Request for Crosstown Select Bus Service on the M66, M79, and M96

April 18 2016
 
Thomas Prendergast, Chairman c/o Veronique Hakim, President New York City Transit 2 Broadway New York, NY 10004
Polly Trottenberg, Commissioner c/o Margaret Forgione, Manhattan Borough Commissioner Department of Transportation 59 Maiden Lane, 37th Floor New York, NY 10038
 
Re: Crosstown Bus Service   Dear Chairman Prendergast and Commissioner Trottenberg,   Thank you to New York City Transit and Department of Transportation for addressing the previous letters concerning service quality on crosstown buses by implementing Select Bus Service for the M86. I now request that you expand crosstown Select Bus Service to improve service on the M66, M79, and M96.
 
Each year, the New York Public Interest Research Group’s Straphangers Campaign evaluates bus service, and grants the “Pokey Award” to the slowest bus line in the City, an honor received on a regular basis by crosstown buses serving my district: the M66 in 2012 at 3.9 MPH and again in 2015 at 3.1 MPH, the M79 in 2014 at 3.2 MPH and the M96 in 2008 at 3.7 MPH. New York City Transit and the Department of Transportation can bring improvements to both bus lines by implementing Select Bus Service that provides off board payments to reduce dwell times in order to move buses faster.
 
In the meantime, please consider running additional buses along on the M66, M79, and M96 crosstown bus lines so that these buses no longer win the “Pokey Award.”
 
Sincerely,
 
Council Member Ben Kallos