New York City has appointed a dedicated senior advisor to lead its fast-and-free buses agenda, signalling a stronger policy push to improve bus speeds and reduce travel costs across the network.
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani confirmed that transport advocate Elizabeth Adams will take on the newly created role, overseeing efforts to deliver faster services and expand fare-free travel.
The appointment places buses at the centre of the city’s transport priorities, with more than one million passengers relying on the network each day.
Adams will coordinate across agencies and external partners to address some of the slowest bus corridors in the United States, while building support for removing fares across parts of the system.
“My administration is grounded in a simple belief: that the future New Yorkers have been organising toward for years must be delivered,” Mamdani says.
“That means streets that are safe, buses and trains that people can rely on and a public transit system that is affordable, accessible and built to grow with our city.”
The role reflects the growing recognition that bus performance in New York has lagged behind demand, with congestion, inconsistent priority measures, and boarding delays contributing to slower journey times.
Improving speed remains a central focus. Bus priority infrastructure, signal optimisation and network redesign are expected to form part of the broader strategy.
Adams says the initiative is aimed at delivering tangible change across the network.
“Our streets belong to the people of New York City, and that starts with our buses,” she says.
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The push toward fare-free services builds on earlier pilot programs that showed strong passenger uptake and highlighted the operational benefits of removing fares.
Faster boarding times and simplified access can improve service flow, particularly on busy urban routes, where dwell times directly impact reliability.
New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn says the program targets longstanding performance issues.
“We look forward to working with her to deliver our bold agenda for the more than one million daily bus riders stuck on some of the slowest buses in the nation.”
The appointment also underscores the complexity of delivering system-wide improvements, with coordination required across transport agencies, infrastructure planning and funding frameworks.
Supporters of the initiative point to broader equity and access outcomes, with faster, more affordable buses improving connections to employment, education, and essential services.
“New Yorkers are tired of being told to just wait a little longer,” Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson says.
“With the appointment of a Senior Advisor dedicated solely to making our buses fast and free, Mayor Mamdani is telling them that the wait is over.”
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