By Julia Zichello
Why take the bus and not the subway? Firstly, the bus is accessible to those with difficulty walking or in wheelchairs, which not all subway stations are. And if you are going crosstown, there really is no substitute for the bus.
The bus is gentle. The bus is kind. The bus is slow, sometimes incredibly, painfully, wretchedly so. How slow? About the speed of the beginning guitar riff of Ride Into the Sun by The Velvet Underground. But if you aren’t in a hurry, like that song, the bus can be a thing of beauty.
The bus has many alluring qualities: the light that spills through the windows, the way it allows you to watch the street without being noticed, and something about the slowness can seem dreamlike if you let it. And yes, it stops a lot, especially the buses that aren’t Limited. But when it stops, and the hiss-squeak of the brakes recedes, you can sometimes hear birdsong or lively sidewalk conversations pour into the bus for a few seconds. And the doors close again, right before you get tired of hearing it.
Did I mention the bus is slow? That’s a big part of what makes the vibe within feel softer, welcoming even. It’s like the grandma’s house of public transportation. Eye contact is not so much a sin on the bus, and neither is idle chatter with a stranger beside you. On the bus you can read your book, listen to some music, listen to someone elses’ music, or even better—overhear their entire conversation and decide what you would do in that same scenario.
And if you have ever experienced the fleeting phenomenon of being the only rider on a city bus, then maybe you live in perpetual longing of that elusive public-transportation ideal, a unique mix of triumph and melancholy that only comes with having all the seats to yourself.
Realities
On the Upper West Side, the crosstown buses, interspersed from West 66th to West 96th Streets, ingest incredibly long lines of riders into their clown-car-like bellies, especially at rush hour. (I think to myself, I should have just walked.) The M104 on Broadway is ubiquitous, very much a part of the uptown/downtown scenery, but if you actually wait for it, like some kind of trick of the space-time continuum — it never arrives. The M7 and M11 share the same avenues (Columbus and Amsterdam) for a while, and can even arrive at the same stop simultaneously sometimes! This abundance of possibility (this bus, or that?) may elicit a momentary rush of excitement, but that’s the only kind of rush there will be. Because the bus is not just a mode of transport — it is an exercise in patience.
Waiting
Your first task will be to wait. The wait may feel longer than the ride itself. The unique 6-digit code printed at each stop’s “lollipop” makes it easy to determine when the bus will (probably) arrive. Just text that number to 511123, and decide how you want to spend your one wild and precious life.
If the bus is late to arrive, it is appropriate to lean into the street, put one foot off the sidewalk, and peer down the block with the urgency of a swan waiting for pieces of bread (which, by the way, is not healthy for waterfowl to eat). The bus is huge and has a distinct silhouette, so if you don’t see it right away — that is because it is not there.
You may shake your head. You may sigh and exchange glances of shared disappointment with the people around you. Your disappointment could turn into a flash of anger if another bus sails by with the dreaded “NOT IN SERVICE” sign lit. You may consider giving up altogether. But the text (or the app) told you that it’s only three minutes away! Minutes will pass like you are under water.
But when that great big blue whale of a vehicle crests over the horizon of traffic, humming, hissing, and gently rocking — the misery of your current state of waiting will at last be soothed.
Boarding Behavior
Perhaps some of the most important pieces of bus etiquette involve boarding. Firstly, don’t cut the line of people waiting. The line may appear non-linear at times, but don’t mistake it for a casual cluster of people. Those around you may have waited for the bus longer than you have. If you aren’t sure if they were there before you, assume that they were. If you are unsure of where the line begins or ends — ask.
In the Belly of the Whale
Once you have paid, either by card, coin, or OMNY — keep moving along, however briskly you are able. Only if you are elderly, or a person with a disability, should you occupy the front seats which face toward the center of the bus. Especially if the bus is full, you should move yourself, however gingerly, through feet, beside baby carriages and carts, under fragrant armpits, around bags within bags, towards the back of the bus.
In general, as much as possible, keep your stuff out of the aisle. Take your backpack off your shoulders, shove your Trader Joe’s bags between your feet, and although it’s almost too obvious to say—keep your bags off the seats.
Get up, Stand Up!
