The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is set to release a request for proposals (RFP) for bus manufacturing companies to build 650 new buses—the biggest single upgrade to the fleet since 2013, according to the agency. When the full order has been completed, the MTA says these new buses will represent more than 10% of its bus fleet and will serve more than one million daily riders.

“Working New Yorkers depend on our buses to get to work, get their kids to school, get home and get where they need to go. This investment will help us deliver the faster, more reliable and more affordable bus service New Yorkers deserve while modernizing our fleet and moving to cleaner, greener fuel,” said New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “I’m proud to partner with Gov. [Kathy] Hochul and the MTA to make that vision a reality and build a transit system that works for every New Yorker.”

These buses will be purchased with funding secured in the MTA’s 2025-29 Capital Plan and will fulfill the MTA’s commitment to modernize its bus fleet made in the Next Stop: Faster Buses, Better Service plan announced in partnership with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani this summer.

The buses will use compressed natural gas (CNG), as the MTA says CNG is a cheaper, greener alternative to diesel fuel. The new buses, which will replace aging CNG buses already in service, aim to improve fleet reliability, reduce emissions and improve air quality.

“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 Gov. 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 MTA says it is committed to gradually replacing older diesel buses with more environmentally-friendly vehicles in a manner 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. This capital plan also provides for the purchase of 500 zero-emission buses and the installation of charging infrastructure at bus depots, with a focus on bus depots in communities disproportionately affected by poor air quality.

“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,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.

The MTA says that 100% of the natural gas used to fuel CNG buses is offset by renewable natural gas (RNG), which is made using methane captured from organic sources, including landfills and farms and thus dramatically reduces lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. CNG buses are also quieter, reducing noise pollution. The MTA says that using RNG also protects it from diesel price swings, saving taxpayers money.

“These 650 compressed natural gas buses are a core part of our strategy to deliver faster, greener, more cost-efficient service to the millions of daily customers who depend on our bus service,” said MTA Chief of Rolling Stock Jessie Lazarus. “Through large order sizes like this one, plus the potential for multiple awards, we are leveraging the MTA’s multibillion dollar commitment to the future of our transit system to get as many new buses into service as soon as possible.”

This RFP is part of the MTA’s new Rolling Stock Program, which approaches rolling stock procurement contracts differently by encouraging innovation by giving manufacturers greater flexibility to propose new ideas. This results in a streamlined contract that will ensure the authority can deliver quality cars and buses in a timely manner while giving riders the best value for their tax dollars. Proposals are due by Oct. 19, 2026.