines and discourage car use by obstructing traffic than to benefit bus passengers.
The plan's emphasis on camera enforcement has drawn attention due to the financial ties between advocacy groups and camera companies. Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group that supported rapid bus routes and increased camera enforcement, has received substantial donations from Verra Mobility, the company that operates automated enforcement cameras in the city. Verra Mobility is a significant donor, contributing over $100,000 annually from 2020 through 2023, according to the group's public donor lists.
In February, NYC DOT renewed its contract with Verra Mobility for five years, an increase of approximately 34% from the previous contract. Verra Mobility stated that the expansion of bus lane camera enforcement was a key factor in the increased contract value. City data indicates that in fiscal year 2025, the city and MTA issued $152.9 million in bus lane-related camera fines, collecting $126 million. Revenue from bus-mounted cameras alone saw a 551% increase year-over-year, particularly after the state expanded the program to ticket drivers for blocking bus stops or double parking along bus routes.