New York City Transit buses
Encyclopedia
New York City Transit buses, marked on the buses MTA New York City Bus, is a bus service that operates in all five boroughs of New York City
, employing over 4300 buses on 219 routes within the five boroughs
of New York City
in the United States
. The bus system is meant to complement the MTA's
rail lines – the New York City Subway
, Staten Island Railway
, Long Island Rail Road
, and Metro-North Railroad
.
border to go the Green Acres Mall
in Valley Stream. The Q2 and Q110 leave Queens as they run along Hempstead Turnpike and onto the Cross Island Parkway
, and Belmont Racetrack
in Elmont, where they re-enter the city. The Q46 runs along Lakeville Road in Lake Success
, Nassau County
upon entering Long Island Jewish Medical Center
. The Bx16 bus runs in to Westchester County for two blocks in Mount Vernon
. The Bx7 and the Bx10 both make their last stops at the Bronx-Westchester border. The S89 is the only route to have a stop outside state borders, terminating at the 34th Street
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
station in Bayonne, New Jersey
. Some Staten Island express routes run via New Jersey, but do not stop in the state.
Buses are labeled with a number and a prefix identifying the primary borough (B for Brooklyn
, Bx for the Bronx
, M for Manhattan
, Q for Queens
, and S for Staten Island
). Express buses use the letter X rather than a borough label. Lettered suffixes can be used to designate branches or variants.
MTA Bus Company
routes also follow this scheme, and MTA Long Island Bus
uses N for Nassau County. W or BL and S are commonly used by the non-MTA Bee-Line Bus System
(Westchester County) and Suffolk Transit
(Suffolk County).
Between 10:00 PM (22:00) and 5:00 AM (05:00) "Request-a-Stop" service is available. The bus operator may discharge passengers at a location along the route that is not a bus stop, as long as it is considered safe. If the location is not "safe", the bus operator will discharge passengers at the nearest safe location. The same policy also applies to MTA Bus and Long Island Bus service (with restrictions for Long Island Bus).
The following New York City Bus routes run limited stop service:
Limited-Stop buses flash LIMITED on the destination sign and usually have an orange Limited sign in the windshield.
Select Bus Service (SBS), the brand name for MTA bus rapid transit
service, is a variant of Limited-Stop bus service that requires fare payment to be made before boarding the bus, at fare payment machines in shelters at designated "stations" (such a shelter is shown to the left). Receipts given for payment of fare are "proof-of-payment
" that must be shown to fare enforcement upon request. In the event of the fare machine failing to issue a receipt, the bus operator must be notified of the problem. The implementation of this new service is paired with new lane markings and traffic signs that reserve a lane for buses only between 7AM and 7PM.
SBS began on the Bx12 207th Street Crosstown/Fordham Road/Pelham Parkway line in the Bronx
on June 28, 2008. The M15 First/Second Avenues line saw SBS implementation in Manhattan
on October 10, 2010. The M34 / M34A routes began on November 13, 2011.. The B44 Nostrand Avenue line is scheduled to see implementation in 2012 or 2013. Variants are also being planned for Fifth and Madison Avenues in Manhattan.
Buses used in this service are identifiable with blue lights on the sides of the destination sign and "stations" be similar to those pictured to the right, and also have a "+selectbusservice" wrap identifying them as such buses. Locations of stops (and in some cases, the local bus stops) were shifted or eliminated where possible to prevent mixing of local bus customers. SBS is offered in conjunction with the New York City
and New York State Department of Transportation
.
or Lower Manhattan
and the other boroughs. While most express routes operate only during peak weekday hours, some routes (including the X1, X10, and X17 and various MTA Bus lines) run on a daily basis (the X27 and X28 run all day on weekdays), from about 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM. MCI
and Prevost
over-the-road coaches are used for express service.
