Governor Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced it will increase bus service on 16 local routes across Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island beginning June 29, 2025. This is in addition to enhanced express bus service on eight lines that went into effect earlier this Spring. The service enhancement will decrease travel times, shorten commutes and reduce wait times at bus stops.

“Every New Yorker deserves access to safe, fast and reliable public transit, and I’m investing in our buses and subways so we can deliver better service in every corner of our city,” Governor Hochul said. “We’re taking action to strengthen our transportation infrastructure, bring stations and equipment up to par and create the best experience for every rider.”

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “Buses connect New Yorkers to jobs, education, entertainment and everything else the city has to offer. By increasing service on some of the busiest routes in the outer boroughs, we can deliver opportunity and quality of life upgrades to literally thousands of New Yorkers.”

Proposed by Governor Hochul in November 2024 in connection with the launch of congestion pricing, the service enhancements are one of the many ways stakeholders are working to give commuters better alternatives to driving. The following is a list of local bus routes that will benefit from the enhanced service. These lines have high ridership and, thanks to the success of congestion relief, allow riders to have expanded access to fast, safe, reliable transit service — especially in areas underserved by the subway system.

The Bronx:

• Bx10 (Riverdale-Norwood)
• Bx17 (Port Morris-Fordham Plaza)
• Bx23 (Co-op City-Pelham Bay Park Station)
• Bx28/Bx38 (Co-op City-Fordham Center)

Brooklyn

• B17 (Crown Heights-Canarsie)
• B26 (Fulton St-Ridgewood)
• B74 (Sea Gate-Stillwell Avenue Station)
• B103 (Canarsie-Downtown Brooklyn)

Queens

• Q13 (Flushing-Ft. Totten)
• Q28 (Bayside-Flushing)
• Q35 (Rockaway Park-Midwood)
• Q43 (Jamaica-Floral Park)
• Q66 (Flushing-Long Island City
• Q69 (Long Island City-Astoria)

Staten Island

• S46/S96 (Castleton Avenue)
• S79 SBS (Staten Island Mall-Bay Ridge)

The following is a list of the express bus routes in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island that have already implemented expanded service:

• BM2 (Canarsie-Avenue H-Midtown/Downtown)
• BM5 (Spring Creek-Linden Blvd-Woodhaven Blvd-Midtown)
• X27 (Bay Ridge-Midtown/Downtown)
• QM15 (Lindenwood-Cross Bay Blvd-Woodhaven Blvd-Midtown)
• SIM1C (Eltingville-Hylan Blvd-Midtown/Downtown)
• SIM4C (Huguenot-Richmond Av-Midtown/Downtown)
• SIM23 (Annadale-Arden Av-Midtown)
• SIM24 (Prince’s Bay-Huguenot Av-Midtown)

NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said, “Frequent, reliable bus service is essential for so many New Yorkers, especially for those who don’t live near the subway. By enhancing bus service on 16 local routes starting this summer, we can improve trips along critical corridors, especially where we have seen increased ridership since the beginning of congestion relief.”

Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie said, “Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus routes are of great importance for everyday New Yorkers, facilitating their commuting to and from various destinations, like work, especially in transportation deserts. Today’s announcement of service enhancements for 16 local bus routes across the city set to commence this summer, will ensure frequent and dependable services during a period when ridership tends to surge. I would like to thank the MTA for its commitment to the people of New York and its dedication to ensuring the accessibility of public transportation for all.”

State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “When we invest in public transit, we break down barriers to transportation and make it easier for passengers to get from Point A to Point B, and increasing bus service helps achieve this. I want to thank Governor Hochul and MTA Chair Lieber for their commitment to an efficient bus system that meets the needs of all New Yorkers.”

State Senator Leroy Comrie said, “Increasing bus services throughout Queens is crucial for ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to reliable and efficient transportation. These enhancements will reduce commute times and make connecting with essential services easier for our communities. I support this initiative, which reflects our commitment to improving public transit and enhancing the quality of life for all residents. I will continue to advocate for equitable investments in transportation, especially with the expansion of the Q43 route to better connect residents to vital locations.”

State Senator Kristen Gonzalez said, “I’m so excited for more frequent and reliable bus service in our community. Thank you to the MTA for their work in expanding bus service across NYC, and to my colleagues in the legislature who voted to fund this project.”

State Senator Andrew Gounardes said, “Brooklynites from across my district rely on buses to get to work, school, and everywhere else they need to go, and they deserve frequent, reliable service that works for them. That's especially true for seniors, folks with disabilities and those who live far from the subway. These are some of the highest-ridership bus routes in the city, and this service increase is a boon to New Yorkers and to our economy. Thanks to the MTA for making smart investments like this in our transit system and our city.”

