The cash-strapped MTA is getting more than $113 million in federal money for new buses, a command center and other system improvements. Hit the jump to read the rest of the story.
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Slightly more than 31% of buses in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s fleet are at least 12 years old – and mechanical breakdowns are on the rise, authority documents show.
The MTA will use a significant portion of the federal grant money to buy 112 new buses and retire some of the older coaches, MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said.
“This is welcome new funding and is a much needed investment that will go a long way toward updating our equipment and bus fleet,” MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said. “It will help improve service and reliability for our customers,” Ortiz said.
Overall, the federal government is distributing $930 million in grants for 300 public transportation projects across the country, U.S. Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff said.
“Investing in America’s transit systems, rails, roads, ports, and airports will generate tens of thousands of construction-related jobs and put more money in the pockets of working Americans,” LaHood said.
The Obama administration could do much more “if Congress ever gets its act together and passes the Americans Job Act,” LaHood told reporters during a conference telephone call.
The provisions of the Jobs Act, which is stalled in Congress, include cutting payroll taxes for most businesses and allocating $50 billion for road, rail and airport projects.
The new MTA bus command center will include an improved radio system for dispatchers and drivers, officials said. The current and antiquated system crashed during last winter’s blizzard when hundreds of buses became stuck on the streets.
Approximately 2,000 of the MTA’s fleet of more than 10,000 buses are more than a dozen years old. NYC Transit division buses traveled on average 3,377 miles before breaking down last summer – compared to 13% fewer than the year before, according to agency statistics.
The MTA’s is borrowing about $7 billion to fill a gap in its five-year capital plan, which encompasses equipment purchases and construction.
