The MTA has announced the purchase of 265 zero-emissions buses, which will be rolled out across New York City later this year.
MTA President and CEO Janno Leiber made the announcement during a press conference held at the Jamaica Depot Temporary Bus Parking Area on Friday, Jan. 10. He was joined by Frank Annicaro, senior vice president of NYC Transit Buses, and Justin Driscoll, president and CEO of the New York Power Authority, along with Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and other southeast Queens elected officials, including Sen. Leroy Comrie and Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers.
Leiber emphasized the importance of Queens as a focal point for the rollout, noting that the borough boasts over 800,000 daily bus riders—more than any other in the city. “There is no better place to celebrate the next step for the MTA’s bus program,” he said.
The zero-emission buses are part of the MTA’s broader initiative to transition its entire fleet to sustainable energy sources by 2040. This initiative aims to enhance service reliability while reducing the environmental impact of public transportation.
In anticipation of the zero-emissions bus rollouts, the MTA and NYPA are building new electric charging stations.
“The work to make this depot electric charging outfitted is already underway, not just here in Jamaica where we’re building a brand new depot, but all over the city,” Lieber said.
Lieber said Gov. Hochul’s congestion pricing program “unlocked” funding to purchase the buses after the program was unpaused on Nov 18.
Lieber and Annicaro also announced that many transformative upgrades are underway at the Jamaica Bus Depot. The depot, which is over 90 years old, will be rebuilt and expanded with significant upgrades. The project, funded by the MTA’s 2020-2024 Capital Plan, is estimated to be completed in 2027.
Annicaro said that residents can look forward to a new, green energy roof that will have best-in-class sustainability improvements to clean the air, reduce stormwater, and increase energy efficiency.
Additionally, sound-deadening barrier walls will be installed along 107th Ave and 165th St. to shield residents from the depot’s noise and improve their quality of life.
Annicaro said the announcement centers on transportation and health equity for commuters living in neighborhoods like Jamaica, which rely heavily on bus service. Jamaica Queens is surrounded by bus depots, which has impacted the neighborhood’s air quality and is linked to related health issues, including asthma.
“Prioritizing communities like Jamaica for these new emissions-free buses will bring cleaner air to communities that need it. This is especially true in the neighborhoods surrounding bus depots like this one,” Annicaro said. “ Soon, the diesel exhaust from buses coming in and out of this depot will be a thing of the past.”
Local electeds shared their reactions to the news of the zero-emissions bus fleet.
Comrie said the procurement of the zero-emissions buses is 30 years in the making. He credited his City Council predecessor, Archie Springer, for his years-long fight for energy-efficient buses.
“This is a pivotal moment…this initiative not only represents an investment in public transportation but also demonstrates a dedication to reducing carbon emissions, which is important in this high-asthma area,” he said.
Comrie added that the modernization of the Jamaica Bus Depot is a first-in-a-nation project that will provide the facilities needed to operate, maintain, and eventually store up to 300 zero-emissions buses. The modernization will also help improve bus circulation throughout Queens once the impending Queens Bus Network Redesign takes effect.
Richards said the buses are a massive investment into making the borough “cleaner and greener.”
He touched on how families in communities such as Astoria and downtown Jamaica live in “asthma allies” as families have dealt with the adverse health effects of living with air pollution for decades. “And that kind of environmental racism has led to higher rates of illness, putting entire generations of residents behind the 8 ball from birth,” he said.
Richards added that the 265 zero-emissions buses represent the enactment of environmental justice for communities that have been denied it. “Your zip code should not determine whether you have access to clean air,” he said. “Every community deserves access to clean air, and clean air is a human right.”
Brooks-Powers, who sits on the city council’s transportation and infrastructure committee, said the announcement is a critical step forward for sustainable and equitable transportation in the city.
“For years, southeast Queens has faced environmental justice issues coupled with chronic underinvestment in our transit infrastructure. These disparities have directly impacted the health and quality of life for our residents,” she said.
Brooks-Powers said that, as a result, she has prioritized supporting local environmental organizations and funding initiatives to address the inequities, including park clean-up efforts and the expansion of transit access.
The council member said that by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality, the investment benefits the environment and supports the health of families living in southeast Queens.
Brooks-Powers acknowledged the work of Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman, Council Member Nantasha Williams, and former Council Member I. Daneek Miller for their advocacy for zero-emissions buses.
The 265 buses will join the 60 zero-emissions buses the MTA announced in May 2024 and 205 zero-emissions buses slated to come starting late this year. Friday’s announcement builds on the MTA’s goal of transitioning all buses to zero emissions by 2040.
