DOT Employees Partner with MTA to Staff Key Bus Stop Locations to Assist Riders With Questions on Upcoming Changes to Bronx Local Bus Routes
Online Trip Planner Provides Convenient, Easy Way to Preview Routes Before Launch
View Photos of Customer Ambassadors
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today highlighted the recent launch of a customer ambassador program for the Bronx Local Bus Network Redesign, which is officially launching next week, Sunday, June 26. Teams of MTA and Department of Transportation (DOT) employees, along with senior leadership, have been staffing key bus stops in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan since Sunday, June 12, to answer questions and assist customers with customized trip planning within the new network.
The customer ambassador program builds upon the MTA’s continued community outreach efforts to educate the public on the newly redesigned local bus network. The team of customer ambassadors are staffing key locations with substantial service changes, high-foot traffic and routes with new connections. The program extends the opportunity for riders to directly engage with MTA or DOT staff members, equipped with route-specific brochures, also available online along with the new Bronx bus schedules.
“Making sure that customers are aware of all resources available to plan their trip and familiarize themselves with the upcoming changes is our top priority,” said New York City Transit President Richard Davey. “The customer ambassadors are going to be interacting directly with riders to make sure everyone has their questions answered and can get to their destination smoothly.”
“The customers ambassadors' program is an important part of our outreach before and during the launch of the new redesigned local bus network,” said MTA Bus Company Acting President and New York City Transit Department of Buses Senior Vice President Frank Annicaro. “It reassures riders that we are committed to making the transition to the new network as seamless as possible, with the opportunity to engage in-person with a staff member.”
Customers will begin to see new system map posters installed on buses as soon as Saturday, June 18. Buses with brochure holders will be filled with printed versions of the new schedules and timetables, and more frequent digital screen reminders and announcements will play onboard buses leading to implementation date.
The MTA strongly encourages bus riders to visit the Trip Planner on the homepage and via the myMTA app to plan their bus trip – be sure to change the date of travel to June 26 or later to populate a trip with the new redesigned routes. Service alert subscribers will receive route-specific information on upcoming changes and information relating to the redesign. Customers can subscribe to alerts here. The MTA’s notification system makes it easy for customers to sign up for alerts specific to their trip and allows riders to configure date and time restrictions.
The customer ambassador program will continue after the June 26 network launch date to ensure riders can navigate the new bus network with confidence. The Bronx Local Bus Network Redesign improves commutes by simplifying routes, balancing bus stops to improve speeds, increasing off-peak service and enhancing connectivity to the subway system and other bus lines.