(Redirected from
New York City Bus)
Passengers board a bus at Westchester Square.
The New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA, publicly known as MTA New York City Transit as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority) operates roughly 4,784 buses within the 5 boroughs of New York City daily under the company name, New York City Bus. The bus system is meant to complement on top of the already existing New York City Subway, and the MTA's commuter rail service. Between 22:00 and 5:00 Request-a-Stop service is available. This means that the Bus operator can drop you off at a safe location along the route that is not a bus stop (i.e; the passenger's home). If the location is not "safe", the bus operator will drop off at the nearest corner, provided that it's safe.
MTA Bus was created in early 2005 to take over routes from private bus operators; plans are to eventually merge the MTA New York City Transit buses (as well as MTA Long Island Bus) into MTA Bus.[1]
Recognizing a Bus
Buses have an easily noticeable livery. They all have a white color with a horizontal blue band. The band (usually towards the front) has the MTA logo followed by the text: New York City Bus or just plain Bus and the bus number. Destination signs are located on the top of the front of the bus, the first window on the right side, and the route number only on the back right corner of the exterior. On some MTA bus routes, there may not be a rear sign. Also, some MTA buses might have a mix of standard MTA livery, and the livery of their former franchise operators.
Service Area
An express bus on
Madison Avenue during the rush hour. Madison Avenue also hosts the dubious "dual bus lane" project.
All 5 boroughs are covered by bus service. However, some routes leave city limits, albeit briefly. The Q5 and Q85 crosses the Nassau County border to go the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream. The Q2 and Q110 leave Queens County 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 New Hyde Park, Nassau County upon entering Long Island Jewish Hospital. The Bx16 bus runs in to Westchester County, but only for a block for each branch. The Q111 enters Nassau County to reach its part-time destination in Cedarhurst. The Q113 serves the Nassau communities of Cedarhurst and Inwood to reach its destination in Far Rockaway. The BxM3 leaves The Bronx to reach its northern terminus in Yonkers
Buses are identified by simply putting the first letter of the borough in front of a number. For Example, using the letter “B”, as an abbreviation for Brooklyn, and 25, the number, we'd create the B25. This system extends to all local routes. The abbreviations are:
While these are the system, there are cases where buses travel between 2 boroughs. In that case, the borough where the bus operates most, wins the designation. This is the case with the Bx15, while running for it's most portion in The Bronx, a smaller section is serviced along 125th Street in Harlem.
Express services are another story. All express buses carry an “X” designation in front of their number.
A MTA sister agency, Long Island Bus, gives it's routes the "N" prefix to designate "Nassau County". The exception are the "JB87" & "JB88", which carry the "JB" designator for Jones Beach.
It should also be noted that while the MTA doesn't provide service in Westchester County, many Bee-Line Bus System routes commonly have "W" prefixes in front of their route numbers to designate "Westchester County".
Also, many Suffolk Transit buses carry the "S" designator for Suffolk County. But since most New York City residents don't use Suffolk Transit and vice-versa, and/or the existence of the other, there is little or no confusion between the Suffolk Transit's "S" designator and Staten Island's "S" designator.
Local and Limited stop
Local and Limited stop buses provide local service within the borough. Local stop buses make all stops along a route. Limited-Stop buses however, make stops at busy transfer points, points of interest, and heavy used roadways. 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 where local service didn't go, similar to the operation of many Subway lines. However, 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.
The following New York City bus routes run limited stop service:
* Indicates that service is provided daily.
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The Bronx:
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Brooklyn:
- B6
- B35*
- B41*
- B44*
- B46*
- B103
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Manhattan:
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Queens:
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Staten Island:
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The majority of all bus routes tend to operate daily between 05:00 and 1:00. Many routes however run 24 hours a day, but with considerably longer headways (20 to 70 minutes, most being 60) during the late nights. MTA Bus routes usually follow the same guidelines. However, two-boro routes may have multiple borough designations. The QBx1 is named so, because it travels between Flushing, Queens and Co-op City, The Bronx.
Express
Express buses usually operate between the outer boroughs and Midtown Manhattan or Lower Manhattan. More of the express routes tend to operate during the weekday peak hours. Express bus services do have a higher cost, but provide a few extra amenities, like reading lights, plush reclining seats, and extremely cold Air Conditioning systems. They also use "over the road" MCI D4500, 102DLW3SS, D4502/New Flyer D45S buses, all resembling buses used for Interstate services.
Fare
The fare for riding any local or limited stop bus route is US$2.00 one-way trip (US$1.00 for seniors and disabilities), no matter the distance of your journey. An express bus fare is a flat rate of US$5.00 one-way trip (US$2.50 off-peak hours for seniors and disabilities). Fares are payable in exact change with coins (except Pennies and Half-Dollars) or with a MetroCard. Only the Express Bus Plus MetroCard and Pay-Per-Ride (with at least a $5.00 balance) MetroCards works on express buses. Fares are payable in exact change with coins (except Pennies and Half-Dollars) or with a Day Pass.
Dollar Bills are not accepted on any buses, as a vacuum is used to collect coins, and such process would tear dollar bills.
When paying with change, you can request to receive a MetroCard Bus Transfer. It is valid for two hours and can be used only on Local and Limited Stop buses.
Single fares have been reduced to $1.00 from $2.00 for non-weekday dates during the 2005 holiday season and for the week from Christmas through New Year's holiday week. The dates for these $1.00 fares are as follows. If successful, this may carry on for future holiday seasons.
Bus Depots and fleet
The entire bus fleet is wheelchair accessible to the disabled, by using lifts on the high floor models, and fold-out ramps on low floor models.
NYCTA and MTA Bus operate a very diverse fleet of buses. currently, the fleet is slowly becoming environmentally-friendly as with MTA New York City Transit's counterpart Long Island Bus. The MTA has been purchasing newer low floor Compressed Natural Gas and Hybrid Electric buses. All buses in the New York City Transit fleet are wheelchair accessible, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Buses are run out of Depots located in various areas of the city. Not all MTA Buses are accessible (and often do not feature working air conditioners), since these were managed privately by various companies and are only now bring taken under the MTA umbrella. This only applies to the older buses the franchises kept before the MTA take over.
A third depot is set to be constructed soon on Staten Island. A sixth depot is also currently being constructed in Queens although it is going to be in the Brooklyn Division.
The MTA bus fleet is covered here.
Maintenance and Training
Depots with their route operations are listed below.
Facilities
Currently Operated Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority/New York City Transit Bus Depots:
Bronx Division
Manhattan Division
Brooklyn Division
Queens Division
Staten Island Division
MTA Bus Facilites
MTA Bus in The Bronx, on the QBx1, formerly part of Queens Surface, repainted in standard MTA livery.
Currently Operated MTA Bus Depots; Formerly, all 7 private bus lines in The Bronx, Westchester, Queens and Brooklyn.
Bronx Division
Brooklyn Division
Queens Division
External links
The content of this page is retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Bus under GFDL
