Overview
- The MTA announced Thursday that it is rolling its Open Stroller pilot out to every local and Select Bus Service route and is retrofitting buses depot by depot.
- About 75% of the agency’s nearly 6,000-bus fleet already have designated stroller areas and the MTA expects to finish retrofits by the end of 2026 or in the first quarter of 2027.
- Designated stroller spaces are marked with decals, are usually at the rear door or created by flipping two seats, and riders must board and pay at the front before moving to the stroller area.
- Operational rules limit one open stroller at a time and require folding if the space is occupied; the rollout was shaped by a working group of parents, disability advocates and operators and backed by a reported $1.5 million state grant.
- MTA data show heavy use and broad approval for the program — more than 111,000 monthly uses and survey ratings above 80% — and all buses ordered since 2024 already include built-in stroller areas, which could make bus travel easier for caregivers and increase family access to transit.