Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA announced on Friday service increases for 14 local bus routes in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, effective June 29.
The enhancements, funded with $8 million from the Outer Borough Transportation Account, aim to improve travel times and reliability for bus riders, particularly during peak hours. Some routes will see wait times reduced by as much as 2.5 minutes.
“Every New Yorker deserves fast, reliable, and accessible public transit, and these enhancements will do just that,” Hochul said in a statement. “Buses are already moving faster thanks to congestion pricing, and now we’re investing in even more service, giving time back to hardworking New Yorkers who keep our city moving. From Co-Op City to Staten Island, we are building a transit system that meets the needs of all New Yorkers.”
The improvements build on earlier increases rolled out this year on eight key express bus lines and coincide with the launch of Phase One of the Queens Bus Network redesign, also set to begin June 29.
Routes seeing increased service
The Bronx routes scheduled for increased service include the Bx10 (Riverdale-Norwood), Bx17 (Port Morris-Fordham Plaza), Bx23 (Co-op City–Pelham Bay Park Station), and Bx28/Bx38 (Co-op City–Fordham Center).
In Brooklyn, the routes are B17 (Crown Heights-Canarsie), B26 (Fulton Street–Ridgewood), B74 (Sea Gate–Stillwell Avenue Station), and B103 (Canarsie–Downtown Brooklyn).
In Queens, service will expand on the Q13 (Flushing–Fort Totten), Q28 (Bayside–Flushing), Q35 (Rockaway Park–Midwood), Q66 (Flushing–Long Island City), and Q69 (Long Island City–Astoria).
On Staten Island, the S79 SBS (Staten Island Mall–Bay Ridge) will see increased service.
The improved bus routes target areas underserved by the subway system with high bus ridership.
“These routes are a vital lifeline for many people who don’t live close to subway stations,” said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow.
“Increasing bus service on some of the City’s busiest routes is a no-brainer,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “These latest enhancements, along with the comprehensive bus network redesigns we’re knocking out borough by borough, are changing the game for the million-plus New Yorkers who ride with us every day.”
Earlier this year, express bus routes benefiting from service expansions included the BM2, BM5, X27, QM15, SIM1C, SIM4C, SIM23, and SIM24 lines, connecting neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island to Midtown and Lower Manhattan.
With congestion pricing expected to reshape travel patterns citywide, officials say the latest improvements reflect a commitment to ensuring outer-borough commuters have better, faster transit options.
