The MTA announced on Friday a pilot program that will provide a designated space for one open stroller on certain buses, a press release said.
The MTA will begin the rollout of the “Open Stroller” program next week for six months, where some buses on the M31, B1, Bx23, Q50, Q12, S53 and S93 routes will be outfitted with a space designated for one stroller. By October, every bus on these routes will have space for strollers, the release said.
“This pilot comes at the right time for stroller moms, stroller dads and others who need to bring toddlers onto buses and aligns with our North Star to improve customer satisfaction,” NYC Transit President Richard Davey said in a release.
The agency says the space will be on either the rear door of the bus or a space created by flipping up two side-by-side seats. The area will be separate from the existing priority bus seatings and wheelchair accessibility, which will remain at their current quantity.
According to the MTA, the buses part of the program will have a stroller decal on the outside of the vehicle and be easily visible before boarding. A similar decal will identify the location of the space inside the bus. The program allows riders with children to board and ride the bus without needing to fold their stroller.
“We’ve heard from many parents and caregivers about the difficulty of folding strollers, and how it often deters customers from riding the bus,” Transit Senior Vice President for Buses Frank Annicaro said in a release. “By creating a designated space for one open stroller on these pilot buses, we hope to make the ride easier for caregivers and speed up the bus for everyone by eliminating the need to wait for caregivers to safely fold strollers and get situated on the bus with a child.”
Bus routes that are not taking part in the pilot will maintain the current stroller policy, where only closed strollers are allowed inside the bus.