New York City Transit buses

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New York City Transit Authority
An Orion 7 in Manhattan.
Company Slogan	Going Your Way.
Parent Company	MTA
Founded	1953
Headquarters	Brooklyn, New York
Locale	New York City
Service Area	Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and parts of Queens
Service Type	Local bus service
Routes	238
Fleet	4500+
Daily Ridership	Approximately 2 million
Operator	Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Chief Executive	Millard Seay
Website	Official Website

In the United States, the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) and its subsidiary, the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority (MaBSTOA), both branded as MTA New York City Bus, operates roughly 4500 buses^[1] (about 1500 of those belonging to the MaBSTOA^{[citation needed]}) on about 200 local and 40 express routes^[2] within the five boroughs of New York City. The bus system is meant to complement the MTA's rail lines - the New York City Subway, Staten Island Rapid Transit, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad.

The MTA also owns the MTA Bus Company, which operates routes in the Bronx, southwestern Westchester, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and western Nassau County and the Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority (Long Island Bus), which operates in eastern Queens, Nassau County, and western Suffolk County. The MTA plans to merge all of its bus companies, and NYCTA's bus operations, into the MTA Bus Company.^{[citation needed]} Suffolk County Transit, not part of the MTA, also serves Suffolk County.

[edit] Operations

See also: List of bus routes in the Bronx, List of bus routes in Brooklyn, List of bus routes in Manhattan, List of bus routes in Queens, and List of bus routes in Staten Island

All five boroughs are covered by bus service. MTA New York City Transit has the authority to run buses across the city boundary, and a few routes leave city limits, albeit briefly. The Q5 and Q85 cross the Nassau County border to go the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream. The Q2 leaves Queens as they run along Hempstead Turnpike and onto the Cross Island Parkway where they re-enter city-limits. 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, but only for a block for each branch.

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). This identification system was adopted in the mid-1970s, prior to which buses had only a number.^{[citation needed]} 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 and 5:00 AM "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.^[3]

[edit] Local and limited-stop

Passengers board a bus at Westchester Square.

Local and limited-stop buses provide service within a borough. 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 many subway lines. Some passengers may need to transfer to the limited to continue their trip, hence is where this is one of the few cases where three legged transfers exist on a Metrocard.^{[citation needed]}

The following New York City bus routes run limited stop service:

• Bronx: Bx1, Bx2, Bx12, Bx41 and Bx55
• Brooklyn: B6, B35, B41, B44, B46 and B49
• Manhattan: M1, M2, M4, M5, M15, M98 and M101
• Queens: Q4, Q5, Q17, Q27, Q43, Q44, Q46, Q83 and Q85
• Staten Island: S81, S84, S86, S90, S91, S92, S93, S94, S96 and S98

The majority of bus routes operate from 05:00 AM to 01:30 AM. Some routes run continuously, albeit with considerably longer headways (20 to 70 minutes, most being 60) during the late nights.^{[citation needed]}

An express bus on Madison Avenue during the rush hour.

[edit] Express

Express buses usually operate between the outer boroughs and Midtown Manhattan or Lower Manhattan. While most express routes only operate during peak weekday hours, some routes (including the x1, x10, x27, x28, and various MTA Bus routes) run on a daily basis, from about 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM. Express buses cost more than local buses, but provide extra amenities, including reading lights and reclining seats. They also use "over the road" MCI 102DLW3SS, D4500, D4501, D4500 CL/New Flyer D45S buses, which are more suitable than local buses for highway service.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Criticism

Local buses are widely acknowledged as being notoriously slow, especially in Manhattan.^{[citation needed]} The Straphangers Campaign, a riders' advocacy group, has since 2002 awarded the "Pokeys" (as in "slowpoke") in its annual survey of bus speed and service frequency.[1] The M34, which runs crosstown along the heavily congested 34th Street, has won the dubious honor for two years in a row (2004 and 2005). In response to this and other similar criticism, the MTA has commissioned a feasibility study for a bus rapid transit system, with a report due in 2007.[2]

[edit] History

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.^[4] Many routes were soon added, replacing lines such as the Brooklyn and North River Line (trolleys)^[5] and Queens Bus Lines (buses),^[6] and the DP&S also began operating trolleys in Staten Island to replace the Staten Island Midland Railway's system.^[7][8] Eventually all of these routes were transferred to private management.^{[citation needed]}