If you see someone board the bus who may need a seat more than you do, offer to get up or move. This spirit of generosity is even more acutely felt on the bus than down in the subway, partly because there are fewer seats, but also because the bus is just kind of — kind.
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Well done and oh, so true, Julia.
Note: Unless you’re very agile, beware of the interior stairs on some buses. When last I put a foot on one trying to secure an upper level seat, the bus jerked, my knee torqued, fractures and a torn meniscus followed. Life changed.
Good advice. I made the mistake of trying to go up the back stairs while simultaneously talking on my phone, and when the bus lurched to a start, both the phone and I went flying. Unlike you, the only thing injured was my pride, but your cautionary tale bears heeding.
The biggest benefit to taking the bus is that you can just get on, nod to the driver and walk inside without paying your fare. More and more people do that (in addition to those who graciously reduce front-door crowding by entering through the rear door). In fact, although I haven’t yet joined either group, I’m starting to become embarrassed when I do pay.
I am appalled at the number of thumbs-up this post received. If the posters are WSR readers, I’ll give them the benefit of assuming they are middle-class, law-abiding UWSers like me and my neighbors. They would never dream of walking out of a restaurant without paying the bill, shoplifting at Duane Reade, or removing a book from a public library without checking it out and returning it. Yet they applaud a poster who thinks he deserves the “benefit” of riding without paying the fare. It is theft of service, it is illegal, and it is anti-social. And unfortunately, it has become normalized.
48% of nyc bus riders fail to pay, according to this NYTimes article – just published!
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/26/nyregion/nyc-bus-subway-fare-evasion.html
The MTA is losing millions in revenue because of this. Drivers had to stop enforcing the fare because a few years ago someone pulled a knife and stabbed a driver for attempting to do so. That doesn’t mean that fare evasion is okay or legal. If everyone who rides the bus paid their due fare (which is less than $3!), the MTA would have more funding to offer better service.
“The M104 on Broadway is ubiquitous, very much a part of the uptown/downtown scenery, but if you actually wait for it, like some kind of trick of the space-time continuum — it never arrives.”
Great writing, shared sentiment!
What has really hurt the M104 is that it no longer goes across 42nd Street.
I agree! I used to be able to get on the 104 with my luggage and get off right in front of Grand Central Station. PLEASE! Bring that back.!
Yes, totally agree! I realize that it was a long route for the drivers, but what a great thing it was for passengers.
Many Manhattan north south local routes are longer than the old M104.
Maria,
The change in the M104 route to Grand Central was sought by the Bloomberg Administration because the turn and bus stop situation was a problem for the Bloomberg plan to install the pedestrian plaza at Times Square.
The Bloomberg Administration also forced the rerouting of the M7 due to City plan to change/limit traffic flow on Broadway and enable bicycles
The pedestrian plazas are what killed the M6 as a viable bus route.
On the East Side, and depending upon the time of day, the bus – especially the Select M15 – can be faster.
There are days when there is almost no traffic on the M15 route uptown from Wall Street to 79th – and the Select M15 is only slowed by the speed limit and red lights.
The ride uptown on Madison (M1, M2, M3, M4) from about 60th to 100th Street is also pretty reliable.
The M66 is especially hampered as it is not a double street route like 79th, 86th and there has been and continues to be more high-rise development on the route that inevitably generates traffic.
Sadly City DOT and State MTA do not prioritize bus transit.
City DOT especially should be faulted in permitting Open Streets on bus routes which forces bus diversion and hurts riders. People are entitled to proper bus access
Rule number one:
Please pay the fare.
I wish the fare readers were better at reading smart watches. I was in Europe and never had a problem getting any device to read on the first attempt. On the MTA, sometimes it takes 3-4 attempts. I always board last so that I’m not holding anyone up, but it can be frustrating.
And before anyone tells me to just use my phone or credit card instead, in its infinite wisdom, the MTA only allows one device to be tied to a senior account, and my senior Metrocard expired at the end of July, so my watch is it.
Thank a union.
Fun Danish ad for taking the bus. https://youtu.be/75F3CSZcCFs?si=KxFvKb2f6LhrokJ3
Street fairs and “open” streets also interfere with City buses; that’s another thing different than riding on loud subway one has to clime upto or down to.
