Might be a long season

To the editor:

Is it ironic that the New York City Transit Authority has instructed local bus drivers to open all windows and roof hatches in an attempt to block the spread of COVID-19?

The air-conditioned buses and subway cars that we take for granted today were virtually non-existent during the time of the 1964-65 World’s Fair. Air-conditioned buses were still a novelty. It was not until 1966 that NYC Transit first purchased more than 600 buses with this new feature.

Subsequently, all new buses would include air-conditioning. By the early 1990s, 100 percent of the bus fleet was air-conditioned.

In 1967, NYC Transit introduced the first 10 air-conditioned subway cars operated in the old IND line. It was not until 1975 that air-conditioned subway cars were introduced on the old IRT lines. It took until 1982 to retrofit all the original IRT “Redbird” series subway cars.

By 1993, 99 percent of the city’s 6,000 subway cars were air-conditioned, with the exception of a handful running on the 7 Flushing line.

It may be a long, hot season for Riverdale and other Bronx commuters.

Larry Penner

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