Another city acquisition was the Bridge Operating Company, which ran the Williamsburg Bridge Local trolley, acquired in 1921 by the DP&S.^[9] Unlike the other lines,^{[citation needed]} 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.^[10]

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,^[11] the city gained a large network of trolley and bus lines, covering all of Brooklyn and portions of Queens.^[12] The final Brooklyn trolleys were the Church Avenue Line and McDonald Avenue Line, discontinued on October 31, 1956,^[13] though the privately-operated (by the Queensboro Bridge Railway) Queensboro Bridge Local remained until 1957.^[14][15][16]

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 Fifth Avenue Coach Lines, which operated almost all Manhattan routes and all Bronx routes, plus one into Queens. 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 was formed to replace the Fifth Avenue. The final acquisition was in 1980, when the NYCTA took over the Avenue B and East Broadway's routes.^{[citation needed]} 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.

[edit] Fare

The base fare for riding any local or limited stop bus route is US$2.00 one-way trip (US$1.00 for seniors and disabilities), regardless of the distance traveled. An express bus fare costs a flat US$5.00 each way (US$2.50 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$5.00 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¢. ^[17]

Dollar bills are not accepted on any buses, as a vacuum is used to collect coins from the fareboxes, and ^[18] 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. Bus Transfers were called "Add-A-Ride" coupons when they were first made available in the 1970s for an additional charge.

Single fares were been 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.

The entire New York City Transit (but not MTA Bus) bus fleet is wheelchair accessible to the disabled, by using lifts on the high floor models, and fold-out ramps on low floor models.

[edit] Bus depots and fleet

Main article: Bus models used in New York City Transit and MTA Bus

NYCTA and MTA Bus operate a very diverse fleet of buses. Currently, the fleet is slowly becoming environmentally-friendly as with the NYCTA's counterpart Long Island Bus. The MTA has been purchasing newer low floor Compressed Natural Gas and Hybrid Electric buses. All diesel powered buses uses ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. All buses are wheelchair accessible, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

A third depot is set to be constructed soon on Staten Island. A sixth depot is also currently being constructed in Queens. It will belong to the Brooklyn Division.

NYCTA buses are painted white with a centered horizontal blue band. Within the band is the MTA logo followed by "New York City Bus". Historically, New York City buses were green. Through the introduction of plastic seats to replace cushioned seats in the early 1960s, even the seats were green (with minor exceptions). In 1971, a change in livery to blue was conducted, including repainting of the interior seats as well as the exterior of the bus. In 1979, the blue was saved merely as trim and the majority of the exterior design was transitioned to white.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Maintenance and training

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• The Zerega Avenue Central Maintenance Facility serves as a registry facility for new buses and a major maintenance and surface transportation training/instruction facility.
• The East New York Central Maintenance Facility
• The Grand Avenue/Maspeth Central Maintenance Facility is currently under construction, and will replace the East New York Central Maintenance Facility as a primary maintenance facility system-wide.

[edit] Facilities

Main article: Bus depots of the New York City Transit Authority

The standard white and blue NYCTA livery.

New York City Transit Authority and Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority currently operates the following out of 18 bus depots in New York City:

Bronx Division

• Gun Hill Depot
• Kingsbridge Depot
• Mother Clara Hale Depot - formerly 146th Street Depot
• West Farms Depot - formerly Coliseum Depot

Manhattan Division

• 100th Street Depot
• 126th Street Depot
• Manhattanville Depot - formerly 132nd Street Depot
• Michael J. Quill Depot - formerly West Side Depot

Brooklyn Division

• East New York Depot
• Flatbush Depot
• Fresh Pond Depot
• Jackie Gleason Depot - formerly 5th Avenue Depot
• Ulmer Park Depot

Queens Division

• Casey Stengel Depot - formerly Flushing Bus Depot
• Jamaica Depot
• Queens Village Depot

Staten Island Division

• Castleton Depot
• Yukon Depot

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official MTA New York City Transit Bus page
• A New York City Transit Bus Discussion Forum
• National Current & Historic Transit Bus Photographs
• Urban Transit Club (UTC) New York City Bus Roster