STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Bus riders across Staten Island have faced recurring disruptions this summer, prompting the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to respond with measures aimed at enhancing local service.
Last month, MTA alerts indicated that 12 express bus routes in the borough had canceled trips, predominantly during peak morning hours. Furthermore, an alarming 23 out of 31 local and limited bus routes reported service delays, as indicated by the MTA’s mobile application.
New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow acknowledged the challenges but expressed confidence that improvements were forthcoming.
“I can tell you that the team is laser focused on coming up with some real ways to improve both express and local service within Staten Island, and we think there’s an opportunity to do that,” he stated during that period.
Despite these efforts, the express bus service continued to experience issues this month, with numerous riders voicing their frustrations over canceled and delayed trips, especially at rush hour.
Benson T., a frequent rider of the SIM34, described a troubling experience in which multiple buses failed to arrive, leading to overcrowded conditions.
“Honestly, in the past month or two, [canceled trips have] been kind of frequent. [Monday] was the first time that this bus got packed all the way to the back, with people standing in the aisles,” he commented.
In response to the ongoing service challenges, the MTA has pledged to utilize various resources to improve service reliability for Staten Island express bus riders.
Agency spokesperson Kayla Shults announced that the MTA is deploying buses from different parts of the city, including express coaches, while also utilizing depots and maintenance facilities to expedite the restoration of local bus fleet operations.
Social media platforms have seen vociferous complaints from straphangers about repeated trip cancellations on lines such as the SIM3, SIM8X, and SIM33, raising concerns that such disruptions might become the norm during the summer months.
Benson T. shared another harrowing account of his recent bus experience.
“The bus got packed very quickly. The driver literally had to skip the last stop, because the aisles were all filled up to the point where they couldn’t fill anyone anymore. So the bus driver straight up skipped the last stop,” he recounted.
The MTA’s attempts to pinpoint the causes of these service interruptions included a discussion at a monthly board meeting in June where Crichlow referenced air conditioning problems exacerbated by extreme heat.
“This week, Monday and Tuesday, we had a higher number of buses that were out [of service] as a result of air conditioning issues. When it’s 100 degrees out, you can expect that number will increase to some extent,” he explained.
As the MTA continues to seek solutions, Staten Island residents remain hopeful for a return to more reliable bus services, particularly during critical commuting hours.
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