Congestion Pricing Scam: Hochul's Bus Boost a Taxpayer-Funded Band-Aid on Transit Woes

Governor Kathy Hochul’s latest transit gambit, unveiled with fanfare in Albany, promises faster commutes and shorter wait times for New Yorkers. Starting June 29, 2025, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will boost service on 16 local bus routes across Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. It sounds like a win for the weary commuter, right? Not so fast. Beneath the glossy press release lies a plan that’s more about political optics than delivering the bold, efficient transit system New Yorkers deserve.

Hochul’s initiative, tied to the contentious congestion pricing scheme, is being sold as a lifeline for outer-borough residents. The governor claims it will connect people to jobs, schools, and opportunities. MTA Chair Janno Lieber echoed the sentiment, boasting that the changes will enhance quality of life for thousands. But let’s be honest: sprinkling a few extra buses on crowded routes is a Band-Aid on a broken system. New York’s transit woes demand more than incremental tweaks. They require a revolution in how we move people.

What’s missing here is ambition. While cities like Bogotá and Pittsburgh have slashed commute times with cutting-edge Bus Rapid Transit systems, New York is stuck in the slow lane, tinkering with traditional buses that crawl through traffic. Hochul’s plan, funded by $8 million from a state account, feels like a drop in the bucket when you consider the MTA’s $19 billion deficit. Taxpayers are being asked to foot the bill for a half-measure that won’t keep pace with the city’s needs.

Hochul’s bus service expansion is tethered to New York City’s congestion pricing program, which started in January 2025. Drivers now pay $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours, a toll that’s supposed to raise $15 billion for transit upgrades. Early data shows a 13% drop in vehicle entries and a slight uptick in bus ridership. Sounds promising, but here’s the catch: this is less about improving transit and more about squeezing drivers to fund a bloated bureaucracy.

Congestion pricing was pitched as a way to modernize subways and buses, but the reality is messier. Most of the revenue is earmarked for capital projects like new signals and elevators, not game-changing innovations like dedicated bus lanes or transit signal priority. Meanwhile, working-class New Yorkers, especially those in outer boroughs who rely on cars because of spotty transit options, are hit with yet another fee. It’s a regressive tax dressed up as progress, and it’s fueling resentment among commuters who feel punished for living outside Manhattan’s elite core.

Contrast this with cities like Singapore and Stockholm, where congestion pricing revenues are laser-focused on transformative transit solutions. Those cities have used the funds to build high-capacity, reliable systems that actually convince people to ditch their cars. New York’s approach? Throw money at a patchwork of small-scale fixes and call it a day. It’s hard to see how this serves the everyday New Yorker who just wants a faster, cheaper way to get to work.

If Hochul and the MTA were serious about transit, they’d be all-in on Bus Rapid Transit. BRT systems, with their dedicated lanes, off-board fare collection, and traffic signal priority, have revolutionized urban mobility worldwide. Bogotá’s Transmilenio zips along 10 km/h faster than regular buses. Pittsburgh’s BRT corridor cut travel times by 55%. Minneapolis-St. Paul’s METRO BRT saw ridership soar 115% between 2022 and 2024. These aren’t pipe dreams; they’re proven models that deliver.

BRT isn’t just faster; it’s smarter. It costs a fraction of what light rail demands, yet offers rail-like reliability and capacity. Chicago’s Pulse BRT system, for instance, boosted on-time performance from 65% to 92% and saw a 600% ridership spike by letting buses bypass traffic. New York, with its gridlocked streets and underserved neighborhoods, is practically begging for this kind of innovation. Instead, we get more of the same: buses stuck in traffic, riders stuck waiting.

The MTA’s own data shows that routes like the Bx10 and Q66 are packed with riders. That’s exactly where BRT could shine, turning high-demand corridors into high-efficiency lifelines. But Hochul’s plan doesn’t mention dedicated lanes or signal priority. It’s a missed opportunity to rethink transit for the 21st century, leaving New Yorkers tethered to a system that’s creaking under its own weight.

Hochul’s allies, like State Senator Robert Jackson, frame these bus enhancements as a step toward “transit justice.” The argument goes that more buses in places like the Bronx and Queens will level the playing field for working-class communities. It’s a noble idea, but the execution falls flat. Adding a few buses doesn’t address the deeper inequities baked into New York’s transit system, where wealthier areas enjoy better service and poorer ones are left scrambling.

Historical data tells a grim story. Decades of disinvestment, driven by policies that favored cars and suburbs over urban transit, have hit low-income neighborhoods hardest. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the ADA of 1990 were supposed to fix this, but gaps persist. BRT, with its ability to serve high-demand, underserved areas at lower costs, has been a game-changer for equity in places like Richmond, Virginia. New York’s leaders, though, seem content with cosmetic changes that don’t tackle the root issues.

The real kicker? Congestion pricing, which funds this bus plan, often hurts the very communities it claims to help. Low-income drivers in the outer boroughs, who can’t afford Manhattan’s tolls but have no reliable transit alternative, are left in the lurch. A true commitment to equity would prioritize transformative systems like BRT over feel-good gestures that don’t scale.

New York doesn’t need more press conferences; it needs leaders with the guts to rethink transit from the ground up. The $8 million for Hochul’s bus plan could be a down payment on a BRT network that actually moves the needle. Imagine dedicated bus lanes snaking through the Bronx and Queens, cutting commutes by 25% or more. Picture riders boarding quickly at sleek, modern stations, not standing in the rain waiting for a late bus. This isn’t fantasy—it’s what other cities are already doing.

The MTA’s own ridership data backs this up. Bus routes like the B103 and S79 are bursting with demand, yet they’re hamstrung by traffic and outdated infrastructure. A BRT system could unlock their potential, boosting ridership and slashing travel times. And with congestion pricing revenue rolling in, there’s no excuse for not investing in solutions that deliver real bang for the buck. New Yorkers deserve a transit system that respects their time and their wallets.

Hochul’s plan, for all its cheerleading, is a reminder of what happens when politics trumps pragmatism. It’s time to stop settling for scraps and demand a transit system that works for everyone, not just the headline writers. Bus Rapid Transit isn’t just an option; it’s the future New York needs to embrace before it’s left behind.