NEW YORK (VINnews) — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said Thursday it plans to replace up to a third of its roughly 6,500 subway cars, many of which have been in service since the 1980s.

Transit officials said the agency is seeking bids from manufacturers to replace 1,140 train cars on the Nos. 1, 3 and 6 lines, with an option to order an additional 1,250 cars for the Nos. 2, 4 and 5 lines.

Jessie Lazarus, the authority’s chief of rolling stock, said the order would be the largest subway car purchase in the agency’s history. The first new trains are expected to enter service in the early 2030s.

The new fleet, known as the R262, is expected to include upgraded features such as improved audio systems, updated braking technology and the possibility of “open gangway” designs that allow passengers to move freely between cars.

The replacement plan targets aging R62 cars, which were built in the 1980s and are nearing or exceeding their expected 40-year lifespan. Officials said the older trains are a frequent source of delays.

The agency has committed billions of dollars toward new subway and commuter rail cars as part of a broader capital plan approved by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Officials said proposals for the new trains are due later this year, with a contract expected to be awarded by early 2028.