MTA Regional Bus Operations bus fleet
The MTA Regional Bus Operations bus fleet is a fleet of buses in fixed-route service in New York City under the "MTA New York City Bus" (also known as New York City Transit or NYCT) and "MTA Bus" brands, the former of which includes Select Bus Service routes.
Description and history
The fleet consists of over 5,700 buses of various types and models for fixed-route service, making MTA RBO's fleet the largest public bus fleet in the United States.[1] The MTA also has over 2,000 vans and cabs for ADA paratransit service, providing service in New York City, southwestern Nassau County, and the city of Yonkers. All vehicles (except for paratransit cabs) are fully accessible to persons with disabilities.[2][3] Fixed-route buses are dispatched from 28 garages (20 New York City Bus and 8 MTA Bus) and one annex in New York City.
Several fleet improvements have been introduced over the system's history. The first large order of air conditioned buses began service in 1966.[4] "Kneeling buses" were introduced in 1976, and wheelchair lifts began appearing in 1980.[5][4][6] Also in the 1980s, stop-request cords ("bell cords") were replaced by yellow tape strips. However, buses ordered after 2008 feature cords rather than tape strips due to the latter's higher maintenance cost.[7] Articulated buses were introduced in 1996, and have since become prominent in the Bronx and Manhattan.[8][5] Low-floor buses, designed to speed boarding and alighting and improve riding conditions for elderly and disabled passengers, were first tested in 1997[9][10] and have made up most of the new non-express buses ordered since the early 2000s. Most post-2000 orders also feature stop-request buttons located on grab bars.[11] Beginning in 2016, new orders along with buses built after 2011 will be built/retrofitted with Wi-Fi connectivity and USB charging ports.
Starting in 2016, efforts to bring an audio/visual system to the current and future fleet went underway to improve customer service and ADA accessibility thru use of next stop announcements & PSAs. Though the former Long Island Bus Division (now NICE Bus) had already deployed such a system throughout its fleet since the early-2000s, the MTA had only trialed similar systems alongside GPS tracking between 2007 to 2012 on select routes in the New York City Bus system. Current plans include the installation of digital information screens installed throughout the interior of the bus which will provide real-time information such as time, weather, advertisements, & service advisories. [12] The screens are supplied by contract from 3 different vendors and are installed on new bus deliveries starting in 2017 while buses built after 2008 are currently receiving retrofits. A new livery was also introduced, replacing the blue stripe livery on a white base that had been in use in one variation or another since the late 1970s. The first of these buses entered service in mid-May 2016 on the Q10 route.[13]
Buses operating on clean or alternative fuels also make up a significant portion of the fleet, particularly since the establishment of the MTA's "Clean Fuel Bus" program in June 2000.[4] Buses running compressed natural gas (CNG) were first tested in the early 1990s,[14][15] and mass-ordered beginning in 1999.[4][14] Hybrid-electric buses, operating with a combination of diesel and electric power, were introduced in September 1998,[4][16][17] and mass-ordered beginning in 2004.[5][16] Within the current fleet are over 1,600 diesel-electric buses and over 700 buses powered by compressed natural gas, which make up over half of the total fleet.[1][18][19] This is the largest fleet of either kind in the United States.[19][20]
In 2017, the MTA ordered a test fleet of ten forty-foot battery-electric buses, five from New Flyer and five from Proterra, the XE40 Xcelsior CHARGE and Catalyst BE40 models respectively. In 2019, the MTA ordered their first battery-electric sixty-foot articulated buses, with an order of fifteen XE60 Xcelsior CHARGE buses from New Flyer, deployed on Manhattan Select Bus Service routes. In April 2021, the agency placed an RFP for forty-five new forty-foot battery-electric buses.
Fixed-route fleet details
A roster of the fleet is shown below. Not included below are buses and vans not open to the general public (Access-A-Ride vans, taxicabs, and employee shuttle buses), retired buses, or demonstration buses. This list also does not include buses formerly operated by MTA Long Island Bus (now Nassau Inter-County Express) that are now operated under contract to Nassau County by Transdev.
