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Wikipedia logo This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at List of bus routes in Manhattan. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Metro Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA).
Mta-1-0715

An M8 Crosstown bus

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates a number of bus routes in Manhattan, New York, United States. Many of them are the direct descendants of streetcar lines (see list of streetcar lines in Mt. Eden Avenue.)

Companies[]

Presently, the Mt. Eden Avenue and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority, a subsidiary of the New York City Transit Authority, operates most of the local buses in Manhattan. The NYCTA directly operates only the M9, M15, M22, M27, M31, M50, and M66.

The first bus company in Manhattan was the Fifth Avenue Coach Company, which began operating the Fifth Avenue Line (now the M1) in 1886. When New York Railways began abandoning several streetcar lines in 1919, the replacement bus routes (including the current M21 and M22) were picked up by the New York City Department of Plant and Structures. The DP&S began operating several other buses (including the current M79 and M96) in 1921. All of these but the M21 were acquired by Green Bus Lines in 1933; Green transferred several of these to the Comprehensive Omnibus Corporation in 1935.

The New York City Omnibus Corporation began operating replacement routes for New York Railways lines abandoned in 1936, and acquired the remaining Green routes. They also acquired the Madison Avenue Coach Company (former New York and Harlem Railroad lines), Eighth Avenue Coach Corporation (former Eighth and Ninth Avenue Railways lines), and in 1942 the Triangle Bus Corporation (current M21).

In 1936, the NYCO and Fifth Avenue were placed under common ownership. The two were merged directly by 1956, when the NYCO asquired the Surface Transportation Corporation (operated former Third Avenue Railway routes since 1941), and changed its name to Fifth Avenue Coach Lines. After a strike in 1962, the entire Fifth Avenue system was transferred to the newly-formed Mt. Eden Avenue and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority.

In 1933, two related companies began to operate routes: the Comprehensive Omnibus Corporation gained several Green Bus Lines routes (including the current M22, M27, and M50), and the East Side Omnibus Corporation started operating former Second Avenue Railroad routes (including the current M15 and M31). The Comprehensive also started the current M66 that year, and in 1948 the New York City Board of Transportation acquired the Comprehensive and East Side routes, transferred to the New York City Transit Authority in 1953. The M9 came from the Avenue B and East Broadway Transit Company in 1980, which had begun operating replacement routes for the Dry Dock, East Broadway and Battery Railroad lines in 1932.

Mt. Eden Avenue[]

