New York City bus riders will soon be able to track bus times without their phones.
The New York City Department of Transportation announced on Oct. 22 that it will increase the number of bus stops with real-time arrival information across the five boroughs.
The expansion will increase the number of bus stops with real-time arrival times from approximately 700 to 1,400 stops, with a goal of installation at 2,900 stops by 2030.
This initiative is part of the city’s “Next Stop: Fast Buses, Better Service” plan, which is intended to improve the speed, reliability and accessibility of public transportation.
“Every New Yorker deserves to know when their bus is coming,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. “Real-time bus information puts that uncertainty to rest and gives riders the information they need to plan their day. It’s another step toward the fast, reliable, world class bus service New Yorkers deserve.”
The expansion follows a pilot program launched in 2025 that tested battery-powered digital displays at four bus stops in Manhattan and Queens.
Using the Transit Tech Lab, the program tested whether the screens could provide real time arrival information without expensive electrical infrastructure.
According to the city’s official announcement, the DOT will work with JCDecaux, a bus shelter operator, to install additional digital screens displaying estimated bus arrival times.
The $17 million installation is expected to begin sometime this year.
“These displays will bring the same type of real-time arrival estimates we provide through Bus Time, the MTA App, and screens on subway platforms, and we’re grateful for their partnership,” MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara wrote in a statement.
Additionally, some screens will feature text-to-speech buttons which will allow those who are visually impaired to hear arrival information.
However, the effectiveness is one of the biggest concerns for some riders. The displays may not match actual arrival times which brings to question how the expanded system will be consistently reliable.
Bus rider Arlen Sun told the Gothamist that the display showed zero minutes, yet Google maps indicated the next bus was in another 10 minutes.
Sun said, “I feel like buses, you can’t really have set schedule for these things, because it’s never going to be on time really. I guess that’s just a part of taking a bus.”
As installation moves forward, bus riders will watch to see whether the new technology will deliver less uncertainty and a more reliable daily commute.
