Metro Desk
Transit Officials Ask Forty Buffalo Puppets to Return Monday
The herd crossed Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn without blocking a door, explaining the route to anyone or requesting a transfer.
Figure disputed; current value remains in force. On-time performance measured from the first horn to the final tail.
New York transit officials have asked whether forty life-size buffalo puppets that crossed Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn as a public art procession would consider returning Monday for the morning commute.
The request follows an internal review by the Office of Comparative Ridership, which opens a file whenever a coordinated group moves through the city's right-of-way regardless of species, material or stated purpose. The buffalo completed their route without a signal failure, blocked door or audible explanation of where everyone should have transferred.
“They moved as one system while leaving room for other systems,” an office coordinator said. “We have no category for that, so we entered it under exemplary livestock.” The coordinator confirmed that livestock is not normally eligible for a weekly service rating, but puppetry created sufficient ambiguity.
The review has not resolved whether the herd represents forty riders, one vehicle or a piece of rolling infrastructure. Each buffalo was operated by several puppeteers, raising a separate fare question. A draft policy would charge one fare per visible set of legs and refund any leg made from cane.
Passengers who encountered the procession described it as calm, deliberate and unusually clear about the direction it was going. Several followed the herd for blocks before realizing it was an artwork. Two continued because it remained the fastest visible option.
Organizers said the procession was a one-time public art project and that a weekday transit assignment was not included in the production schedule. The buffalo require teams of trained operators, substantial storage and a route wide enough to accommodate dignity.
The transit office said it understands the limitations and has no formal plan to replace scheduled service with buffalo. It has nevertheless added a Monday column to the performance report in case the herd appears voluntarily.
A service request remains open. The contact field lists the herd collectively and contains no email address.
Update. Supporting paperwork. Forty life-size buffalo puppets really did process through Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn as a public art project. CBS News has the sober footage.