Local, limited, & Select Bus Service vehicles
All buses listed below have semi-low floors.
| Image | Builder and model name |
Model year | Length | Numbers (total) |
Energy source | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Orion Bus Industries Orion VII 07.501 HEV Original Generation |
2006-2007 |
40 ft (12 m) | 3500–3783 6690–6905 (500 buses) retiring |
Diesel-electric hybrid | MTA Bus & NYCT |
|
Orion Bus Industries Orion VII 07.501 HEV Next Generation |
2008 | 3800–3959 (160 buses) retiring | |||
|
2009-2010 | 3960–4278 4330–4702 (692 buses) retiring | ||||
|
Nova Bus LFS-A TL62102A 1st Generation articulated |
62 ft (19 m) | 1200–1289 (90 buses) |
Diesel | NYCT | |
|
Nova Bus LFS TL40102A 3rd Generation |
2011 | 40 ft (12 m) | 8000–8089 (90 buses) | ||
|
Orion Bus Industries Orion VII 07.501 EPA10 Generation III |
7000–7089 (90 buses) | ||||
|
New Flyer XD40 Xcelsior |
4810–4899 (90 buses) | ||||
|
New Flyer C40LF Low Floor |
2011-2013 | 185–672 (488 buses) |
CNG | MTA Bus & NYCT | |
|
Nova Bus LFS-A TL62102A 1st Generation articulated |
62 ft (19 m) | 5252–5298 5300–5363 5770–5986 (328 buses) |
Diesel | NYCT | |
|
New Flyer XD60 Xcelsior articulated |
2012 | 60 ft (18 m) | 4710–4799 (90 buses) | ||
|
New Flyer XD40 Xcelsior |
2014-2015 | 40 ft (12 m) | 7090–7483 (394 buses) |
MTA Bus & NYCT | |
|
Nova Bus LFS TL40102A 4th Generation |
2015-2016 | 8090–8503 (414 buses) |
NYCT | ||
|
New Flyer XD60 Xcelsior articulated |
60 ft (18 m) | 5364–5438 (75 buses) |
MTA Bus | ||
 
|
2016-2017 | 5987–6125 (139 buses) |
MTA Bus & NYCT | |||
|
New Flyer XN40 Xcelsior |
40 ft (12 m) | 673–810 (138 buses) |
CNG | NYCT | |
 
|
Nova Bus LFS-A TL62102A 2nd Generation articulated |
2016-2019 | 62 ft (19 m) | 5439–5602 (164 buses) |
Diesel | |
|
New Flyer XE40 Xcelsior CHARGE |
2017 | 40 ft (12 m) | 0011-0015 (5 buses)[21] |
Battery electric | |
|
Proterra Catalyst BE40 |
0016-0020 (5 buses)[21] | ||||
 
|
New Flyer XN60 Xcelsior articulated |
2017-2018 | 60 ft (18 m) | 1000–1109 (110 buses) |
CNG | |
|
New Flyer XD40 Xcelsior |
2017-2019 | 40 ft (12 m) | 7484–7850 (367 buses) |
Diesel | |
|
New Flyer XDE40 Xcelsior |
2018 | 9500–9509 (10 buses) |
Diesel-electric hybrid | ||
|
Nova Bus LFS TL40102A 4th Generation |
2018-2019 | 8504–8754 (251 buses) |
Diesel | ||
|
New Flyer XE60 Xcelsior CHARGE articulated |
2019 | 60 ft (18 m) | 4950–4964 (15 buses) [22] |
Battery electric | |
 
|
New Flyer XD60 Xcelsior articulated |
2019-2020 | 6126–6286 (161 buses) |
Diesel | MTA Bus & NYCT | |
|
New Flyer XDE40 Xcelsior |
2020-2021 | 40 ft (12 m) | 9510-9619 (110 buses) under delivery |
Diesel-electric hybrid | NYCT |
|
Nova Bus LFS HEV TL40102A 3rd Generation |
9620-9784 (165 buses) under delivery | ||||
|
Nova Bus LFS TL40102A 4th Generation |
2021-2022 | 8755-8963 (208 buses) under delivery |
Diesel | ||
| New Flyer XD40 Xcelsior |
2022 | 7851-7989 (138 buses) in-service testing |
Express bus fleet
All express buses are diesel-powered, 45 ft (14 m) long commuter coaches with high floors.[23]
| Image | Builder and model name |
Model year | Numbers (total) |
Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Motor Coach Industries D4500 |
2002 | 2805-2930 (125 buses) retiring |
MTA Bus |
|
Motor Coach Industries D4500CL |
2004-2007 | 3000–3474 4300–4329 (505 buses) retiring |
MTA Bus & NYCT |
|
Motor Coach Industries D4500CT |
2008 | 2210–2250 (41 buses) retiring | |
|
Prévost X3-45 Commuter 1st Generation |
2011 | 2400–2489 (90 buses) |
NYCT |
|
Motor Coach Industries D4500CT |
2013 |
2251–2304 (54 buses) | |
|
Prévost X3-45 Commuter 1st Generation |
2014-2016 | 2490–2789 (300 buses) | |
|
Prévost X3-45 Commuter 2nd Generation |
2021-2023 | 1300–1629 (330 buses) under delivery |
MTA Bus & NYCT |
Future bus fleet
| Builder and model name | Model year | Length | Numbers (total) |
Energy source | Operator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Bus LFS HEV TL40102A 3rd Generation |
2021-2022 | 40 ft (12 m) | 9785-9910 (125 buses) |
Diesel-electric hybrid | NYCT | Option of 9620-9784 order. |
| New Flyer XDE40 Xcelsior |
2022 | 9416-9499 (83 buses) |
