New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will release a request for proposals (RFP) for bus manufacturers to build 650 new buses, the biggest single upgrade to the fleet since 2013.

Once the full order is complete, the new buses will represent more than 10% of the MTA’s bus fleet and will serve more than one million daily riders, officials said.

Upgrading the MTA’s Fleet

The MTA will purchase the buses with funding secured by Governor Hochul in the MTA’s 2025-29 Capital Plan. They will fulfill the agency’s commitment to modernize its bus fleet, as outlined in the Next Stop: Faster Buses, Better Service plan announced in partnership with Governor Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani earlier this summer.

The buses will use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and replace aging CNG buses already in service.

“We promised New Yorkers a historic partnership with City Hall to move buses faster and more reliably; now we are delivering by moving full speed ahead with the single largest purchase of new MTA buses in over a decade,” said Governor Hochul. “Modern, reliable buses can spend more time on the road and less time in the shop than the old vehicles they will replace, a win for riders who depend on frequent, reliable service to get around.”

“The Governor and Mayor have been clear: better bus service can’t wait. So, while the electric bus industry continues to mature, MTA is moving forward with CNGs to further improve service for the millions of New Yorkers who ride MTA buses every day,” added MTA Chair/CEO Janno Lieber.

In July, the MTA stood with Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani to release “Next Stop: Faster Buses, Better Service,” an initiative to increase speeds and improve service. Since then, 41 new buses have entered service to replace the oldest buses, which averaged 18 years old — the oldest was 21 years old —well beyond their useful life.

Maintaining Sustainability

The MTA said it is committed to gradually replacing older diesel buses with more environmentally friendly vehicles in a way that maintains safe, reliable, and affordable bus service for the millions of daily riders. As part of that strategy, 30% of standard bus purchases in this Capital Plan are expected to be CNG buses.

The Capital Plan also provides for the purchase of 500 zero-emission buses and the installation of charging infrastructure at bus depots, focusing on depots in communities disproportionately affected by poor air quality, the MTA said.

The natural gas used to fuel CNG buses is 100% offset by renewable natural gas (RNG), made using methane captured from organic sources, including landfills and farms, which dramatically reduces lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.

Using RNG also protects the MTA from diesel price swings, saving taxpayers money. In addition, CNG buses require less maintenance and are generally more reliable compared to diesel buses.

The RFP is part of the MTA’s new Rolling Stock Program, which approaches rolling stock procurement contracts differently by encouraging innovation and giving manufacturers greater flexibility to propose new ideas. The program results in a streamlined contract that will ensure the MTA can deliver quality cars and buses on time while giving riders the best value for their tax dollars, MTA officials said.