New York announced big plans to upgrade its city bus system this week. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) says it will replace 40 percent of its buses with high-tech models in the next five years, adding free Wi-Fi and USB charging ports.
“We’re reimagining the MTA to improve services for all New Yorkers,” said NY Governor Andrew Cuomo. “Today’s world demands connectivity, and we’re meeting that challenge with state-of-the-art buses and a major overhaul of the MTA’s fleet.”
The new fleet of buses, almost 2,000 total, is projected to cost $1.3 billion. The first 75 will launch in Queens later this year, followed by another 300 in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx within the next two years. However, most of them won’t arrive until after 2018.
The city will also install 200 digital screens in its buses this year to provide information about upcoming stops and transfers, along with the weather and other data. The news follows an announcement earlier this year that all NY subway stations will offer Wi-Fi by the end of the year.
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