Option of 9510-9619 order. | |||
| TBA | 2020s | TBA (60 buses) |
Battery electric | |||
| TBA (375 buses) |
Option of 60-bus order. |
References
- ^ Jump up to: a b "MTA Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting: January 2016" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. January 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 29, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
- ^ "MTA New York City Transit (NYCT)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 24, 2011.
- ^ "MTA Bus Company (MTABUS)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 24, 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "New York City Transit - History and Chronology". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2007.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Kenneth T. Jackson; Lisa Keller; Nancy Flood (December 1, 2010). The Encyclopedia of New York City: Second Edition. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-18257-6.
- ^ "New York City Transit Facts & Figures: 1979" (PDF). La Guardia and Wagner Archives. Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City Transit Authority. 1979. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ Sulzberger, A.J. (May 12, 2009). "The Return of the Bus Bell Cord". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ^ Rein, Lisa; Ratish, Robert (October 3, 1996). "NEW BUS A REAL STRRRETCH". Daily News (New York). Retrieved December 17, 2015.
- ^ Rolland D. King (January 1, 1998). New Designs and Operating Experiences with Low-floor Buses. Transportation Research Board. ISBN 978-0-309-06308-1.
- ^ Kornblut, Anne E. (January 20, 1997). "REDESIGNED BUS MAY AID DISABLED". Daily News (New York). Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ^ [1] "How to Ride the Bus" mta.info
- ^ "Newsday | Long Island's & NYC's News Source | Newsday".
- ^ "2,042 New Buses to Have Free Wi-Fi and USB Charging Ports by 2020". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Lowell, Dana M.; Parsley, William; Bush, Christopher; Zupo, Douglas (August 24, 2008). "Comparison of Clean Diesel Buses to CNG Buses". osti.gov. MTA New York City Transit Authority. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ Pierre-Pierre, Garry (January 16, 1996). "Buses Using Natural Gas Do Well in Pilot Program". The New York Times. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Press Release (November 29, 2005). "Orion Hybrid/Electric Buses Are Key To Cleaner Air And Improved Economy". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ^ Wald, Matthew L. (February 8, 1999). "Hybrid Bus Is Environmentally Friendly". The New York Times. Warren, Rhode Island. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
- ^ Young, Angelo (July 1, 2013). "New York City Scrapping Nearly A Fourth Of Its Hybrid Bus Engines For 100% Diesel Bus Engines". ibtimes.com. International Business Times. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Transit & Bus Committee Meeting" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 23, 2018. pp. 49–50. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 16, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ Press Release (September 5, 2008). "MTA NYC Transit Introduces New Generation Hybrid Electric Bus Into Staten Island Service". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b https://abc7ny.com/2916963/
- ^ https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2019/12/15/mta-deploys-first-all-electric-articulated-bus-fleet-to-14th-street-busway
- ^ Aber, Judah (May 2016). "Electric Bus Analysis for New York City Transit" (PDF). columbia.edu. p. 8. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
- ^ Guse, Clayton. "MTA plans to only buy electric buses come 2028 as officials map greener future for NYC Transit". nydailynews.com. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ "StackPath". www.masstransitmag.com. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ @MTA (May 25, 2021). "⚡️ Electric buses news ⚡️ We're..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
External links
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