State Senator Robert Jackson said, “Transit justice begins with investment—and I commend the MTA for taking this step toward a fairer, faster New York. For my constituents in District 31 and working-class New Yorkers across the city, expanded service on the Bx10 and other local routes is more than a convenience—it’s a correction. It’s a recognition that access to reliable, efficient transit is not a luxury, but a right. Every added bus, every reduced wait, brings us closer to a system that serves all of us—equitably, urgently, and with the dignity our communities deserve.”

State Senator John Liu said, “These service enhancements are a welcome step forward for Queens riders who rely on our bus network to get to school, work, and other essential destinations every day. Increasing service on many of these routes will provide more options for riders in northeast Queens without direct subway access to connect to mass transit. This expansion is an important part of the MTA’s broader bus redesign and aligns with the goals of congestion pricing, which is to invest in faster, more reliable service and get more commuters out of their cars and into mass transit.”

State Senator Julia Salazar said, “Hundreds if not thousands of New Yorkers in our district depend on buses to get to work, see their loved ones, grab their groceries, and more. As a strong advocate for investing in our public transit systems, I’m thrilled the MTA is enhancing services on 16 local routes, making commutes faster, more reliable, and more convenient.”

Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz said, “Thank you MTA for announcing increased bus service around the city, specifically in my district with the Bx10 bus line. The Bx10 runs throughout most of my district, including Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Van Cortlandt Village, and Norwood, and will now have additional buses in rotation all day, reducing wait times at bus stops and shortening travel times. Many of my constituents rely on the Bx10 for transportation and these new service enhancements will improve their daily commutes. Investing in our public transportation is one of the smartest choices we can make, and I am confident that these changes will benefit us all greatly.”

Assemblymember Charles D. Fall said, “I’ve long called for improvements to the S46 line, and I’m glad to see this critical investment finally being delivered for the West Shore and North Shore communities of our borough. These enhancements will help reduce wait times, ease overcrowding, and make daily commutes more reliable for working families who rely on this route. I remain committed to fighting for equitable, accessible transit across Staten Island and beyond.”

Assemblymember Larinda C. Hooks said, “We appreciate the additional service being added to key routes like the Q66 and Q69, which play an essential role in connecting neighborhoods across Queens. This is a positive step toward improving access for residents who often experience long and complex commutes. I look forward to continued efforts that build a more efficient and equitable transit system for all New Yorkers.”

Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, “The upgraded B103 bus service is a game-changer for our community. More frequent service means faster, more reliable commutes. Investing in our bus network is critical to making transit work better for everyone.”

Assemblymember Steven Raga said, "I'm grateful for the MTA's leadership in creating reliable, efficient, and speedy bus service for New Yorkers. Like many New Yorkers throughout the city, I have several constituents who do not live near a train station, resulting in busses to be one of their only modes of transportation. The Q66, for example, is a vital bus service that connects my constituents in Jackson Heights and Woodside to neighborhoods all the way to Flushing and Long Island City. With the enhanced bus services taking effect, I'm excited for my constituents and all New Yorkers to experience faster commutes and experience shorter wait periods."

Assemblymember George Alvarez said, “Investing in better bus service is investing in the everyday lives of Bronx residents. With enhanced service on key routes like the Bx10, Bx17, Bx23, and Bx28/Bx38, communities from Riverdale to Co-op City will benefit from shorter wait times, improved reliability, and greater access to opportunity. This is a meaningful step toward a more connected, equitable Bronx.”

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “I’m pleased to see the MTA expanding local bus service in the Bronx and across the city. Reliable and frequent public transit is essential to our communities — it connects people to jobs, school, healthcare, and opportunity. These service enhancements will help shorten commutes, reduce wait times, and make everyday travel more manageable for Bronxites who rely on our buses the most. Investments like this bring us one step closer to a more equitable and accessible transit system for all New Yorkers.”

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said, “More than 800,000 Queens residents rely on MTA bus service each day, and each one of them deserves a fast, reliable commute that gets them to work, school, home or elsewhere quickly. With these needed service enhancements — in tandem with the full Queens Bus Network Redesign coming this summer — that commute is exactly what families across the borough will finally be able to enjoy. I'm deeply grateful to our dedicated partners at the MTA for working hand-in-hand with our borough to deliver the kind of mass transit system all 2.4 million of us in Queens have long sought and advocated for.”

The increased service is being funded with $8 million from the Outer Borough Transportation Account, which was established by the New York State Legislature in 2018 to improve transportation service in the outer boroughs.