Lawmakers, Advocates Want Countdown Clocks Installed At NYC Bus Stations
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Lawmakers and advocates are calling for countdown clocks similar to those in subway stations to be installed in the 3,300 bus stations around New York City.
More than 2 million people ride the city's buses every work day. Councilman Brad Lander and other lawmakers say countdown clocks at city bus shelters will make commuting for those New Yorkers a little easier.
1010 WINS' Stan Brooks reports
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"It doesn't cost that much," said Lander. "It makes the buses work much better."
Paul Steely White of the group Transportation Alternatives agrees.
"This will enable people to multi-task, do other things while they're waiting for that bus to come," he said. "For New York City's 2.4 million daily bus riders, this would be a godsend."
WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reports
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"We have this information, let's put it in the bus shelters. This is not a radical concept. They do it in Syracuse, Champaign, Washington D.C., Arlington, Virginia, Chapel Hill, North Carolina," Lander said.
Countdown clocks first appeared in the subway on the L line in January 2007. Currently, 177 subway stations are equipped with the electronic signs that let customers know when the next train is scheduled to arrive.
The countdown clocks would cost about $5,000 per shelter, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported.
Lander said that U.S. government research shows the availability of real-time information increases mass transit use and makes bus passengers feel less anxious and safer in the shelters.
