My letter to President of New York City Transit Urging an Expedited Trial Period for Electric Buses to Allow Fill Service Gaps During L Train Shutdown on 14th Street

February 5, 2018

Andy Byford

President

New York City Transit

Metropolitan Transportation Authority

2 Broadway

New York, NY 10004

Dear Mr. Byford:

I am writing to urge the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to utilize electric buses to fill service gaps during the impending L train shutdown on 14th Street in Manhattan, which is in my State Senate district.

I wrote to your agency in May 2017 to express my disappointment that the MTA had approved a $366,495,966 purchase of a fleet of 628 buses, all but 10 of which will be diesel-powered. I was further disappointed to learn that all 200 buses allocated to mitigate the L train shutdown would be diesel-powered.

As you know, electric buses are cleaner, quieter and far better for the environment, but adaptation to electric bus technology in New York has been too slow. While I am pleased the MTA recently announced an electric bus pilot program of up to 70 buses and 110 compressed natural gas buses, it is extremely unfortunate that delays caused by a trial period mean none of these buses will be used on 14th Street. As a result, New York will miss a major opportunity to deploy cleaner bus technology during the 15-month Canarsie Tunnel closure.

Electric buses are already in widespread use in other major cities in Europe, Asia and North America. In addition, in October, the mayors of 12 major cities signed the C40 Clean Bus Declaration, pledging to purchase exclusively all-electric buses starting in 2025. Unfortunately, New York City has made no such commitment.

New York must speed up the transition to electric buses. As you take the helm of the MTA, I urge you to reconsider your agency’s investment in diesel buses and expedite the trial period for electric buses to allow their use on 14th Street during the L train shutdown.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,  

Brad Hoylman

State Senator

District 27