Bus Rapid Transit FAQ

What is BRT?
BRT refers to bus route improvements designed to parallel the speed and reliability of subways in a cost-effective way.  Such improvements can include:

• Widening and physically separating bus lanes to keep traffic from blocking buses
• Widening and redesigning bus stops to speed boarding and exiting
• Pre-boarding fare payment
• Calibrating traffic signals to give buses priority over other traffic
• Use of on-bus and roadside cameras to enforce exclusive bus lanes
• Distinctive station signs
• High-capacity vehicles with extra doors
• Greater distances between stops
• Easy to understand route structure

Why does NYC need BRT?
New York City has the slowest buses in America.  Travel time on 19 city routes is longer than the scheduled Amtrak run between New York and Philadelphia. Since 1990 bus ridership has increased nearly 60% and today, 2.5 million passengers ride the buses each day.  Despite this growth, bus speeds have remained stagnant or gotten worse.

Aren’t buses slow because of traffic?
Traffic congestion is certainly a major factor.  However, there are other factors that are as important.  According to a 2002 study by Schaller Consulting, buses spend as much as 30% of their time waiting for passengers to board and exit.  Increased crowding due to ridership growth makes this problem worse.  In addition, traffic signals are not synchronized with bus speeds causing buses to be further delayed by red lights between stops.

Why not just build more subway lines?
Building new subway lines is extremely expensive and can take many years to plan and construct.  BRT systems are significantly cheaper in cost and can be designed and built in a matter of months. 

Do other cities have BRT?
Yes.  Many cities around the world have implemented BRT successfully.  Such cities include Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh, Honolulu, Vancouver, Bogotá, Quito, London, Taipei, and Istanbul.

Will NYC be implementing BRT?
Yes. Phase I will include six projects, including the five below and one yet to be determined:

• Bronx: Fordham Road - Pelham Parkway Corridor (Bx12 Bus Route)
• Brooklyn: Nostrand Avenue Corridor (B44 Bus Route)    
• Manhattan: 1st / 2nd Avenues (M15 Bus Route)   
• Manhattan: 34th Street exclusive bus lanes
• Staten Island: Hylan Boulevard Corridor (S79 Bus Route)

What challenges are involved in the successful implementation of BRT?

• Lack of bus lane enforcement.  Future BRT routes are threatened by rampant illegal stopping.  One illegally stopped car in a bus lane could hold up several buses containing hundreds of commuters. 
• Lack of funding. The MTA has included $135 million for BRT in its proposed five-year capital program, which runs from 2010-2014. Unfortunately, the state legislature has only appropriate funding for the first two years of the five-year program. Full funding of the MTA's capital program – combined with financing from New York City government – would allow Phase I of the BRT program to be completed and Phase II to get started. The state legislature will decide the fate of the MTA capital program in the months ahead. Their actions will affect not only BRT but also how many news subway cars, rehabbed stations and restored infrastructure (such as signals and track) there will be.

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