New York Rediscovers the Bus

Tongues are wagging in New York City about a new transportation technology that doesn’t require you to descend into a dank tunnel smelling of urine, sweat, and lysol. The new technology is called a bus, and New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority used one to introduce a new bus-rapid transit line two years ago. Not only has it attracted many new riders, it has done so without costing more than $2 billion a mile and more than a decade of planning and construction to start it up.

New York’s Bx12 “Select Bus Service.”
Wikipedia commons photo by Adam E. Moreira.

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Of course, a 41 percent increase in speed doesn’t amount to much on New York’s congested streets. The local buses along the same route go 6.8 mph, while the SBS goes 9.6 mph. But New York City buses are about the slowest in the nation, averaging 8.1 mph in 2006. Manhattan buses are even slower, averaging 5.5 mph. So much for density and transit relieving congestion. But rather than sinking tens of billions into more subways, New York and other cities should look to buses as a cost-efficient transit alternative.

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About The Antiplanner

The Antiplanner is a forester and economist with more than fifty years of experience critiquing government land-use and transportation plans.

9 Responses to New York Rediscovers the Bus

  1. the highwayman says:

    It’s a Volvo.

  2. MarketStEl says:

    Where does the Bx12 run? I presume from the Bronx to Manhattan? Or only in the Bronx?

    Yes, its success shows that rapid bus service can succeed and prove cost-effective even in the nation’s densest and most congested city, but I suspect that rail would still prove the superior option for long-distance commutes in New York. Then again, with one notorious exception, New York already has its full complement of subways.

  3. Scott says:

    Again finding old technology, originally called omnibus.
    Although, much more cost-effective than rail.

    The altering traffic signals can, increase congestion on cross streets. However, in NYC, its’ unlikely that there are many timed streets. And dedicated lanes cause even worse traffic.

  4. Frank says:

    “Manhattan buses are even slower, averaging 5.5 mph.”

    A whopping 2.5 mph faster than walking.

  5. foxmarks says:

    83% faster than walking. Or, the same trip in 55% of the time.

    What’s your time worth?

    And, if this is a new and “special” service, perhaps it hasn’t gathered all the negative externalities imposed on riders of other forms of communal transport.

  6. Andrew says:

    Scott:

    The north-south one-way avenues in Manhattan (1st, 2nd, 3rd, Lexington, Madison, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th/Columbus, 10th/Amsterdam, 11th) are timed streets. Obviously, you’ve never driven on them.

  7. Andrew says:

    MarketStEl:

    New York City hardly has a full complement of subways. Aside from the missing 2nd Ave. Subway you implicitly mention other areas without subways include:

    125th St. crosstown
    10th Ave. south of the Upper West Side
    Utica Ave. in Brooklyn
    Subway access to LaGuardia
    3rd Ave. in the Bronx
    Most of Queens and Staten Island

  8. Scott says:

    It’s good that they are timed. Does it help/work.
    I would think that there is too much traffic to matter.

    I’ve never driven on them? Is that suppose to be an insult?
    I was in NYC in 1986. Don’t remember what parts of Manhattan.
    Is the traffic so great that it’s easily noticeable, with one drive-through, to usually hit green? Awesome. I don’t believe you though.

  9. the highwayman says:

    Scott said: Again finding old technology, originally called omnibus.

    THWM: Well yes & no. Depends on how much traffic there is in an area.

    Even horsecars(rail) would do more work, with less cost & in less time than that of an omnibus in a busy area.

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