Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Andrew Cuomo

While New Yorkers Abandon the Bus, Cuomo Trumpets Frills No One Asked For

The Cuomo approach to transit policy: Grab attention for superficial upgrades like on-board USB ports while squandering opportunities for tangible service improvements.

The Andrew Cuomo approach to transit policy: Grab attention for superficial upgrades like on-board USB ports while squandering opportunities for tangible service improvements.

Andrew Cuomo must not think much of New York City bus riders. Today the governor trumpeted the arrival of new buses with onboard Wi-Fi and USB ports -- literally the last thing bus riders say they need.

Here's a partial list of improvements Cuomo could deliver that -- unlike USB ports -- would substantially boost bus travel times and reliability:

What Cuomo has done is stiff straphangers time and again, making a shell game of the MTA budget as fares keep rising.

People are abandoning the bus because Cuomo has allowed service to deteriorate and fares to rise. Happy talk and frills aren't going to bring them back.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Monday’s Headlines: E-Bike Regulations Edition

Monday is a big day for the future of e-bikes in the Big Apple. Plus more news.

July 14, 2025

‘Preventable’: Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Two on Third Av. Corridor Eric Adams Refuses to Make Safer

A motorist struck and killed two men on a strip where Mayor Adams recently shelved a safety redesign amid a backlash from local business interests.

July 11, 2025

Why No BRT For NYC? Two New Reports Tackle Why Your Bus Service Sucks

Years of bus priority projects barely made a dent in speeds because Big Apple leaders won't install real bus rapid transit, two recent reports argue.

July 11, 2025

Citi Bike Riders Are Pissed About Eric Adams’s 15 MPH Speed Limit

Citi Bike's new 15 mph max speed limit is a bad deal for riders and a potential threat to safety, riders said.

July 11, 2025

Friday Video: Cyclists, Check Out Your Next City

Streetfilms' Clarence Eckerson visited London earlier this summer to check in on the Big Smoke's cycling revolution.

July 11, 2025
See all posts