Route Terminals Major streets Depot History Notes
M1 Upper East Side or East Village Harlem Church Street, Broadway, Centre Street, Lafayette Street, Park Avenue South (ex-4th Avenue), Madison Avenue, and 5th Avenue Mother Clara Hale Fifth Avenue Coach Company began operating Fifth Avenue Line bus in 1886
Madison Avenue Coach Company bus replaced New York and Harlem Railroad's Fourth and Madison Avenues Line streetcar on February 1, 1935
routes combined as a one-way pair on January 14, 1966
Both local and weekday peak rush hour limited-stop service
M2 East Village Washington Heights Madison Avenue, 5th Avenue, 110th Street, and 7th Avenue Manhattanville Fifth Avenue Coach Company began operating bus on February 23, 1901
northbound buses moved to Madison Avenue on January 14, 1966
Both local and limited-stop service
M3 East Village Fort George Madison Avenue, 5th Avenue, 110th Street, and St. Nicholas Avenue Manhattanville Fifth Avenue Coach Company began operating bus on February 23, 1901
northbound buses moved to Madison Avenue on January 14, 1966
M4 Penn Station Fort Tryon Park/Cloisters Madison Avenue, 5th Avenue, 110th Street, Broadway, and Fort Washington Avenue Manhattanville Fifth Avenue Coach Company began operating bus on August 5, 1900
northbound buses moved to Madison Avenue on January 14, 1966
Both local and weekday rush hour limited-stop service
M5 Herald Square Washington Heights 6th Avenue, 5th Avenue, 59th Street, Riverside Drive, and Broadway Manhattanville Fifth Avenue Coach Company began operating bus on August 5, 1900 Both local and weekday limited-stop service Cut back to Sixth Avenue and West 31st Street in January 2017
M6 6 Ave
M7 Union Square Harlem 6th Avenue, Broadway, 7th Avenue, Amsterdam Avenue, Columbus Avenue, and Lenox Avenue Mother Clara Hale New York City Omnibus Corporation buses (M22 - 7) replaced New York Railways' Columbus Avenue Line streetcar on March 25, 1936
northbound buses moved to Amsterdam Avenue on December 6, 1951 and to Sixth Avenue on March 10, 1957
Had limited-stop service until 1993
M8 West Village East Village 10th Street, Christopher Street, 8th Street, 9th Street, and 10th Street Michael J. Quill New York City Omnibus Corporation bus (M16 - 13) replaced New York Railways' Eighth Street Crosstown Line streetcar on March 3, 1936
designated M13 until ca. 1989
M9 City Hall Gramercy Park Park Row, East Broadway, Avenue A, and Avenue C, Michael J. Quill Avenue B and East Broadway Transit Company bus (M9) replaced Dry Dock, East Broadway and Battery Railroad's Avenue B Line streetcar on July 30, 1932
M10 Midtown Harlem Central Park West, and Frederick Douglass Boulevard Manhattanville Eighth Avenue Coach Corporation bus (M41 - soon became NYCO's 10) replaced Eighth and Ninth Avenues Railway's Eighth Avenue Line streetcar on November 12, 1935
New York City Omnibus Corporation bus (M24 - 8/9) replaced New York Railways' Seventh Avenue Line streetcar on March 6, 1936
routes combined as a one-way pair on June 6, 1954 and kept the number 10
continued south to Abingdon Square, Spring Street and Battery Park City until 1999, when the M20 was split
M11 Greenwich Village Riverbank State Park 10th Avenue, 9th Avenue, Amsterdam Avenue, and Columbus Avenue Manhattanville Eighth Avenue Coach Corporation bus (M42 - soon became NYCO's 11) replaced Eighth and Ninth Avenues Railway's Ninth Avenue Line streetcar on November 12, 1935
northbound buses moved to Tenth Avenue on November 6, 1948
southbound buses moved to Columbus Avenue on December 6, 1951
M14A West Village Lower East Side 14th Street, Avenue A, and Grand Street Michael J. Quill New York City Omnibus Corporation bus (M17 - 14) replaced New York Railways' 14th Street Crosstown Line streetcar on April 20, 1936
M14D Chelsea Piers Lower East Side 14th Street and Avenue D
M15 South Ferry East Harlem Pearl Street, Allen Street, 1st Avenue, and 2nd Avenue 100th Street East Side Omnibus Corporation bus (M15) replaced Second Avenue Railroad's Second Avenue Line streetcar and began running (M13) on First Avenue on June 25, 1933
routes combined as a one-way pair on June 4, 1951 and kept the number M15
M15 Select Bus Service South Ferry East Harlem Pearl Street, Allen Street, 1st Avenue, and 2nd Avenue Mother Clara Hale Replaced M15 Limited
M20 South Ferry Lincoln Center Hudson Street, Varick Street, 8th Avenue, 7th Avenue, and Broadway Michael J. Quill split from M10 in 1999
M21 West Village Houston Street Michael J. Quill New York City Department of Plant and Structures bus (M10 - soon became NYCO's 21) replaced New York Railways' Avenue C Line streetcar on September 21, 1919
M22 Battery Park City Lower East Side Chambers Street and Madison Street Michael J. Quill New York City Department of Plant and Structures bus (M1) replaced New York Railways' Chambers and Madison Streets Line streetcar on September 21, 1919
became M22 by 1962
