The New York Times reported this week that NYC Transit is diversifying its 4,300 bus fleet with over-the-road, low-floor and extra long buses with accordion pleats in the middle known as articulated buses. NYCT officials were quoted saying that the variety allowed them to serve customers better. Yet, the top two problems facing riders and residents are diesel air pollution and service, neither of which will be much improved by the new designs.

For instance, The Times reported that NYCT runs only 34 clean-fuel CNG buses and will put an additional 55 into service the end of this year, all of which will operate out of the Jackie Gleason Depot in Sunset Park. Yet, in June, the agency promised to have 190 CNG buses operating out of that depot by the year's end (MTR #227.) It also reiterated its January 1997 commitment to have CNG fueling at three depots to fuel at least 500 new clean-fuel buses by 2003 - Jackie Gleason, Manhattanville in Harlem and Coliseum in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx. However, this week's article was mysteriously silent about the schedule for these projects, each of which is well behind the original MTA plan. Further, NYCT has been touting its diesel-electric hybrid buses as a "clean-fuel" alternative, without any evidence that fine particulates and toxic emissions have been reduced to CNG-like levels.

Further, the agency reported that up to 20% of its fleet be composed of articulated buses that seat 62 passengers instead of 40. Articulated buses could serve customers better if the agency continues to run the same number of buses over each route. However, if the agency only decides to provide the same number of seats, the wait between buses will be longer.

Advocates are awaiting the release of the next 5-year capital program in October to see if the MTA and NYCT will be on track to cleaning up the bus fleet and improving the level of service.