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Centering Accessibility in Bus Stop Planning: A Data-Driven Framework
Jack Nierenberg · 8 May 2026 (last revised 12 Jul 2026)

​​The MTA has eliminated thousands of bus stops in its network redesigns — nearly 1,800 in Queens alone — without a clear plan for how this affects riders with mobility impairments. For Phase 2 of the StopScan project, this report introduces the Comprehensive Bus Stop Accessibility Index (CBSAI), a new data-driven framework for evaluating bus stop accessibility, built with input from transportation planners, disability advocates, and everyday riders. Using case studies from Queens, the report shows how this tool can guide more equitable stop planning — and calls on the MTA and NYC DOT to adopt it for all bus stop planning initiatives, including the Brooklyn Bus Network Redesign.

Jack Nierenberg is the Vice President of Passengers United and a Master of City Planning candidate at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design.

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Evaluating Bus Stop Removals in Queens using a Data-Driven Approach to Accessibility
Jack Nierenberg · 28 Dec 2025 (last revised 12 Jan 2026)

As part of the Queens Bus Network Redesign, the MTA eliminated nearly 1,800 bus stops — without a clear method for weighing the impact on riders with disabilities. For Phase 1 of the StopScan project, this report introduces the Bus Stop Accessibility Index (BSAI), a data-driven framework for evaluating bus stop accessibility, paired with StopScan, a custom data-collection tool that puts the BSAI to use. Analyzing five high-priority routes and cross-referencing the results with Census demographic data, the report identifies nine areas in Queens where stop removals have hit disabled and transit-dependent riders hardest — and calls for these stops to be prioritized for restoration.​

Jack Nierenberg is the Vice President of Passengers United and a Master of City Planning candidate at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design.

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A Comprehensive Brooklyn Bus Network Redesign
Allan Rosen · 25 Nov 2019

This document shows how to restructure Brooklyn’s local bus network with the objective of increasing ridership by making the system more user-friendly. It accomplishes this objective by making most trips possible using only one or two buses or bus and subway. Service gaps are filled; routes are generally longer, straighter and more direct, but with most buses traveling shorter distances to better increase reliability and better fit service to demand. Airport access and interborough travel are also improved. Implementation is accomplished in phases with a small investment in increased operating costs to generate greater revenue.

Allan Rosen is a former director of MTA NYCT Bus Planning with three decades of experience in transportation and a master's degree in urban planning. He currently serves as Vice Chair of Passengers United's Board of Directors.

Supplement
Allan Rosen · 18 Nov 2024

This supplement critiques the MTA's draft Brooklyn Bus Network Redesign on a route-by-route basis, comparing it against the author's own 2019 Comprehensive Brooklyn Bus Network Redesign plan. Of the changes proposed, only seven are found to be improvements, while 27 are judged to worsen service through truncations, discontinuations, or added transfers, and 15 lack sufficient justification to assess. Particular concern is raised over a proposed 30 percent service cut to Flatbush Avenue despite Downtown Brooklyn being the borough's fastest-growing area, the elimination of over 1,000 bus stops borough-wide, the loss of direct Sheepshead Bay–Manhattan Beach service, and the MTA's lack of transparency and community engagement throughout the process. The document argues that the MTA's plan prioritizes cost savings over rider needs and offers targeted alternatives drawn from the author's original proposal.