Senator Persaud Responds to Daily News Report on Unequal Bus Deployment in Brownsville and East New York in Letter to Residents, Reaches Out to MTA

On March 26, Senator Persaud reached out to constituents in an email addressing an analysis released by the Daily News on March 17, which said the MTA's fleet used in parts of Senate District 19 contains "a disproportionately high number of old, diesel-burning buses." The letter reads:

Dear Constituents,
Last week, the New York Daily News published an article regarding the fleet of MTA buses used in the Brownsville and East New York sections of Senate District 19. 
This report deeply disturbed me; if accurate, some residents in my district are receiving unequal treatment from the city they live in and the transit system on which they rely. In addition, beyond getting to their destinations on time residents deserve the same comfort and amenities as Brooklynites in other communities.
I reached out to the MTA about this displeasing discovery, and received a statement of denial of the allegations that their bus deployment is influenced by “income, race or any other demographic measure.” They said there is a forthcoming “aggressive” plan to circulate new buses, including a “total replacement” of the older models currently in use at the East New York and Flatbush depots. According to the MTA, these buses currently make up 9 percent and 24 percent of their fleets.
“Our customers deserve a new and state of the art transit system, and a fully funded capital plan will allow us to deliver just that,” said an MTA spokesperson; they added their intention is to buy thousands of “newer, cleaner buses” in the years to come but that their proposal remain dependent on efficient revenue.
Please be assured I will continue emphasizing to the MTA that our district deserves reliable, updated and convenient public transportation
Sincerely,
Senator Roxanne J. Persaud