In addition to a 100% accessible bus fleet, New York City Transit also provides paratransit services under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
under the Access-A-Ride brand, for customers who cannot use regular bus or subway service servicing all five boroughs of New York City at all times. This system was acquired from the NYC Department of Transportation in 1993.
Within New York City, the color of the route on a bus stop sign indicates the type of service run. Routes are branded on bus stop signs, which are normally located every 2-3 blocks apart in most cases, as follows:
Non-franchise services
(such as private charter, suburban and tour services) have green lettering on white signage. Unless otherwise signed, bus stops are reserved for use of specified services at all times.
City involvement with surface transit in the city began in September 1919, when Mayor John Francis Hylan, through the New York City Department of Plant and Structures, organized private entrepreneurs to operate "emergency" buses to replace four abandoned storage battery streetcar lines: the Madison Street Line, Spring and Delancey Streets Line, Avenue C Line
, and Sixth Avenue Ferry Line. Many routes were soon added, replacing lines such as the Brooklyn and North River Line
(trolleys
) and Queens Bus Lines (buses), and the DP&S also began operating trolleys
in Staten Island
to replace the Staten Island Midland Railway's system. Eventually all of these routes were transferred to private management.
Another city acquisition was the Bridge Operating Company, which ran the Williamsburg Bridge Local trolley, acquired in 1921 by the DP&S. Unlike the other lines, this one remained city-operated, and was replaced by the B39 bus route on December 5, 1948, by then transferred to the New York City Board of Transportation.
On February 23, 1947, the Board of Transportation took over the Staten Island
bus network of the Isle Transportation Company. Further acquisitions were made on March 30, 1947 with the North Shore Bus Company
in Queens
, and September 24, 1948 with the East Side Omnibus Corporation and Comprehensive Omnibus Corporation in Manhattan
. With the city takeover of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
's surface subsidiary, the Brooklyn and Queens Transit Corporation
, on June 2, 1940, the city gained a large network of trolley and bus lines, covering all of Brooklyn
and portions of Queens. The final Brooklyn trolleys were the Church Avenue Line
and McDonald Avenue Line, discontinued on October 31, 1956, though the privately-operated (by the Queensboro Bridge Railway) Queensboro Bridge Local remained until 1957.
Thus, in the late 1950s, the city operated all local service in Staten Island and Brooklyn, about half the local service in Queens, and several routes in Manhattan. Several private companies operated buses in Queens, and the Avenue B and East Broadway Transit Company operated a small Manhattan system, but by far the largest system was the Fifth Avenue Coach Company and Surface Transit
, which operated almost all Manhattan routes and all Bronx routes, plus two into Queens (15 Fifth Avene - Jackson Heights and TB Triborough Bridge and one within Queens (16 Elmhurst Crosstown). After a strike in 1962, the city took over operations. To avoid legal issues, a new agency, the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority
(MaBSTOA)was formed to operate the former Fifth Avenue Coach Lines and Surface Transit, Inc.routes. The final acquisition was in 1980, when MaBSTOA took over the Avenue B and East Broadway's routes, using MaBSTOA equipment with Avenue B red route roll signs (NYCTA acquired the 13 Grumman Flxibles that had been assigned to Avenue B and placed them in NYCTA service). Public takeover of the remaining Queens buses, as well as most express routes, was implemented in 2005 and 2006 by the new MTA Bus Company
. In 2008, the operations of MTA Bus Company, NYC Transit, and Long Island Bus were all merged into a new regional operation, MTA Regional Bus Operations
. The New York City Bus brand continues to be used.
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and disabilities
), regardless of the distance traveled (transfers are available on request). An express bus fare costs US$5.50 each way (US$2.75 off-peak hours for seniors and disabilities). Fares are payable with a MetroCard or in exact change with coins (except Pennies and Half-Dollars). Only Express Bus Plus and Pay-Per-Ride (with at least a US$5.50 balance) MetroCards work on express buses. At one time, change was given by the driver on local buses. This practice ceased when the fare rose above 20¢. Up to 3 children 44" tall and under can ride free with a fare-paying adult on a local bus. One child under 2 riding in the lap of a fare-paying customer may ride free on an express bus.
