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| M20 (New York City bus) | |
|---|---|
| Name | M20 |
| Locale | Manhattan, New York City |
| Operator | Metropolitan Transportation Authority |
| Garage | Christopher Street Depot |
| System | New York City Bus |
| Start | South Ferry (Manhattan) |
| End | Chelsea Pier 62 |
| Via | Broadway (Manhattan), West Street (Manhattan), Hudson River Greenway |
| Length | 7.3 mi |
M20 (New York City bus) is a public transit route in Manhattan operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as part of New York City Bus. The route links Lower Manhattan neighborhoods including Battery Park City, Tribeca, West Village, and Chelsea via major corridors such as Broadway (Manhattan), West Street (Manhattan), and the Hudson River Greenway. It provides all-day local service and connects with multiple rapid transit lines including the New York City Subway stations at South Ferry (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line), Houston Street (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line), and 14th Street–Eighth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) station.
The M20 begins in the south at South Ferry (Manhattan) near Battery Park and proceeds northbound along the Bowery and Broadway (Manhattan), serving stops near Chinatown (Manhattan), Little Italy, and SoHo. It turns west toward the Hudson River Greenway corridor, running along West Street (Manhattan) adjacent to Tribeca (Manhattan), Greenwich Village, and the Meatpacking District. The route serves waterfront points including Brookfield Place and Chelsea Piers, terminating at Chelsea Piers' sports complex near Hudson River Park. The M20 interchanges with multiple New Jersey Transit connections at Battery Park City ferry terminals and provides transfers to PATH (rail system) at nearby stations.
The M20 originated from streetcar and trolley operations of the late 19th and early 20th centuries operated by companies such as the Third Avenue Railway and the New York Railways Company. Transitioning to motor bus service in the mid-20th century, the route was incorporated into municipal operations under the New York City Transit Authority after the consolidation of private lines. Service patterns changed after infrastructure projects including the construction of the West Side Highway (Manhattan) and the development of Battery Park City in the 1980s, which shifted termini and stop locations. Post-9/11 security measures around World Trade Center and subsequent urban redevelopment including projects by the Battery Park City Authority and private developers affected one-way pairs and routing. In the 21st century, the route was impacted by citywide transit initiatives such as the Select Bus Service pilot program discussions and traffic pattern changes from the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project and High Line park influence on Manhattan circulation.
Operated out of the Christopher Street Depot, the M20 runs with a schedule coordinated with shifts from the Transport Workers Union of America. Peak-hour headways historically ranged from 8 to 15 minutes while off-peak and overnight headways extend to 20–30 minutes. The route integrates with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Bus Time real-time tracking and uses fare media governed by the MTA MetroCard and later the OMNY contactless fare system. Service adjustments have been made for special events at venues such as Madison Square Garden and during parades on West 14th Street. Coordination with the New York City Department of Transportation has led to bus priority measures, curbside redesigns near Chelsea Market, and temporary reroutes during Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and construction related to Hudson River Park improvements.
Ridership on the M20 reflects commuter flows between residential zones like Battery Park City and employment centers in Chelsea and midtown transfer nodes such as Christopher Street–Sheridan Square (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line). Annual ridership figures have been influenced by factors including Hurricane Sandy impacts on nearby corridors, pandemic-related declines during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, and recovery trends following vaccination campaigns and New York State reopening phases. Performance metrics tracked by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority include on-time performance, bunching rates, and passenger load standards; these have prompted periodic schedule revisions and operational oversight by the MTA Office of Safety and Security and MTA Bus Company planning units.
The M20 has historically used a mix of 40-foot and articulated 60-foot buses maintained at Christopher Street Depot, including models from manufacturers such as New Flyer Industries, Orion International, and Nova Bus. Vehicles assigned to the route are equipped with accessibility features compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, including kneeling capability, wheelchair lifts or ramps, and priority seating. Onboard equipment includes the Automatic Vehicle Location units integrated with Bus Time, automated stop announcement systems tied to Global Positioning System data, and safety features monitored by depot maintenance teams and the Transport Workers Union of America Local 100 agreements on work rules.
The M20 has been involved in incidents ranging from traffic collisions with private vehicles and New York City Police Department responses to service disruptions during major events such as the September 11 attacks. Controversies have included disputes over bus lane enforcement with the New York City Department of Transportation and complaints from local businesses in Chelsea and Tribeca over loading zone relocations. Community board meetings in Manhattan Community Board 1 and Manhattan Community Board 4 have at times contested stop consolidation proposals and route realignments promoted by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as part of systemwide cost-saving measures.