This August, The MTA is launching redesigned express bus service on Staten Island.

Last updated: 06/20/2018

 

This August, The MTA is launching redesigned express bus service on Staten Island. The redesign will include changes to route names, route paths, and some bus stops.

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We’re doing this because decades of changing demographics and piecemeal updates have made Staten Island express bus service trips longer and less reliable. By redesigning the network, we’re better able to meet the changing needs of our customers. The redesign will create faster and more reliable trips between Staten Island and Manhattan. It also means a more coherent and sensible express bus system across New York. This is the first step in a plan to reimagine the bus network across New York.

The new system will go into place August 19, and  the MTA is collecting the information you’ll need to prepare. Check back frequently, as better maps, more comprehensive information, and tools you can use to plan your new commute will be added.

There are new route names

This was a comprehensive redesign, and it made sense to change the route names. The new routes are different enough that using the old names would be confusing. The new ‘SIM’ (Staten Island to Manhattan) naming system emphasizes that this is a new system. The new names also make Staten Island express service consistent with express service in the rest of the city. That includes BxM for Bronx to Manhattan, BM for Brooklyn to Manhattan, and QM for Queens to Manhattan.

Some routes are changing one-to-one, but many old routes will be served by a mixture of new routes.

Current Routes New Routes
X1 SIM1 / SIM7 / SIM10 / SIM22
X2 SIM6 / SIM10
X3 SIM1 / SIM5 / SIM7
X4 SIM1 / SIM5 / SIM7
X5 SIM6 / SIM10 / SIM22
X7 SIM5 / SIM6 / SIM7 / SIM10
X8 SIM5
X9 SIM6 / SIM7 / SIM10
X10 SIM3 / SIM31 / SIM32 / SIM33 / SIM35
X11 SIM32
X12 SIM3 / SIM30 / SIM34
X14 SIM3 / SIM30 / SIM35
X15 SIM15
X17 SIM2 / SIM4 / SIM8 / SIM22 / SIM23 / SIM24
X17A SIM4
X17J SIM8
X19 SIM2
X21 SIM22
X22 SIM25 / SIM26
X23 SIM8 / SIM23 / SIM24 / SIM25
X24 SIM8 / SIM23 / SIM24
X30 SIM30
X31 SIM31
X42 SIM3 / SIM30

 

Some stops are changing

72 percent of our customers will continue to use the same bus stop that they use today. Other customers will need to use an alternate stop. For nearly all riders who have to use a different stop, the added walk will be less than five minutes.

The MTA knows that eliminating stops is not ideal, but we had to make some tradeoffs. Eliminating or moving some stops allows buses to make fewer turns and keep moving with the flow of traffic. That will result in a faster, more reliable commute for everyone.

Check back for a list of stops that are changing, and what your best alternative will be.

 

The reason for new routes

The new network offers customers travel times that are close to, or faster than, their trips today. This is a change, but it’s a change that will improve commutes and quality of life across Staten Island. The new routes will address slow speeds and unreliability. The routes will concentrate service where possible to streets with bus priority. They will be, on average, shorter and spend less time on Manhattan streets. They will have fewer turns, and more space between bus stops.

Under the refined plan, riders will enjoy:

  • Simplified service to Manhattan
  • More direct routes on Staten Island
  • Fewer stops to speed up trips
  • Expanded off-peak and weekend service to Manhattan
  • Streamlined routing to either Midtown or Downtown Manhattan

Data analysis and input from more than 3,000 riders led to the creation of the redesigned network. Input from bus operators, elected officials, and local community leaders also played a part. We’ve put together maps to help you better understand the new routes and schedules.

 

Background on this project

Staten Island’s express bus service started in the 1960s. Since then, population, work trends, and the number of cars on the road have shifted. For a while, changes to the network happened piecemeal. In 2015, the MTA launched a comprehensive study to find out the best way to improve the network and provide better service.

Reimagining Bus Report

In May 2017, the MTA issued its “Reimagining Express Buses” report as part of the Staten Island Bus Study. The report recommended redesigning of the express bus network to make trips to and from Manhattan faster and more reliable. We started exploring ways to make these improvements reality.

Read the Reimagining Bus Report

Engagement Process

The release of the report was only the first step. During 2017 and 2018 we engaged with bus riders and residents of Staten Island. That helped us refine and change our plan. Customer feedback for these improvements has been positive. In a survey of more than 1,000 express bus riders, 76 percent of respondents supported the project. Customers also provided meaningful input that helped us further refine the redesign.