For Select Bus Service
s, fare must be paid at the bus stop prior to boarding the bus. All other procedures remain the same, except that customers needing a transfer must board via the front door.
Student MetroCards, issued by the New York City Department of Education
Office of Pupil Transportation, are distributed to all eligible students in grades 1-12 throughout the city. These Metrocards have a different color scheme applied to it, grades 7-12 having green lettering on a white background and grade 1-6 having orange lettering on the white background. Depending on the distance between the student's home and school, a student might have to pay a half-fare ($1.10) in addition to dipping his card. The half-fare applies only to grades 7-12. These passes are normally valid Monday to Friday, 5:30 AM to 8:30 PM, for 3 rides a day (plus transfers) during the school year (some passes may have 4 trips plus transfers on them, or have Sunday eligibility). These passes are valid only for travel within New York City (but not valid on Bee-Line buses along Boston Road in the Bronx), and cannot be used for travel to and from Green Acres Mall
.
Dollar bills are not accepted on any MTA buses (or Bee Line
or Atlantic Express
fixed-route buses, which use the same fare collection system), as a vacuum
is used to collect coins from the fareboxes, and the process would tear dollar bills.
When paying with change, a passenger can request a MetroCard Bus Transfer. It is valid for two hours and can be used only on Local and Limited Stop buses. In the 1970s, new bus transfers called "Add-A-Ride" coupons were made available, for half-fare, to supplement the then-current free bus transfers. Generally, the free transfers were only valid for travel via the same bus company/franchise.
Single fares were reduced to US$1.00 from US$2.00 for non-weekday dates during the 2005 holiday season and for the week from Christmas
through New Year's
holiday week. As of early 2006, the MTA was considering continuing this into future holiday seasons. The plan was ultimately dropped.
hybrid and compressed natural gas
technology. The agency currently operates approximately 500 CNG coaches and over 900 diesel-electric buses, to grow to 1,286 by 2010.
Buses are dispatched from 20 garages across New York City, with heavy-duty maintenance done at three facilities throughout the city.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, employing over 4300 buses on 219 routes within the five boroughs
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The bus system is meant to complement the MTA's
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
rail lines – the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
, Staten Island Railway
Staten Island Railway
The Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority, publicly known as MTA Staten Island Railway or SIR, is the operator of the lone rapid transit line in the borough of Staten Island, New York City, USA...
, Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
, and Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
.
Operations
New York City Transit bus routes are spread out citywide. Some lines, such as the Q5 and Q85 cross the Nassau CountyNassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
border to go the Green Acres Mall
Green Acres Mall
Green Acres Mall is an indoor shopping mall located in Valley Stream, New York, off Sunrise Highway in Nassau County right off the border of New York City. The mall has a gross leasable area of . The mall is the 26th largest in the United States. The mall is extremely popular in Nassau County and...
in Valley Stream. The Q2 and Q110 leave Queens as they run along Hempstead Turnpike and onto the Cross Island Parkway
Cross Island Parkway
Cross Island Parkway, also known as the 100th Infantry Division Parkway, is a parkway within New York State. The parkway is a part of the Belt Parkway system that runs along the perimeter of the borough of Queens in New York City...
, and Belmont Racetrack
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
in Elmont, where they re-enter the city. The Q46 runs along Lakeville Road in Lake Success
Lake Success, New York
Lake Success is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 2,934 at the 2010 census.Lake Success is in the Town of North Hempstead on northwest Long Island. Lake Success was the temporary home of the United Nations from 1946 to 1951, occupying the headquarters of...
, Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
upon entering Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Long Island Jewish Medical Center shares the title of clinical and academic hub of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. It is an 827-bed voluntary, non-profit tertiary care teaching hospital serving the greater New York metropolitan area. The campus is east of Manhattan, on the border of Queens...