I see another commenter mentioned open streets. Ridden City buses only twice in the last 4 years. But even I know cutting people off from normal bus stops is a dumb idea.
You think the M104 is slow? Try riding the M3, M4 or M10, Sam, I agree that open Streets should not be allowed on bus routes.
It is easier to walk. I don’t know how many times I’ve found myself on Tenth Ave. in midtown in the middle of the day and thought, ‘rather than walk the long blocks to the subway on Seventh or Eighth, I’ll just walk up Tenth and eventually there will be a #11 bus I can hop on to take me to 100th Street’. Time and Time again, I walk the 60 blocks, looking over my shoulder for the “inevitable” #11. NEVER, NOT ONCE in 20 years has the #11 ever caught up with me on foot. If I didn’t see the ghost of one from time to time out the window, I would have long ago assumed that #11 service had been discontinued. Still beats the subway though, even if it never comes.
Thank you Julia, for the piece.
The buses are usually far too slow as they get stuck in all the car traffic, we should be building far more dedicated bus lanes so that bus service can be frequent and on time.
The NYT had a article recently on how the Adams administration has fallen far short of the 150 miles of bus lanes he campaigned on building, and is even below the 30 miles of bus lanes PER YEAR that the city is legally required to build.
Actually bus riders need more frequent buses.
The MTA has been reducing frequency for years.
(Bus lanes are not the main problem.)
For example, on weekends there are many areas with zero traffic…but a wait of 20-30 minutes for a bus.
Maybe it is not bus lanes and bus ways that help. But maybe letting bus operators the freedom to drive as they see fit would help even more. Buses were faster before vision zero.
Additional benefits to using the bus: no room for “Show Time” performers or musicians playing for tips; usually no one begging for money/food.; rarely have an unhoused person sprawled over the seats sleeping; and you will never be stuck underground in a tunnel;
Biggest disadvantage other than the slow speed: people can talk on their cell phones, loudly.
I prefer the bus to the subway and given the choice between them – if it’s not more than maybe a 10 minute commute difference, will choose the bus.
Long wait then the wagon train (three buses back to back) arrive. It’s a game the drivers play so only one operator has to work. Then they switch off on their next run, Am I the only one who’s ever experienced this?
My thought exactly as I was reading this. I sometimes ride the 104 for short rides up and down Broadway, when I’m too tired to walk, and use the QR code “app” to see the schedule. THEN, 2-3 buses show up at the same time. SO irritating, wasteful, and just plain rude. The drivers know precisely what they’re doing.
I try to take the bus whenever possible.
A driver once dropped me off on the corner of my block at 1 AM.
They’re supposed to, after 10 PM. But you have to ask.
There are many bus operators who will do favors, especially for female riders.
Buses could be considerably faster, with properly segregated and enforced bus lanes and priority timing for lights. When they put in the lanes on 14th St. downtown the M14 must’ve become twice as fast compared to busy times.
The MTA BusTime app is usually pretty reliable in predicting the arrival of the next bus. I’d say it eliminates the need to peer longingly down the street, except you will inevitably do it anyway to confirm that what it’s telling you is really true.
Eliminating double parking on bus routes would go a very long way toward speeding up the buses. Dozens of people waiting because one person decided to double park.
Josh P:
Buses are mostly slowed by the speed limit and red lights.
Even when on the SBS M15 with limited stops, when there is little traffic – buses cannot flow due to red lights and speed limits.
I love older people, and I am rapidly approaching that point in life. But as mentioned in the article, buses are increasingly for slow-moving older people who are not physically able to walk down into a subway station. It is wonderful that this resource is available for them and it should continue to be. But if you actually need to get somewhere somewhat rapidly, it is agonizing.
I take the subway whenever possible. I live near 86 and Broadway with many doctors at Cornell – rather than take the bus, I now take the 1 to Times Square then the Q back up to 72nd – the Q doesn’t run that often but it is still dramatically quicker and less frustrating.
And if you are getting on a bus and actually paying, please have your metrocard/other payment method ready to go. If you see the bus coming, get everything ready. Be considerate of other people’s time rather than waiting until you’ve stepped in the bus to start fumbling for it. Then move in quickly and get out of the way. And exit in the back if at all possible to speed things up. But don’t let people on the back door who shouldn’t be getting in there.