M23 Select Bus Service Chelsea Piers Peter Cooper Village 23rd Street Michael J. Quill New York City Omnibus Corporation bus (M18 - 15) replaced New York Railways' 23rd Street Crosstown Line streetcar on April 8, 1936
became M26 by 1962 and M23 ca. 1989
M31 Clinton Yorkville 57th Street and York Avenue Michael J. Quil East Side Omnibus Corporation began operating bus (M11) on June 25, 1933
became M31 by 1962
M33 Mall loop
M34 Select Bus Service Javits Convention Center Eastside Ferry Terminal 34th Street Michael J. Quill New York City Omnibus Corporation bus (M19 - 16) replaced New York Railways' 34th Street Crosstown Line streetcar on April 1, 1936
main route renumbered M34 ca. 1989; M16 remained as a variant
M34A Select Bus Service Port Authority Bus Terminal Kips Bay 34th Street, 8th Avenue, 9th Avenue, 2nd Avenue Michael J. Quill Replaced M16
M35 Harlem Randall's Island and Ward's Island Triborough Bridge Mother Clara Hale
M36 Nice home work loop the 2020
M42 Javits Convention Center or Circle Line Pier United Nations 42nd Street Michael J. Quill Surface Transportation Corporation bus (M106) replaced Third Avenue Railway's 42nd Street Crosstown Line streetcar on November 17, 1946
became M42 ca. 1989
M44 Ltd Jamaica via manager st
M50 Circle Line Pier United Nations 50th Street and 49th Street Michael J. Quill
M55/56 Midtown South Ferry Church Street, 6th Avenue, 5th Avenue, Broadway Michael J. Quill Service south of NYU was part of the M6 route. Merged with the M5 on June 27, 2010.
Split off from M5 on January 8, 2017
M57 Upper West Side East Midtown West End Avenue and 57th Street Michael J. Quill Fifth Avenue Coach Company began operating bus on April 17, 1934
S58 East North port
M60 Select Bus Service Morningside Heights La Guardia Airport, Queens Broadway, 125th Street, Triborough Bridge, and Astoria Boulevard Michael J. Quill
M66 Upper West Side Upper East Side 65th Street, 66th Street, 68th Street, and 67th Street Michael J. Quill Comprehensive Omnibus Company began operating bus (M7) in 1933
M7 became M29 by 1962 and M66 ca. 1989
M72 Upper West Side Upper East Side 72nd Street, 65th Street, and 72nd Street Michael J. Quill Fifth Avenue Coach Company began operating bus on February 23, 1901
M79 Upper West Side Upper East Side 79th Street Michael J. Quill New York City Department of Plant and Structures began operating bus (M4 - soon became NYCO's 17) on November 30, 1921
M17 became M79 ca. 1989
M86 Select Bus Service Upper West Side Yorkville 86th Street 100th Street New York City Omnibus Corporation bus (M5 - 18) replaced New York Railways' 86th Street Crosstown Line streetcar on June 8, 1936
M18 became M86 ca. 1989
M96 Upper West Side Yorkville 96th Street Manhattanville New York City Department of Plant and Structures began operating bus (M6 - soon became NYCO's 19) on July 1, 1921
M19 became M96 ca. 1989
M98 Murray Hill Washington Heights 3rd Avenue, Lexington Avenue, Harlem River Drive, 179th Street, 178th Street, and Fort Washington Avenue Manhattanville Weekday rush hour limited-stop service
M99 [ 59 St
M100 East Harlem Inwood 125th Street, Amsterdam Avenue, and Broadway Kingsbridge Surface Transportation Corporation bus (M100) replaced Third Avenue Railway's Broadway-Kingsbridge Line streetcar on June 22, 1947
M101 East Village Washington Heights 3rd Avenue, Lexington Avenue, 125th Street, and Amsterdam Avenue 100th Street New York City Omnibus Corporation bus (M21 - 3) replaced New York Railways' Lexington Avenue Line streetcar on March 25, 1936
Surface Transportation Corporation bus (M101) replaced Third Avenue Railway's Third and Amsterdam Avenues Line streetcar on May 28, 1947
routes combined as a one-way pair on July 17, 1960 and kept the number M101
Original southern terminus was City Hall
Both local and limited-stop service
M102 East Village Harlem 3rd Avenue, Lexington Avenue, 116th Street, and Lenox Avenue 100th Street New York City Omnibus Corporation bus (M21 - 4) replaced New York Railways' Lexington and Lenox Avenues Line streetcar on March 25, 1936
northbound buses moved to Third Avenue on July 17, 1960
became M101A by 1962, and later M102
Original southern terminus was City Hall
M103 City Hall East Harlem Park Row, Bowery, 3rd Avenue, and Lexington Avenue 100th Street
M104 United Nations Harlem 42nd Street, 8th Avenue, and Broadway Michael J. Quill Surface Transportation Corporation bus (M104) replaced Third Avenue Railway's Broadway Line streetcar on December 15, 1946
M105 271 St East 180 St 3 Ave Nice home work Ave x
M106 Upper West Side East Harlem 96th Street, Madison Avenue, 5th Avenue, and 106th Street Manhattanville Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority began operating bus in 1962 as the M107; first became a branch of the M19, then the M106
M142 Upper West Side East Harlem 106th Street, Manhattan Avenue, and 116th Street Michael J. Quill New York City Omnibus Corperation bus (M20 - 20) replaced New York Railways' 116th Street Crosstown Line streetcar on April 1, 1936
M20 became M116 ca. 1989

