NYC DOT to install new seating at bus stops during next decade

The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) is investing $40 million to expand seating at approximately 8,750 bus stops across the five boroughs that currently lack seating.  

Installation of the new seats will begin to be installed this month, with the plan to install the seats at 875 bus stops every year for the next 10 years. 

“To make New York City the best place to raise a family and grow old in, we have to take care of the big things and the small things,” said New York Mayor Eric Adams. “This $40 million investment will ensure that every eligible bus stop across the five boroughs that lacks seating will be fitted, every year over the next 10 years, with either a bench or a leaning bar. I am proud that this effort will give New Yorkers a break and transform the bus-riding experience for thousands of people. 

According to NYC DOT, eligible bus stops for this project are stops that are on public property with sufficient sidewalk or island space. Nearly two-thirds of eligible bus stops currently do not have seating while passengers wait for buses to arrive. To date, NYC DOT says seating elements are installed at more than 5,000 bus stops across the city. 

NYC DOT notes its recent updated bus seating improvements have contributed to a significant decrease in traffic fatalities. 

“In the hustle and bustle of the greatest city on earth, sometimes there’s no better feeling than resting on a city bench while New York keeps moving around you,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “For many New Yorkers, having a place to sit at the bus stop is more than just a matter of comfort, it’s a matter of whether they can take the bus at all. With more than 15,000 bus stops used by 1.4 million people every day, many of whom are seniors and people with disabilities, there has never been a better time to step up so New Yorkers can sit down.”