NEW YORK (WCBS 880) -- New York City’s bus riders have a long wish list for Mayor-elect Eric Adams come 2022, and they’ve got some powerful friends, too.
Ridership on city buses has rebounded much faster than on trains, but service has been getting worse, as traffic congestion grows.
The Riders Alliance vented at City Hall Tuesday, with hopes that their "Bus Rider Blues" will be heard loud and clear by Adams.
“I want more buses on routes, and more reliability, so that buses aren’t as crowded,” said one rider.
“I think what is needed is bus lanes and enforcement,” said another.
Those who came out to voice their frustrations and tell horror stories had hopes of a powerful ally in their corner making the changes happen — Interim MTA Chairman Janno Lieber, who is hoping a renewed partnership with the city will pay dividends.
"You know who else is dissatisfied with bus service? This guy. The MTA is dissatisfied with bus service," said Lieber.
While the buses are run by the MTA, the streets they drive on are controlled by the city.
“We have a lot of things we have to do better. But we’ve also gotten on record again and again that what we need is bus priority,” said Lieber. “We need bus lanes, we need busways and we need the cars and trucks to stop blocking the bus lanes.”
In response to the rally, the Department of Transportation told ABC7, “We have installed a record number of busways this year, speeding the rides of over half a million New Yorkers, and we work in close partnership with the MTA and NYPD to keep lanes clear."