Good morning! My name is Jessica Spezio, I am the Administrative Assistant at The Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC). I’m here today to advocate for better bus service around the five boroughs, especially in Subway deserts. As a frequent Brooklyn bus rider on both local and express buses, I’ve witnessed firsthand the challenges that many commuters face due to insufficient bus service, inefficient routes, and unreliable schedules – not to mention plain old traffic.
That’s why we’re looking forward to the improvements coming to Queens and Brooklyn through the ongoing Bus Network Redesigns. We’re calling on the City to do their part by expanding bus lanes and busways.
Traffic congestion often leads to delays, causing buses to fall behind schedule and making commuting a frustrating experience for riders. By installing dedicated bus lanes and busways along key routes and ensuring their proper enforcement through ABLE and ACE, we can significantly enhance the efficiency and reliability of bus service. When weekend GOs happen so critical work can take place on Subways, it’s imperative that reliable bus service, including shuttle buses, gets riders where they need to go. We hope the MTA will take proactive measures to minimize canceled bus trips, especially as Congestion Pricing goes into effect, so drivers can get out of cars and onto transit.
Lastly, with the recent uptake in incidents occurring on the subways and against transit workers, safety should continue to be a priority. If we want to create a more efficient, accessible, and equitable system that meets the needs of all residents, we need the state, city, NYPD and all the partner agencies to continue their efforts to keep our system and riders safe, and provide services to those in need.
Thank you.