The New York Department of Transportation will use $156 million to purchase 450 new commuter buses for seven private franchise bus companies in New York City. Proponents of the action said the new buses, expected to be put in service over the next two years, will address the needs of 400,000 bus riders. "The plain truth is that these buses should have been ordered two years ago," said John C. Liu, member of New York's City Council and chair of the transportation committee. "Since then, service has gone down the tubes and hundreds of buses are out of commission." The city intends to purchase 25 out-of-commission Metropolitan Transportation Authority buses to help fill the gap until the new buses are put into service.