In an ongoing series of stories about the city’s often undervalued bus system, City Limits has highlighted an important tension: The system is critically important, especially to neighborhoods outside the city’s core that are poorly served by the subway, and particularly to mobility-impaired New Yorkers who depend on buses because they cannot feasibly access the trains. But likely because of service problems, bus ridership overall has been shrinking.

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That’s more true for some lines than others, and on some bus routes, ridership is increasing. Improvements in service on some lines—like the launch of select bus service—can boost ridership, and development can bring larger crowds to the bus stops.

Below are some of the MTA’s ridership statistics for the majority of lines in the city, and links to schedules for each route (though the MTA does not provide data for each right). Click on the borough below to see the list of buses that run there.

Brooklyn
Bronx
Manhattan
Queens
Staten Island
Express Buses


Brooklyn Local Buses: Average Weekday Ridership

Route Service Area 2015 2016 2015-2016 Change % 2016 Rank
B1 Ocean Parkway/86 Street 19,409 19,828 2.20% 25
B2 Avenue R 2,579 2,464 -4.50% 158
B3 Avenue U 11,914 11,803 -0.90% 58
B4 Bay Ridge Parkway/86 Street 5,653 6,195 9.60% 118
B6 Bay Parkway/Avenue J/Flatlands Av 41,175 41,320 0.40% 4
B7 Kings Highway/Saratoga Avenue 5,870 6,066 3.30% 121
B8 18 Avenue/Avenue D 19,541 19,616 0.40% 26
B9 60 Street/Avenue M 12,785 14,404 12.70% 42
B11 49 & 50 Streets/Avenue J 11,283 11,273 -0.10% 64
B12 Clarkson Av/Empire Blvd/East New York Av 15,766 15,380 -2.40% 35
B13 Crescent St/Jamaica Avenue/Wyckoff Av 5,844 6,290 7.60% 117
B14 Sutter/Pitkin Avenues 7,214 7,243 0.40% 109
B15 Marcus Garvey Boulevard/New Lots Avenue 22,153 22,282 0.60% 23
B16 Ft Hamilton Parkway/13 & 14 Avenues 6,686 6,739 0.80% 115
B17 Remsen/Seaview Avenues 11,605 11,279 -2.80% 63
B20 Pennsylvania Avenue/Linden Boulevard 7,433 7,042 -5.30% 111
B24 Greenpoint/Kingsland Avenues 2,379 2,390 0.50% 160
B25 Fulton Street 10,041 10,048 0.10% 80
B26 Halsey/Fulton Streets 9,757 9,723 -0.30% 87
B31 Gerritsen Avenue 2,664 2,753 3.30% 154
B32 Bway/Kent Av/Franklin St/McGuiness Blvd 725 819 13.00% 173
B35 Church Avenue/39 Street 33,016 31,886 -3.40% 7
B36 Avenue Z/Surf Avenue 14,320 14,026 -2.10% 46
B37 Fort Hamilton/Boerum Hill via Third Ave 2,208 2,380 7.80% 161
B38 DeKalb/Lafayette Avenues 19,241 19,099 -0.70% 27
B39 Williamsburg Bridge Plaza, Brooklyn/Lower East Side, Manhattan 258 260 0.80% 182
B41 Flatbush Avenue 28,690 27,082 -5.60% 16
B42 Rockaway Parkway 4,310 4,186 -2.90% 143
B43 Manhattan Av/Graham Av/Tompkins Av 10,530 10,540 0.10% 72
B44Lcl/SBS Nostrand Avenue/Sheepshead Bay/Williamsburg Bridge Plaza 37,021 37,418 1.10% 5
B45 St Johns Place 6,217 6,019 -3.20% 123
B46Lcl/SBS Kings Plaza-Via Utica Ave/Malcolm X Blvd-Williamsburg Bridge Plaza 44,431 43,463 -2.20% 3
B47 Broadway/Ralph Avenue/Avenue U 10,611 10,436 -1.60% 74
B48 Lorimer Street/Franklin & Classon Avenues 3,759 3,851 2.40% 146
B49 Ocean Avenue/Bedford & Rogers Avenues 12,755 12,452 -2.40% 51
B52 Gates Avenue 12,451 12,435 -0.10% 52
B54 Myrtle Avenue 10,946 10,466 -4.40% 73
B57 Flushing Avenue 7,072 7,244 2.40% 108
B60 Wilson Avenue/Rockaway Avenue 9,753 9,906 1.60% 84
B61 Van Brunt Street/Columbia St/Atlantic Avenue 10,233 9,945 -2.80% 83
B62 Long Island City – Downtown Brooklyn 8,652 7,882 -8.90% 101
B63 Fifth/Atlantic Avenues 11,778 11,607 -1.50% 60
B64 86 Street/Bath Avenue 5,579 5,732 2.70% 127
B65 Bergen/Dean Streets 3,437 3,398 -1.10% 150
B67 McDonald/7 Avenues 4,521 4,504 -0.40% 135
B68 Coney Island/Brighton Beach Avenues 14,182 14,159 -0.20% 45
B69 7 & Vanderbilt Avenues 3,989 4,225 5.90% 141
B70 7 & 8 Avenues 5,387 5,942 10.30% 124
B74 Mermaid Avenue 4,436 4,225 -4.80% 141
B82 Bay Pkwy/Kings Hwy/Flatlands Av 27,930 27,959 0.10% 13
B83 Van Siclen/Pennsylvania Avenues 8,642 8,281 -4.20% 97
B84 Ashford St/Flatlands/Fountain Avenues 585 595 1.70% 178
Other Brooklyn routes 324 452 39.50%
Brooklyn Local 609,740 607,012 -0.40%


