Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Buses

The MTA’s Bus Action Plan Better Commit to Citywide All-Door Boarding

Riders Alliance members called on the MTA to commit to citywide all-door boarding in its forthcoming “bus action plan.” Photo: David Meyer

On Monday, MTA bus chief Darryl Irick announced plans to take "bold and radical steps to really turn the bus system around." The details of the strategy, he said, will be unveiled in "early spring."

One element that absolutely must be in the plan is citywide all-door boarding, transit riders told the agency today.

Only a handful of the MTA's bus routes enable all-door boarding, which speeds up service significantly. Cities including London and San Francisco implemented citywide all-door boarding years ago. Unlike in New York, where bus ridership is plummeting, a growing number of people are riding the bus in both of those cities.

This morning, volunteers with the Riders Alliance and NYPIRG's Straphangers Campaign performed a brief skit outside MTA headquarters to demonstrate the absurdity of the current bus boarding process. They pushed and shoved to get to the front of the "bus," while two other doors remained shut.

"What we just saw here might come off as an exaggeration for some, but it's what New York's bus riders are going through every day," said Ramona Ferrerya, who often has no choice but to ride the bus because she suffers from a chronic illness. "During rush hour, dozens of riders end up pushing up against each other, and trying to shove their way through one door. Crowds wait at every stop, and boarding slows us down."

In the fall, the MTA contracted with Cubic Transportation Systems on a fare payment system to replace the MetroCard. But the billion-dollar contract only commits to a test run of all-door boarding with the new fare tech, not citywide adoption.

Testifying before the MTA board today, bus riders laid out the importance of getting the boarding process right.

Slow boarding costs a lot of time, first of all, but it's worse than that. On crowded routes, the race to the front of the bus turns into a demoralizing competition, with some riders shoving others to ensure they get on.

"Every day is a new adventure," said South Bronx resident and Riders Alliance member Linda Scott. She's often late to her destination because the bus is too crowded for her to board. "I let [the buses] go by because I don't want to fight with other riders," she told board members.

Travis Eby recalled a rainy day several years ago when his subway line was shut down so he opted to take a bus to a station on another line. At the bus stop, there were about 50 people waiting to board.

"We had to wait in the rain and the cold for riders to dip their MetroCards or count out change one-by-one, and then wait again at every subsequent stop," Eby said. "The whole time I was thinking, 'It doesn't have to be like this, there's another door.' Can you imagine if we made subway riders queue up at the front of the train one-by-one?"

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Activists Walk the Queensboro Bridge to Demand More Space for Pedestrians, But Lane Reverts to Cars Anyway

Safety issues were supposed to be rectified by the Department of Transportation until Mayor Adams stepped in.

April 12, 2025

Brad vs. Andrew: Lander Wants Faster Buses Initiative Eliminated Under Gov. Cuomo

It's time to revive the Select Bus Service eliminated in 2018 by then-Gov. Cuomo, according to a new report from Comptroller Brad Lander.

April 11, 2025

Council To DOT: Do Better At Tracking Projects (So We Can See When You Fail)

Two bills passed by the City Council on Thursday will require the DOT be more transparent about project progress.

April 11, 2025

Friday Video: The Only Congestion Pricing Explainer You Need (Except Ours)

We've covered congestion pricing better than anyone, but we were pleased to see our Climate Town friend Rollie Williams jump on board. It's must-see TV.

April 11, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: The Times Loves Sprawl Edition

Look, we're critical of the Times, but the paper reached a new low in its call for more sprawl. Plus other news.

April 11, 2025
See all posts