MTA’s redesigned Staten Island bus routes are making commutes worse, residents say

Back in March, the MTA unveiled its new routes for Staten Island’s bus system, in hopes of making trips to Manhattan faster and more reliable. However, at a recent MTA board meeting, residents complained that the revamped bus routes are doing just the opposite.

The MTA used input from 2,500 riders to redesign the island’s express bus network and rolled out the new service in August 19, touting that it would bring shorter commutes and more direct routes. However, the New York Post reports that some residents say the new bus routes have resulted in longer wait times, overcrowding, and lengthy commutes. Commuters also complained that the MTA got rid of bus stops, resulting in long walks to ones that are further away, often on roads with no sidewalks.

Agency officials responded by saying that the MTA is still making improvements to the service based on customer feedback and is “looking at every single comment” to help tailor service for its customer.

• Fuming residents say Staten Island bus route revamp is a disaster [New York Post]
• MTA reveals redesigned Staten Island express bus routes [Curbed]