Bronx Local Buses: Average Weekday Ridership

Route Service Area 2015 2016 2015-2016 Change % 2016 Rank
Bx1/2 Grand Concourse 38,411 36,487 -5.00% 6
Bx3 University Avenue/West 181 Street 15,042 14,921 -0.80% 38
Bx4 Westchester Avenue 11,542 11,411 -1.10% 61
Bx5 Bruckner Boulevard Svc Rd/Story Av 11,786 11,194 -5.00% 67
Bx6 East 161/East 163 Streets 24,642 23,800 -3.40% 21
Bx7 Riverdale Avenue/Broadway 13,570 13,720 1.10% 48
Bx8 Bronxwood Av/Williamsbridge Rd 7,148 7,282 1.90% 107
Bx9 Broadway/Kingsbridge Road 27,517 27,175 -1.20% 15
Bx10 Riverdale/Norwood 11,040 11,266 2.00% 65
Bx11 Claremont Parkway/170 Street 14,818 14,269 -3.70% 43
Bx12Lcl/SBS Pelham Parkway/Fordham Rd 48,656 48,124 -1.10% 1
Bx13 Ogden Avenue/West 181 Street 11,818 12,094 2.30% 55
Bx15 3 Avenue/125 Street 30,687 28,156 -8.20% 12
Bx16 East 233 Street/Nereid Avenue 8,031 8,239 2.60% 98
Bx17 Crotona Avenue/Prospect Avenue 10,559 10,219 -3.20% 77
Bx18 Macombs Road 1,844 1,920 4.10% 163
Bx19 Southern Boulevard/East 149 Street 31,531 29,378 -6.80% 11
Bx20 Broadway/Henry Hudson Parkway Svc Rd 804 772 -4.00% 174
Bx21 Morris Park Avenue/Boston Road 16,055 15,234 -5.10% 36
Bx22 Castle Hill Avenue 15,102 14,690 -2.70% 41
Bx24 Pelham Bay Park – Country Club 732 754 3.00% 176
Bx25/Bx26 Allerton Avenue 8,018 7,988 -0.40% 100
Bx27 Westchester/Soundview Avenues 7,743 7,435 -4.00% 104
Bx28/Bx38 East Gun Hill Rd – Co-op City – Bay Plaza 16,066 15,750 -2.00% 34
Bx29 City Island 2,524 2,476 -1.90% 156
Bx30 Boston/East Gun Hill Roads 9,814 9,680 -1.40% 89
Bx31 Eastchester Road 10,349 10,019 -3.20% 81
Bx32 Morris/Jerome Avenues 7,049 6,809 -3.40% 114
Bx33 Port Morris, Bronx/Harlem, Manhattan 2,991 2,866 -4.20% 151
Bx34 Bainbridge Avenue 4,394 4,268 -2.90% 140
Bx35 East 167/West 181 Streets 18,537 17,651 -4.80% 28
Bx36 East 174/East 180 Streets 31,729 30,474 -4.00% 9
Bx39 White Plains Rd 16,670 16,434 -1.40% 32
Bx40/42 Tremont Av Crosstown 26,378 25,454 -3.50% 17
Bx41Lcl/SBS Webster/Melrose Avenues 24,231 23,558 -2.80% 22
Bx46 Longwood Ave/Tiffany St/Hunts Point Market 598 619 3.50% 177
Other Bronx routes 285 240 -15.80%
Bronx Local routes, total 538,711 522,826 -2.90%