Real. Got lots of love for the bus. Nice article!
I love the bus! Especially early or late when it is actually fast. Or when I have time. If I were really stuck, broke, and needed a break on a hot day, I’d get on a cool north-south bus (the ac is usually great), sit not on the aisle toward the back, plug my device in to the handy USB charger and read…oh, whatever. War and Peace. Or listen to something. And enjoy the route, and maybe even score a transfer to come back. Not the most comfortable seats, but if you know the time and place, more seats than a library and cheaper than any cafe.
Remember when Carrie Bradshaw recalled the “Amsterdam Avenue bus”?
The first time I visited Italy, I thought hardly anyone paid the fare on the bus. It was rare that you’d see people stamping their paper bus tickets. Later I realized that most passengers had weekly or monthly passes. Occasionally an inspector would come through the bus, checking people’s tickets and, usually, weekly or monthly passes. Twice over the years I saw someone taken off for having no ticket.
Edny comments, “just nod to the driver and walk in w/o paying”. Since when is this OK? I always pay with my SR card. I’m gratefull to get a reduced fare card.
Of course it’s not OK. But more and more people do it.
Apt, gracious and glorious, this piece. The bus is my/our kind of time travel — and just leave early! Kudos to the author for her good sense (of humor) and to the RAG.
Loved this . Very accurate . Especially the comment on the APPs that often say it’s coming yet it’s not. One personal experience as life long city resident —- Sometimes the express bus if you catch it quick does beat the train . The author captured It’s beauty it’s slow but it’s KIND as you mention light bright reminds me of an older New York— people do chat with their neighbors on the bus . If you can spare the time it’s awesome. Thanks for sharing 💜
Love the bus. Love this article. I find that
planning is key. I leave earlier depending on where I have to go and whether I have an appt. Routes speed varies On some I can read , check email. The newer ones which let you know the next stop are the best. Going some places requires the train but for most give me the bus!
Nothing like MTA public transportation that is then obstructed by DOT redesigning and closing the streets causing delays, re-routes and public inconvenience – get it together guys! Down with Open Streets – nobody goes, nobody cares!
Sorry you don’t like the Open Streets, but in fact they are extremely well attended.
UWS Dad,
Buses are essential and really “well attended”
Open Streets would not be missed the same way buses would be if they’re gone
Why no mention of the stroller wars! Although signs at outdoor bus stops inform that strollers should be folded while riding, today that almost NEVER happens. Strollers are huge now and take up entire aisles. They compete with the walkers, wheel-chairs, shopping carts (also huger than ever), and skate boards. Good luck getting on or off. It’s dangerous, slows everything down and causes great anxiety and anger among riders. Something has got to be done.
I completely agree. More and more in NYC people do what is easiest for them with no seeming thought or care that they are sharing space with others. Twice in the last week I’ve been on buses with both parents (easy for one to hold the kid) and huge strollers kept open across from someone else with a wagon so there is only a tiny space to fit through for anyone trying to enter or exit. Similar to the bikers who ride on the sidewalk or ignore lights and traffic laws. The self-centeredness and entitlement blows me away. Yes, something must be done but who/how to enforce?
Totally agree. My husband got a laceration on his shin from trying to pass through a tiny space between a Rollator’s wheels and a stroller. Off to Urgent Care we went because the bleeding wouldn’t stop. This was horrible! We let a bus pass if it’s too crowded to board. What can be done?
As a life-long New Yorker I was amazed in the article that there is reference to a 116 St cross-town bus, which does not exist. It would be difficult for a bus to cut across Columbia University or Morning Side Park at 166 street. Cross town buses are at 100 st & 125st.
Otherwise it is an excellent article.
Editor’s error. Fixed.
It is officially the 116th Street crosstown. That is why MTA renumbered the route from the M20 to the M116 in 1993. The M20 used to be the name for the 116th Street crosstown, the current M20 was formed around 1999 when the M10 was split into two routes as the M10 used to cover all of what the current M20 covers.
Eugene (and hence WSR) is correct! The M116 will take you across town from Broadway & W. 106 to 1st Ave. & E. 116th St.–aka “the Costco run.”
