Select Bus Service

Select Bus Service
MTATransitFan · CC BY 3.0 · source
Name	Select Bus Service
Locale	New York City, United States
Transit type	Bus rapid transit
Began operation	2008
Operator	Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Select Bus Service is a bus rapid transit program operating in New York City that aims to speed surface transit on congested corridors. The program is administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and implemented through coordination with the New York City Department of Transportation, MTA Bus Company, and New York City Transit Authority. It builds on principles used in Los Angeles Metro Busway, Bogotá TransMilenio, London Buses, and Ottawa Transitway to improve bus speeds, reliability, and rider experience.

Overview

Select Bus Service provides limited-stop, high-capacity surface transit on major corridors in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. The model emphasizes fare prepayment, off-board fare collection, bus lanes, and enhanced bus stops similar to systems in Brisbane and Istanbul. Operators include the New York City Transit Authority division of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and private contractors under the MTA Bus Company umbrella. Planning and street design changes are coordinated with the New York City Department of Transportation and local elected officials such as the Mayor of New York City and borough presidents.

History and development

The program originated from studies by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and pilot projects influenced by international bus rapid transit deployments like Curitiba's Rede Integrada de Transporte and pilot work in Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority corridors. Early demonstrations involved collaboration between the New York City Department of Transportation and the MTA New York City Transit operations team, with public outreach including community boards and hearings before the New York City Council. The first routes launched in the late 2000s as an effort to relieve pressure on subway corridors such as the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line and BMT Fourth Avenue Line.

Service design and features

Select Bus Service uses off-board fare payment via vending machines and proof-of-payment enforced by inspectors from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department. Dedicated bus lanes are marked and enforced by the New York City Police Department traffic units and the New York City Department of Transportation street design teams. Vehicles are typically articulated buses procured through contracts with manufacturers used by the MTA Bus Company fleet, and stop spacing reflects limited-stop patterns used on trunk corridors like Queens Boulevard and Fordham Road. Passenger amenities often mirror features found in Transport for London improvements: real-time arrival displays, raised boarding platforms, and shelters designed with input from the New York City Department of Transportation's street furniture program.

Routes and operations

Routes operate along major arteries including corridors historically served by local routes such as those on Hylan Boulevard, Woodhaven Boulevard, and Kings Highway. Operations are coordinated out of MTA depots and scheduled to interline with subway stations like Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue/74th Street station and 14th Street–Union Square station. Service planning involves the MTA Planning and Performance Management group and integrates with regional plans from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey where intermodal connections exist. Special event adjustments have been made for venues such as Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.

Impact and performance

Evaluations by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and independent researchers have measured travel time reductions on corridors compared to prior local services, with comparisons drawn to results from TransMilenio and Vancouver's RapidBus. Ridership changes influenced subway crowding statistics on lines like the IRT Lexington Avenue Line, and roadway configuration changes required coordination with the New York City Department of Transportation and local elected officials. Analyses by transportation researchers at institutions such as Columbia University and New York University have examined metrics including on-time performance, dwell times, and fare evasion rates.

Criticism and controversies

Critics have raised concerns over bus lane enforcement, curbside parking removal controversies involving Local Law petitions and disputes brought before the New York City Council and Community Boards. Business improvement districts such as the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and merchant associations have sometimes opposed lane conversions, and legal challenges have referenced municipal procedures overseen by the New York City Department of Transportation and the Office of the Mayor of New York City. Transit advocates from organizations like the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Transport Workers Union of America have debated the balance of benefits between speed improvements and impacts on local access.

Future plans and expansions

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York City Department of Transportation continue to evaluate corridors for expansion, including proposals on corridors serving growing neighborhoods identified in planning studies by NYC Department of City Planning and regional plans coordinated with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Potential expansions reference lessons from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and international best practices in European Cyclists' Federation-informed street designs. Funding considerations involve capital budgets overseen by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board and grant programs administered by federal agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration.

Category:Bus rapid transit in the United States Category:Public transportation in New York City