'This is a call to arms to the MTA:' Borough President Fossella on the Poor State of Affairs of SI Bus System

Borough President Vito Fossella was joined by local elected officials, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 726 President Daniel Cassella, and concerned Staten Island commuters to call out the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the poor state of affairs of the local bus transit system at a press conference outside the Yukon Bus Depot.

"This is really a call to arms to the MTA to listen to the people of Staten Island, listen to the commuters who suffer disproportionately, and help us out," said Borough President Fossella during a press conference ​outside of the Yukon Avenue Bus Depot.

Many commuters routinely report buses failing to provide reliable service and complete their routes, disrupting their daily commute. The significant number of buses in disrepair, lead to service disruptions across the borough. Currently, 304 of the 798 MTA buses serving Staten Island are either out of service or in need of repair. This situation causes frequent delays and excessive wait times for commuters.
He emphasized, “If you add up all the buses on Staten Island, almost half the buses don’t go out because of mechanical issues.”

The issue is partly attributed to reduced overtime for bus operators and mechanics, according to Cassella. This shortage of manpower has resulted in buses being sent out with problems such as non-functional air conditioning, broken signage, and, in extreme cases, even roaches.

The pending closure of the Meredith Avenue bus depot will further strain the system and threaten to offload 75 buses and roughly 130 personnel to the other three overwhelmed depots. It will drastically disrupt traffic and bus service across the island.