When I was a kid my dad had us believing that Ralph Kramden was out there driving a City bus. My siblings and I were always on the lookout for him when we rode
I love this article. It has the total taking a bus vibe down. Because of a slight disability I stopped taking trains and switched to buses. Though I would agree about the at times slow crawl I wouldn’t go back. The views, a lot of the people, everything makes for a usually enjoyable ride. Yes there are always incidents now and then but I also feel much safer on a bus than the subway
The 104 is a joke Dot decided to limit the time it arrives because there was limited ridership. If Dot got their act together and put a LIMITED bus on Bway with a decent schedule they would increase the ease of travel and the ridership. the westside deserves a LImited bus n/s like the eastside
The M5, which runs along Riverside, is limited.
Lovely article .So many things to enjoy on the bus! But waiting for the M72 crosstown bus is like waiting for Godot, but slower. And the 2nd Avenue bus is torture. I’ve never gotten to an appointment on time on that bus, even if I allow 90 minutes. The traffic is unbearable.( Now I get off and walk, but while recovering from a broken hip, walking was not an option!)
I wish they would bring back the officials checking for proof of payment. I’m so tired of seeing people slip through the back door without paying for their ride. I’ve also seen drivers who let certain people who enter through the front board without paying. Everybody should have to contribute.
Agree, but it’s two different things. Inspectors are only assigned to SBS buses, where you get a ticket from a kiosk before you board, and where boarding through rear doors in encouraged. I’m not aware of any kind of enforcement on non-SBS routes where people enter through either door without paying. I assume drivers have been instructed not to challenge anyone.
The crowds that sometime occur waiting for buses is because there aren’t enough buses. Those of us old to remember 1995 recall that Mayor Giuliani cut back on funds for the MTA reducing the number of trains and the number of buses. During pre-1995 rush hours, you almost never had to wait 10 minutes for the next bus or train. Today that’s typical – and sometimes 10 minutes is the minimum wait time.
Julia, Fun read and so true. I am an avid bus rider.
I have been on an empty bus several times. Totally surreal. The M104 is definitely the bus with the most, wheelchairs, walkers and baby strollers. I have also seen an air conditioner and numerous oversized luggage pieces. I totally agree about the boarding rules and the once on the bus rules. I do wish mommies and nannies would teach there children to move to the back, especially when seniors board. I also would like to remind folks that we really don’t need to hear your phone conversation either half of it or both sides via speaker.
The bus is the best!!!
The MTA lost almost 1 BILLION dollars last year since so many people did not pay the fare on the bus & subway. This is one reason the system is not as good as it should be. Everyone who CAN pay the fare should. For those who cannot there should be a special card for those people who qualify. It is impossible for the authorities to be everywhere on the MTA subway stations and bus stops to stop people who do not pay. The reason for this is the breakdown in our society. I recently was on uptown Amsterdam bus and the riders who were already on the bus, standing, would not move to the back. I first asked them, then asked the driver to make an announcement – which he did not. Then told the standing people that I was not asking, but telling them to move to the back – so people could get back and there were many empty seats back there. A young woman sitting next to me said “Mister, if you don’t like it, get on a different bus”. I did not know where to laugh or cry !
Buses are great for seeing the streets and sights, and for the human connection with fellow riders as well as the bus driver.
Buses are essential for safety for some traveling at night.
Buses are also great for kids starting to travel on their own.
Love this article. Long live the kind buses.
I LOVE THE BUS! IF ONLY IT WOULD COME! I HAVE BEEN WRITING TO WHOMEVER – – FROM THE STATE LEVEL TO THE CITY LEVEL – THAT WE NEED MORE BUSES ON THE WEST SIDE. THE EAST SIDE HAS 2 – 5+ BUSES ON EVERY AVENUE! IF YOU MISS THE M104 ON BWAY YOU WILL WAIT 15 MINUTES FOR THE NEXT ONE. WHILE A “NOT IN SERVICE ” BUS GOES BY… I AM ON A WALKER, UNABLE TO TAKE THE SUBWAY ANYMORE. AND YES – CHOPPING UP THE ROUTES WAS TRAGIC – THE M104 THAT USED TO GO EAST ON 42ND STREET, THE M5 THAT USED TO GO DOWN TO HOUSTON, THE M10 THAT NOW STOPS AT COLUMBUS CIRCLE – USED TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.
