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Senator, 22nd DIstrict

11th
May 2017

Hon. Andrew Cuomo

Governor of NY State
NY State Capitol Building
Albany, N.Y. 12224

Dear Governor Cuomo:

I was pleased too recently learn of two modifications that are available for use on MTA buses,
which I believe, will improve the quality of New York Citys bus service.

Transit Signal Priority allows traffic signals to communicate with nearby buses to hold green
lights for a few extra seconds as a bus approaches an intersection. NYC DOT has largely
completed installing hardware for TSP on street signals citywide; the MTA has failed to
purchase the necessary software to operate TSP on city buses. The MTA should roll out TSP on
buses system-wide as soon as possible to increase bus speeds and improve on schedule service
times.

All door boarding with electronic proof of payment significantly reduces bus stop dwelling
TIMES. As the MTA begins planning to replace the MetroCard, the agency should ensure that
all-door boarding with electronic proof of payment is expanded to all city buses.

These two low cost technical improvements can significantly increase the efficiency of bus
service. I urge you to encourage the MTA through your board appointments and leadership to
adopt Transit Signal Priority and Al Door Boarding in the months ahead.

Thanking you for your time, I remain

Sincerely,

Martini. Golden
Member of the Senate

C
May 18, 2017

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo

Governor of New York State
NY State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Cuomo,

We, the undersigned members of the State Senate, have identified an effort which you can
undertake at relatively low cost to quickly achieve significant results for over two million
constituents: improvements to New York Citys bus service.

The state of bus service in New York City is poor -- and worsening each year. Buses in New
York City have average speeds of seven miles an hour, and in more congested areas like
Midtown Manhattan, Downtown Brooklyn and Jamaica, Queens, they average a mere four miles
per hour. As a result, bus riders are forced to contend with frequently-delayed, unreliable buses
and long commutes. It does not have to be this way. Cities such as London and Seoul have
turned around their bus systems, improving bus speeds and reliability enough to make buses
competitive with other modes of travel. To address the problems slowing down NYCs bus
riders, we request that you direct the MTA to immediately focus on implementing two low-cost
technological improvements, transit signal priority and all-door boarding technology, that can
produce a substantial improvement in bus service citywide.

Transit Signal Priority (TSP) allows traffic signals to communicate with nearby buses to hold
green lights for a few extra seconds as a bus approaches an intersection. In Chicago, CTA and
Pace buses saw a 15% reduction in travel times after TSP was deployed. While the NYC
Department of Transportation has largely completed installing necessary hardware for TSP on
street signals citywide, the MTA has failed to purchase the necessary software to operate TSP on
city buses. The MTA should roll out TSP on buses system-wide before the end of 2017 to
increase bus speeds.

Currently, buses spend an average of 22% of operating time at stops. All-door boarding with
electronic proof of payment significantly reduces this source of delay. This approach is used in
San Francisco and on New Yorks SBS routes, where bus stop dwell times have dropped 36%.
As the MTA begins planning to replace the MetroCard, the agency should ensure that all-door
boarding with electronic proof of payment is expanded to all city buses.

Buses connect over two million New Yorkers to jobs, education, healthcare, and all the
opportunities the city has to offer. Unfortunately, unreliable service means New Yorkers who
primarily rely on buses are at a real disadvantage; at the same time, they are the New Yorkers
who need good public services the most: according to MTA NYCT data, bus riders are on
average older and earn lower incomes. In fact, 27% of transit riders who use only buses are
between 55 and 64 years of age, with a median household income of $39,600.

With the timely opening of the Second Avenue Subway, you have shown how your focus can
improve the system. We ask you to continue that work by instructing the MTA to commit to
transit signal priority and all-door boarding with electronic proof of payment in 2017 as
low-cost technical improvements that can significantly increase bus speeds. We look forward to
working with you this year to improve service for over two million daily bus riders.

Sincerely,

Daniel Squadron Jamaal Bailey Leroy Comrie

State Senator State Senator State Senator
26th District 36th District 14th District

Martin Malav Dilan Michael Gianaris Brad Hoylman

State Senator State Senator State Senator
18th District 12th District 27th District

Liz Krueger Velmanette Montgomery Kevin Parker

State Senator State Senator State Senator
28th District 25th District 21st District

Gustavo Rivera James Sanders

Roxanne Persaud
State Senator State Senator
State Senator
33rd District 10th District
19th District
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May 18, 2017

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo

Governor of New York State
New York State Capitol
Albany, NY 12247

Dear Governor Cuomo,

We have identified an effort, which you can undertake at relatively low cost to quickly achieve
significant results for over two million of your constituents: improvements to New York Citys
bus service.

The state of bus service in New York City is poor and worsening each year. Buses in New York
City have average speeds of seven miles an hourin more congested areas like Midtown
Manhattan, Downtown Brooklyn and Jamaica, Queens, they average a mere four miles per
hour. As a result, bus riders are forced to contend with frequently-delayed, unreliable buses and
long commutes. It doesnt have to be this way. Cities such as London and Seoul have turned
around their bus systems, improving bus speeds and reliability enough to make buses
competitive with other modes of travel. To address the problems slowing down NYCs bus
riders, we request that you direct the MTA to immediately focus on implementing two low-cost
technological improvements, transit signal priority and all-door boarding technology, that can
produce a substantial improvement in bus service citywide.

Transit Signal Priority (TSP) allows traffic signals to communicate with nearby buses to hold
green lights for a few extra seconds as a bus approaches an intersection. In Chicago, CTA and
Pace buses saw a 15% reduction in travel times after TSP was deployed. While NYCDOT has
largely completed installing necessary hardware for TSP on street signals citywide, the MTA has
failed to purchase the necessary software to operate TSP on city buses. The MTA should roll out
TSP on buses system-wide before the end of 2017 to increase bus speeds.

Currently, buses spend an average of twenty-two percent of operating time at stops. All-door
boarding with electronic proof of payment significantly reduces this source of delay. This
approach is used in San Francisco and on New Yorks SBS routes, where bus stop dwell times
have dropped 36%. As the MTA begins planning to replace the MetroCard, the agency should
ensure that all-door boarding with electronic proof of payment is expanded to all city buses.

Buses connect over two million New Yorkers to jobs, education, healthcare, and all the
opportunities the city has to offer. Unfortunately, unreliable service means New Yorkers who
primarily rely on buses are at a real disadvantage; at the same time, they are the New Yorkers
who need good public services the most: according to MTA NYCT data, bus riders are on
average older and earn lower incomes. In fact, twenty-seven percent of transit riders who use
only buses are between 55 and 64 years of age, with a median household income of $39,600.

With the timely opening of the Second Avenue Subway, we appreciate that you have made New
York Citys public transit a priority. We ask you to continue that work by instructing the MTA to
commit to transit signal priority and all-door boarding with electronic proof of payment in
2017 as low-cost technical improvements that can significantly increase bus speeds. We look
forward to working with you this year to improve service for over two million daily bus riders.

Sincerely,

Marisol Alcantara Jose Peralta

Senator, 31st District Senator, 13th District

Jesse Hamilton Diane Savino

Senator, 20th District Senator, 23rd District

Jeffrey D. Klein
Leader, Independent Democratic Conference
Senator, 34th District