. The Bx16 bus runs in to Westchester County for two blocks in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon, New York
Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It lies on the border of the New York City borough of The Bronx.-Overview:...
. The Bx7 and the Bx10 both make their last stops at the Bronx-Westchester border. The S89 is the only route to have a stop outside state borders, terminating at the 34th Street
34th Street (HBLR station)
34th Street is a station on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail located at Avenue E and East 34th Street in Bayonne, New Jersey.The station opened on April 22, 2000. Northbound service from the station is available to Hoboken Terminal...
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Owned by New Jersey Transit and operated by the 21st Century Rail Corporation, it connects the communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City , and North Bergen.The system began...
station in Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
. Some Staten Island express routes run via New Jersey, but do not stop in the state.
Buses are labeled with a number and a prefix identifying the primary borough (B for Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, Bx for the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, M for Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, Q for Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, and S for Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
). Express buses use the letter X rather than a borough label. Lettered suffixes can be used to designate branches or variants.
MTA Bus Company
MTA Bus Company
MTA Bus Company is a service of MTA Regional Bus Operations used on routes previously controlled by the New York City Department of Transportation , and operated by private operators that provided service under contract to the NYCDOT...
routes also follow this scheme, and MTA Long Island Bus
MTA Long Island Bus
MTA Long Island Bus is the name used by MTA Regional Bus for its bus network serving primarily Nassau County. It also serves parts of western Suffolk County as well as parts of Queens. Long Island Bus is the trading name of Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority, a name which has not been used...
uses N for Nassau County. W or BL and S are commonly used by the non-MTA Bee-Line Bus System
Bee-Line Bus System
The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc...
(Westchester County) and Suffolk Transit
Suffolk Transit
Suffolk County Transit is the provider of bus services in Suffolk County, New York on Long Island in the United States and is an agency of the Suffolk County government. It was founded in 1980 as a county-run oversight and funding agency for a group of private contract operators which had...
(Suffolk County).
Between 10:00 PM (22:00) and 5:00 AM (05:00) "Request-a-Stop" service is available. The bus operator may discharge passengers at a location along the route that is not a bus stop, as long as it is considered safe. If the location is not "safe", the bus operator will discharge passengers at the nearest safe location. The same policy also applies to MTA Bus and Long Island Bus service (with restrictions for Long Island Bus).
Local and limited-stop service
Local and limited-stop buses provide service within a borough, or in some cases across two. While local buses make all stops along a route, limited-stop buses only make stops at busy transfer points, points of interest, and heavily used roadways. Limited stop service was first attempted with the M4 bus during rush hours in 1973, then expanded to other routes from there. The usual setup is that limited stop service runs the full route, while local services run only in the limited stop area, and the limited stop buses run local at the tail ends of the route not served by locals, similar to the operation of some subway services and the Staten Island Railway.The following New York City Bus routes run limited stop service:
- Bronx: Bx1, Bx36 Bx41 and Bx55
- Brooklyn: B6, B35, B38, B41, B44, B46, B49 and B82
- Manhattan: M1, M2, M4, M5, M98 and M101
- Queens: Q4, Q5, Q17, Q27, Q36, Q43, Q44, Q46, Q58, Q83 and Q85
- Staten Island: S81, S84, S86, S89, S90, S91, S92, S93, S94, S96 and S98
Limited-Stop buses flash LIMITED on the destination sign and usually have an orange Limited sign in the windshield.
Select Bus Service
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
service, is a variant of Limited-Stop bus service that requires fare payment to be made before boarding the bus, at fare payment machines in shelters at designated "stations" (such a shelter is shown to the left). Receipts given for payment of fare are "proof-of-payment
Proof-of-payment
Proof-of-payment or POP is an honor-based fare collection approach used on many public transportation systems. Instead of checking each passenger as they enter a fare control zone, proof-of-payment requires that each passenger carry a ticket or pass proving that they have paid the fare. Ticket...
