New York City MTA improvements include hundreds of new subway cars and more bus routes
NEW YORK -- Big changes are ahead for the 3.6 million people who ride the subway in New York City every day.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Monday the upcoming rollout of more than 400 new cars.
And that's just the beginning of the upgrades.
Here's what to expect going forward
A solid new year could be shaping up for the millions of straphangers.
CBS News New York has learned that buses and subways are expected to run more frequently. The bus improvements are part of Gov. Kathy Hochul's initiative to give people more commuting options once congestion pricing begins Jan. 5. This as subways continue to provide more frequent service during off-peak hours on 12 lines, which the MTA said started back in June of 2023.
Other improvements include riders having the option to use eight express bus routes starting in March and 16 local bus routes beginning in the summer of 2025.
"We're in the middle of a generational upgrade to our subway fleet and the benefits are huge," NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said.
435 new subway cars expected by 2027
Frequent A or C train riders have likely seen the R211 subway cars on their commute. The MTA Transit Committee just approved the purchase of 435 additional cars with delivery expected to take place by 2027.
"We're moving forward with them. Broadly speaking, if congestion pricing were not going forward, then it would impact how many cars across the system we were buying. But this particular order, the time frame of the option and pricing really requires us to go forward," MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said.
According to the MTA, the order includes 355 closed-end cars and 80 open-gangway cars, which would add to the 345 R-211 cars currently in service.
Improvements to the G line
The transit agency is also offering intel into the G line, which will run at least two five-car open-gangway trains, making it the second subway line to feature those trains.
"We'll be taking from the current cars that are on the C and look to implement this in the first quarter of 2025," Crichlow said.
Leaders say the new option will allow NYC Transit to begin replacing other subway cars called the R-68s, which entered service in the mid-1980s. They currently run on the B, D, N and W lines.