The following lines from other boroughs enter Manhattan:

  • Bronx: Bx3, Bx6, Bx7, Bx9 (through Marble Hill), Bx11, Bx12, Bx13, Bx15, Bx19, Bx20, Bx33, Bx35, and Bx36
  • Queens: Q32, Q60, Q101, and Q102 (Roosevelt Island)
  • Express: all routes except Q50

Former routes[]

Except for the Fifth Avenue Coach Company's routes, which were approved by the New York Legislature, all routes were assigned a franchise by the city, numbered in order from M1 to M25, M41 to M42, and M100 to M106. Most companies used these numbers, but the New York City Omnibus Corporation give its routes numbers from 1 to 22, and the Fifth Avenue Coach Company used numbers from 1 to 20. By the time the Mt. Eden Avenue and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority took over most routes in 1962, some of the designations had been changed to avoid conflicts.

Designation Company Route Notes
Original Public 1962 Current
M1 M22 M22 Comprehensive Madison and Chambers Streets
N/A 1 M1 Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue
M2 12 M12 N/A NYCO Spring and Delancey Streets
N/A 2 M2 Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue, 110th Street, and Seventh Avenue
M3 M27 M50 Comprehensive 49th and 50th Streets
N/A 3 M3 Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue, 110th Street, and St. Nicholas Avenue
M4 17 M17 M79 NYCO 79th Street
N/A 4 M4 Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue, 110th Street, and Riverside Drive
M5 18 M18 M86 NYCO 86th Street
N/A 5 M5 Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue, 57th Street, and Riverside Drive
M96 NYCO 96th Street
N/A 6 M30/M72 Fifth Avenue 57th and 72nd Streets
N/A 8 M5 Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue, 57th Street, and Riverside Drive
M7 M29 M66 Comprehensive 66th Street
M8 N/A East Broadway Grand Street
M9 East Broadway Avenue B and East Broadway
M10 21 M21 NYCO Avenue C and Houston Street
M11 M31 East Side York Avenue
M12 M18 M86 East Side 86th Street and York Avenue
M13 M15 East Side First Avenue
M14 N/A East Side First and Second Avenues
M15 East Side Second Avenue
N/A 15 QM15 Q32 Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue and Queensboro Bridge
M16 13 M13 M8 NYCO 8th Street
M17 14 M14 NYCO 14th Street
M18 15 M26 M23 NYCO 23rd Street
M19 16 M16 M16/M34 NYCO 34th Street
M20 20 M20 M116 NYCO 116th Street
N/A 20 M28 M57 Fifth Avenue 57th Street
M21 3/4 M101A M102 NYCO Lexington and Lenox Avenues
M22 6/7 M6/M7 NYCO Broadway and Columbus and Lenox Avenues
M23 5 M6 NYCO Sixth Avenue
M24 8/9 M10 M10/M20 NYCO Seventh Avenue
M25 1/2 M1 NYCO Madison and Fourth Avenues
M41 10 M10 M10/M20 NYCO Eighth Avenue
M42 11 M11 NYCO Ninth and Amsterdam Avenues
N/A TB M35 N/A NYCO Triborough Bridge to Astoria, Queens and Port Morris, Bronx
M100 Surface Broadway-Kingsbridge
M101 Surface Third Avenue
M102 N/A Surface 125th Street only operated from June 29 to July 1, 1947 (125th Street is still served by the M60 and Bx15)
M103 N/A Surface 59th Street
M104 Surface 42nd Street and Broadway
M105 N/A Surface Tenth Avenue and Broadway
M106 M42 Surface 42nd Street