" that must be shown to fare enforcement upon request. In the event of the fare machine failing to issue a receipt, the bus operator must be notified of the problem. The implementation of this new service is paired with new lane markings and traffic signs that reserve a lane for buses only between 7AM and 7PM.
SBS began on the Bx12 207th Street Crosstown/Fordham Road/Pelham Parkway line in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
on June 28, 2008. The M15 First/Second Avenues line saw SBS implementation in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
on October 10, 2010. The M34 / M34A routes began on November 13, 2011.. The B44 Nostrand Avenue line is scheduled to see implementation in 2012 or 2013. Variants are also being planned for Fifth and Madison Avenues in Manhattan.
Buses used in this service are identifiable with blue lights on the sides of the destination sign and "stations" be similar to those pictured to the right, and also have a "+selectbusservice" wrap identifying them as such buses. Locations of stops (and in some cases, the local bus stops) were shifted or eliminated where possible to prevent mixing of local bus customers. SBS is offered in conjunction with the New York City
New York City Department of Transportation
The New York City Department of Transportation is responsible for the management of much of New York City's transportation infrastructure...
and New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
.
Express service
Express buses usually operate between Midtown ManhattanMidtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
or Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
and the other boroughs. While most express routes operate only during peak weekday hours, some routes (including the X1, X10, and X17 and various MTA Bus lines) run on a daily basis (the X27 and X28 run all day on weekdays), from about 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM. MCI
Motor Coach Industries
Motor Coach Industries International Inc. is an American bus manufacturer based in Schaumburg, Illinois, and is a leading participant in the North American coach bus industry. It has various operating subsidiaries:...
and Prevost
Prevost Car
Prevost is a Quebec, Canada-based manufacturer of touring coaches and bus shells for high-end motorhomes and specialty conversions.The company now owns Nova Bus and in turn is owned by Volvo Bus Corporation.- History :...
over-the-road coaches are used for express service.
Demand response
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
under the Access-A-Ride brand, for customers who cannot use regular bus or subway service servicing all five boroughs of New York City at all times. This system was acquired from the NYC Department of Transportation in 1993.
Bus stops
Non-franchise services
Government-granted monopoly
In economics, a government-granted monopoly is a form of coercive monopoly by which a government grants exclusive privilege to a private individual or firm to be the sole provider of a good or service; potential competitors are excluded from the market by law, regulation, or other mechanisms of...
(such as private charter, suburban and tour services) have green lettering on white signage. Unless otherwise signed, bus stops are reserved for use of specified services at all times.
History
Avenue C Line (Manhattan)
The Avenue C Line, also called the Houston Street Line, is a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running mostly along Houston Street and Avenue C from TriBeCa to Kips Bay...
, and Sixth Avenue Ferry Line. Many routes were soon added, replacing lines such as the Brooklyn and North River Line
Brooklyn and North River Line
The Brooklyn and North River Line, operated by the Brooklyn and North River Railroad, was a trolley line in Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York City, United States...
(trolleys
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
) and Queens Bus Lines (buses), and the DP&S also began operating trolleys
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
in Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
to replace the Staten Island Midland Railway's system. Eventually all of these routes were transferred to private management.
Another city acquisition was the Bridge Operating Company, which ran the Williamsburg Bridge Local trolley, acquired in 1921 by the DP&S. Unlike the other lines, this one remained city-operated, and was replaced by the B39 bus route on December 5, 1948, by then transferred to the New York City Board of Transportation.
On February 23, 1947, the Board of Transportation took over the Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
bus network of the Isle Transportation Company. Further acquisitions were made on March 30, 1947 with the North Shore Bus Company
North Shore Bus Company
The North Shore Bus Company operated public buses in Queens, New York City, United States. It was established in 1920 as the successor to the New York and North Shore Traction Company trolley system, and operated until 1947 when it went bankrupt, and its operations were taken over by the New York...
in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, and September 24, 1948 with the East Side Omnibus Corporation and Comprehensive Omnibus Corporation in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. With the city takeover of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation
The Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation was an urban transit holding company, based in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, and incorporated in 1923. The system was sold to the city in 1940 and today, together with the IND subway system, form the B Division of the New York City Subway...
