I’ve been taking the bus and subway in New York City for more than fifty years. I live in Jackson Heights with my partner of 24 years, and I spend a lot of time in the Rockaways, where my mom and siblings live. For me, the bus isn’t just a way to get around — it’s how I stay connected to my family, my community, and my city.

Over the decades, I’ve seen how much this city depends on buses. They connect neighborhoods that the subway never reaches, help seniors get to the doctor, students get to school, and workers get to their jobs. But too often, bus riders like myself are left out of the conversation. Our buses have gotten slower, more crowded, and our voices are often ignored by people who don’t understand what it’s like to rely on them every day.

That’s why I became an activist for better transit. During the first Queens Bus Redesign, the MTA proposed cutting or rerouting several lines that my neighbors depend on. The plan was based on the false idea that “no one wants to take the bus.” But in Jackson Heights, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

We have one of the largest Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities in the city. Thousands of older New Yorkers depend on the bus because most of our subway stations aren’t accessible. When those routes were threatened, I helped organize hundreds of riders to show up and demand that our voices be heard.

That fight taught me something I’ll never forget: riders have power! When we organize and speak out, we can make real change.

And now, we have the chance to do it again by electing a mayor who actually rides the bus and understands our daily struggles. That’s why I joined Riders Alliance’s endorsement committee for its first ever political endorsement. As a member of that group, I voted yes to endorse Zohran Mamdani for mayor.

I did it because Zohran represents everything bus riders need in a leader. He’s not just talking about transit — he lives it. I’ve seen Zohran actively advocating for riders in Albany, and on street corners in Queens fighting for better, faster buses and safer streets, long before he ever ran for mayor.

He’s the kind of leader who listens, who shows up, and who isn’t afraid to challenge the powerful interests that slow down progress. He’s bold, honest, and unafraid to say that our buses should be free and fast, that our city should work for everyone, not just drivers.

We need a Real Bus Mayor. Someone who rides with us, who understands that every minute a bus sits in traffic is a minute stolen from a worker, a parent, a student. Zohran is that leader.

Bus and subway riders are the heart of this city, and it’s time we have a mayor who moves with us, and for us, every single day.

*Jim Burke, Riders Alliance Endorsement Committee Member*
https://eldiariony.com/2025/10/27/voices-of-passengers-why-new-york-needs-a-bus-mayor/