HELP!!! PLEASE GET US MORE BUS SERVICE! WE NEED IT!
Julia- Such a well written article with great information. I hope you write for a living.
Thank you Roseann. I hope that too!
Its a lot easier taking the bus…more scenic not being underground..it may take longer but it is a lot more relaxing..I take the subway when I want to get somewhere fast…It is also much easier to have a conversation on a bus..The older I get the more I take a bus.
The article souns like it was written by the MTA. No mention of the many nasty drivers, the lollipop scedule that is always incorrect, all the Out Of Service Buses when they are needed most, waiting in the hot sun for a yet late again bus, baby carriages that you just can’t get by without jumping over them, people that have no idea what a headphone is and who yell into their phone while the party they are speaking to are on Speaker. I could go on. Is it better than the subway? At least you have less change of being pushing onto tracks. Overall, I give the bus expereince a 3/10.
Thank you for this charming (and realistic) view of bus riding in New York City. When visiting, I’m very much a fan of the subway—mostly for the speed of getting around. But on my most recent visit, I discovered the crosstown buses as a way of getting from the UES to the UWS—and back. And it is the very different experience that you describe, complete with all the charms and etiquette..
Great article. Very accurate. I love my M72 bus. And I love when the bus driver says to me as I exit the bus, “Be careful, take your time”.
The buses might be kind, but not all the bus drivers are.
Some are really exceptionally nice (God bless them), but some are really rude. Say hello and you’re ignored, sometimes with a dirty look.
I saw an older woman get yelled at by the bus driver on the 72nd St crosstown for making a simple mistake about a bus stop. He just kept going on and on at her (I bet he wouldn’t have treated a male passenger that way). And that line just goes from the UES to the UWS – it’s not the South Bronx.
My favorite pastime is noticing the interesting people around me. A bus driver who took the trouble to announce loudly the there was a pickpocket on the bus so riders should be careful and hold onto their wallets and purses. Or the pickpocket’s assistant, an bizarrely dressed young woman whose large shopping bag interfered with anyone trying to get past her to the back of the bus, creating a ruckus as she deliberately annoyed and distracted potential marks. Or the conversation begun when one passenger opposite me commented on my cat in the carrier at my feet, and there was a conversation about people’s cats’ behavior at the vets. A long, slow ride but not without distractions!
Thank you for this wry and amusing explanation of the Bus. I laughed out loud in places.
From another Julia–I had the experience a couple of weeks ago, when one 104 went by the stop (104th going south) and ten minutes later, right on the scheduled time, a second went by and the minute-counter went to 14. No idea what happened next because I had to catch a cab to be on time. I tried to report it on the MBTA complaint website, but I couldn’t unless I had at least one bus number on the report. Next time, In the middle of my shock and awe, I will try to get the bus number.
OMG I LOVE the bus—! Love that you can save the 6 digit code for your local bus stop and use it to find out exactly when that big beautiful bus is arriving. Love looking out the window, the light, the air, the hands-on spirit ! When I was young I loved the subway, its rush and grit and the hot press of humanity. Now, give me a bus any day! Especially the brilliant wide-ranging No. 5!
One of the benefits of living on Riverside Drive is the option to take the marvelous M5 bus, which sails down the drive, bordered by the beautiful park. My children went to school that way, from the age of seven to seventeen, and some of that time I had the privilege of accompanying them. It was a wonderful, relaxing way to start the day. And now one of my favorite things to do is take it down to Trader’s Joe’s on 72nd Street, do my shopping, and catch it for my ride back up with my groceries. So much more pleasant than the subway–and a chance to sit and daydream a bit on the way.
Another pleasant bus trip–though it’s on the UES, rather than UWS–is a ride down Fifth Avenue from the Met at Christmas time. I always do this: go see the tree, then get a comfortable seated view of the store decorations and the tree at Rock Center. Of course, only do it when you’re not in a hurry.
“Your one wild and precious life”!
I guessed it was a Julia article from the bird references even before reading the byline. Great piece!