's surface subsidiary, the Brooklyn and Queens Transit Corporation
Brooklyn and Queens Transit Corporation
The Brooklyn and Queens Transit Corporation was a subsidiary of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation that operated streetcars in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States...
, on June 2, 1940, the city gained a large network of trolley and bus lines, covering all of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and portions of Queens. The final Brooklyn trolleys were the Church Avenue Line
Church Avenue Line (surface)
The Church Avenue Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, running mainly along 39th Street and Church Avenue between Sunset Park and Brownsville...
and McDonald Avenue Line, discontinued on October 31, 1956, though the privately-operated (by the Queensboro Bridge Railway) Queensboro Bridge Local remained until 1957.
Fifth Avenue Coach Company and Surface Transit
The Fifth Avenue Coach Company was a bus operator in Manhattan, The Bronx, and Westchester County, New York, providing public transit between 1896 and 1954 after which services were taken over by the New York City Omnibus Corporation...
, which operated almost all Manhattan routes and all Bronx routes, plus two into Queens (15 Fifth Avene - Jackson Heights and TB Triborough Bridge and one within Queens (16 Elmhurst Crosstown). After a strike in 1962, the city took over operations. To avoid legal issues, a new agency, the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority
Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority
The Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority is a subsidiary of the New York City Transit Authority that was created in 1962 to take over bus services from the bankrupt Fifth Avenue Coach Company and Surface Transit, Inc...
(MaBSTOA)was formed to operate the former Fifth Avenue Coach Lines and Surface Transit, Inc.routes. The final acquisition was in 1980, when MaBSTOA took over the Avenue B and East Broadway's routes, using MaBSTOA equipment with Avenue B red route roll signs (NYCTA acquired the 13 Grumman Flxibles that had been assigned to Avenue B and placed them in NYCTA service). Public takeover of the remaining Queens buses, as well as most express routes, was implemented in 2005 and 2006 by the new MTA Bus Company
MTA Bus Company
MTA Bus Company is a service of MTA Regional Bus Operations used on routes previously controlled by the New York City Department of Transportation , and operated by private operators that provided service under contract to the NYCDOT...
. In 2008, the operations of MTA Bus Company, NYC Transit, and Long Island Bus were all merged into a new regional operation, MTA Regional Bus Operations
MTA Regional Bus Operations
MTA Regional Bus Operations is the surface transit division of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , created in 2008 to consolidate all bus operations operated by the MTA.-History:...
. The New York City Bus brand continues to be used.
Fare
The base fare for riding any local or limited stop bus route is US$2.25 one-way trip (US$1.10 for seniorsSenior citizen
Senior citizen is a common polite designation for an elderly person in both UK and US English, and it implies or means that the person is retired. This in turn implies or in fact means that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include pensioner in UK...
and disabilities
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
), regardless of the distance traveled (transfers are available on request). An express bus fare costs US$5.50 each way (US$2.75 off-peak hours for seniors and disabilities). Fares are payable with a MetroCard or in exact change with coins (except Pennies and Half-Dollars). Only Express Bus Plus and Pay-Per-Ride (with at least a US$5.50 balance) MetroCards work on express buses. At one time, change was given by the driver on local buses. This practice ceased when the fare rose above 20¢. Up to 3 children 44" tall and under can ride free with a fare-paying adult on a local bus. One child under 2 riding in the lap of a fare-paying customer may ride free on an express bus.
