City Department of Transportation

Mayor Zohran Mamdani reiterated his commitment to making city buses both fast and free, despite a new 51-page plan titled 'Next Stop' that focuses solely on improving bus speeds. The plan, developed with state and MTA officials, includes a $900 million initiative to reduce trip times on 50 priority routes but omits any mention of eliminating bus fares, a key campaign promise. MTA Chair Janno Lieber expressed skepticism about free fares, advocating instead for expanding the Fair Fares discounted program.