Listed below are routes that were renumbered or eliminated after 1962.

Route Major streets History
M8 Grand Street and Broome Street
M12 Spring Street, Prince Street, Delancey Street, and Williamsburg Bridge to Williamsburg, Brooklyn
M13 see M8
M17 see M79
M18 see M86
M19 see M96 and M106
M20 see M116
M26 see M23
M28 see M57
M29 see M66
M32 see Q32
M34 see M35
M35 Triborough Bridge to Astoria, Queens
M41 "Culture Bus Loop I"
M58 57th Street merged with the M31 in 1994
M101A see M102
M103 West End Avenue and 59th Street Surface Transportation Corporation bus (M103) replaced Third Avenue Railway's 59th Street Crosstown Line streetcar on November 11, 1946
discontinued on September 1, 1989
M105 Tenth Avenue and Broadway Surface Transportation Corporation bus (M105) replaced Third Avenue Railway's Tenth Avenue Line streetcar on November 17, 1946
buses moved to Eleventh Avenue on November 6, 1948, when Tenth Avenue became one-way
discontinued in 1962
M106 see M42
M107 see M96 and M106

References[]


New York City area surface transit
Major bus operators NYCTA/MaBSTOAMTA BusMTA Long Island BusSuffolk County TransitBee-Line Bus SystemNJ Transit
Bus routes Bronx • Brooklyn • Manhattan • Queens • Staten Island • Express/multi-boro • Nassau • Westchester
MaBSTOA garages Bronx: Gun Hill • Kingsbridge • Mother Clara Hale • West Farms
Manhattan: Tuskegee • Manhattanville • Michael J. Quill
NYCTA garages Brooklyn: East New York • Flatbush • Fresh Pond • Jackie Gleason • Ulmer Park
Manhattan: 126th Street
Queens: Casey Stengel • Jamaica • Queens Village
Staten Island: Castleton • Yukon • Charleston • Meredith
MTA Bus garages Baisley Park • College Point • Eastchester • Far Rockaway • John F. Kennedy • LaGuardia • Spring Creek • Yonkers
NYCTA maintenance facilities East New York • Zerega Avenue
Former major streetcar operators 2nd Ave3rd Ave8th & 9th AvesB&QT (BMT)LIEM&QNY RailwaysNY&HNY&LI
NY&NSNY&QCOcean ElectricPublic ServiceRichmondSI MidlandSteinway
Former streetcar lines Bronx • Brooklyn • Manhattan • Queens • Staten Island • Long Island • Westchester
Other articles NYCTA/MTA Bus bus models • MetroCard • Other NYC transit
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