For Select Bus Service
Select Bus Service
Select Bus Service , marked on the buses as +selectbusservice, is a brand used by MTA Regional Bus Operations for bus rapid transit service.-History:...
s, fare must be paid at the bus stop prior to boarding the bus. All other procedures remain the same, except that customers needing a transfer must board via the front door.
Student MetroCards, issued by the New York City Department of Education
New York City Department of Education
The New York City Department of Education is the branch of municipal government in New York City that manages the city's public school system. It is the largest school system in the United States, with over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,700 separate schools...
Office of Pupil Transportation, are distributed to all eligible students in grades 1-12 throughout the city. These Metrocards have a different color scheme applied to it, grades 7-12 having green lettering on a white background and grade 1-6 having orange lettering on the white background. Depending on the distance between the student's home and school, a student might have to pay a half-fare ($1.10) in addition to dipping his card. The half-fare applies only to grades 7-12. These passes are normally valid Monday to Friday, 5:30 AM to 8:30 PM, for 3 rides a day (plus transfers) during the school year (some passes may have 4 trips plus transfers on them, or have Sunday eligibility). These passes are valid only for travel within New York City (but not valid on Bee-Line buses along Boston Road in the Bronx), and cannot be used for travel to and from Green Acres Mall
Green Acres Mall
Green Acres Mall is an indoor shopping mall located in Valley Stream, New York, off Sunrise Highway in Nassau County right off the border of New York City. The mall has a gross leasable area of . The mall is the 26th largest in the United States. The mall is extremely popular in Nassau County and...
.
Dollar bills are not accepted on any MTA buses (or Bee Line
Bee-Line Bus System
The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc...
or Atlantic Express
Atlantic Express (bus company)
Atlantic Express is an operator of transit buses, paratransit, and school buses in the United States, specializing primarily in school bus service, while operating transit buses in New York City...
fixed-route buses, which use the same fare collection system), as a vacuum
Vacuum
In everyday usage, vacuum is a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter, such that its gaseous pressure is much less than atmospheric pressure. The word comes from the Latin term for "empty". A perfect vacuum would be one with no particles in it at all, which is impossible to achieve in...
is used to collect coins from the fareboxes, and the process would tear dollar bills.
When paying with change, a passenger can request a MetroCard Bus Transfer. It is valid for two hours and can be used only on Local and Limited Stop buses. In the 1970s, new bus transfers called "Add-A-Ride" coupons were made available, for half-fare, to supplement the then-current free bus transfers. Generally, the free transfers were only valid for travel via the same bus company/franchise.
Single fares were reduced to US$1.00 from US$2.00 for non-weekday dates during the 2005 holiday season and for the week from Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
through New Year's
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
holiday week. As of early 2006, the MTA was considering continuing this into future holiday seasons. The plan was ultimately dropped.
Garages and fleet
MTA New York City Bus operates buses using conventional diesel, diesel-electricDiesel-electric
Diesel-electric transmission or diesel-electric powertrain is used by a number of vehicle and ship types for providing locomotion.A diesel-electric transmission system includes a diesel engine connected to an electrical generator, creating electricity that powers electric traction motors...
hybrid and compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill...
technology. The agency currently operates approximately 500 CNG coaches and over 900 diesel-electric buses, to grow to 1,286 by 2010.
Buses are dispatched from 20 garages across New York City, with heavy-duty maintenance done at three facilities throughout the city.
See also
- Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating AuthorityManhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating AuthorityThe Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority is a subsidiary of the New York City Transit Authority that was created in 1962 to take over bus services from the bankrupt Fifth Avenue Coach Company and Surface Transit, Inc...
- MTA Regional Bus Operations bus fleet
External links
- Official MTA New York City Transit Bus page
- Urban Transit Club (UTC) New York City Bus Roster
- Comparative Study of Diesel vs Hybrid Buses operating in NYC. National Renewable *[http://www.busandcoachdirectory.com/North-America/United-States-of-America/New-York.html New York Bus & Coach Directory] Energy Laboratory (NREL) Nov 2006