Manhattan Local Buses: Average Weekday Ridership

Route Service Area 2015 2016 2015-2016 Change % 2016 Rank
M1 Fifth and Madison Avenues 10,810 10,436 -3.50% 74
M2 Fifth and Madison Avs/AC Powell Blvd 9,614 9,275 -3.50% 92
M3 Fifth and Madison Avs/St Nicholas Av 13,792 13,149 -4.70% 49
M4 Fifth and Madison Avs/Broadway (Local and Limited Stops) 17,080 16,235 -4.90% 33
M5 Fifth Av/Av of Americas/Riverside Dr 10,711 10,063 -6.00% 79
M7 Columbus Av/Amsterdam/6/7 Avs/Bway 13,412 12,905 -3.80% 50
M8 8/9 Streets Crosstown 2,142 2,107 -1.60% 162
M9 Avenue C/East Broadway 5,257 5,333 1.40% 132
M10 (Central Park West)/Frederick Douglass Blvd 7,264 6,874 -5.40% 113
M11 9 (Columbus) and 10 (Amsterdam) Avs 10,877 10,152 -6.70% 78
M12 Eleventh/Twelfth Avs 464 515 11.00% 179
M14 14 Street Crosstown 32,868 30,558 -7.00% 8
M15Lcl/SBS First/Second Avenues 46,029 44,797 -2.70% 2
M20 Lincoln Center/Battery Park City 2,710 2,446 -9.70% 159
M21 Houston Street 1,423 1,402 -1.50% 168
M22 Madison/Chambers Streets 2,690 2,732 1.60% 155
M23Lcl/SBS 23 Street Crosstown 12,716 12,308 -3.20% 53
M31 57 Street/York Av 10,029 9,995 -0.30% 82
M34/16/SBS Jacob Javits Center via 34 Street 15,080 14,901 -1.20% 39
M35 Randall’s Island/Ward’s Island 1,369 1,038 -24.20% 171
M42 42 Street Crosstown 11,517 10,596 -8.00% 70
M50 49/50 Streets Crosstown 2,895 2,785 -3.80% 153
M57 57 Street Crosstown 6,139 6,065 -1.20% 122
M60Lcl/SBS La Guardia Airport via 125 Street 16,697 16,751 0.30% 31
M66 66/67 Streets Crosstown 11,810 11,195 -5.20% 66
M72 72 Street Crosstown 6,134 5,675 -7.50% 130
M79 79 Street Crosstown 14,660 13,892 -5.20% 47
M86Lcl/SBS 86 Street Crosstown 23,576 24,746 5.00% 18
M96 96 Street Crosstown 15,442 15,034 -2.60% 37
M98 Washington Heights/Upper East Side (Limited-Stop Service) 1,790 1,863 4.10% 164
M100 Amsterdam Av/Broadway/125 St 16,412 17,006 3.60% 30
M101 Third/Lexington/Amsterdam Avs 26,167 24,275 -7.20% 20
M102 Third/Lexington/Lenox Avs 12,739 12,292 -3.50% 54
M103 Third/Lexington Avs 10,403 9,786 -5.90% 86
M104 Broadway/42 Street 9,026 8,223 -8.90% 99
M106 96/106 Streets Crosstown 2,436 2,476 1.60% 156
M116 116 Street Crosstown 10,147 10,296 1.50% 76
Other Manhattan routes 380 302 -20.50%
Manhattan Local routes 424,707 410,479 -3.40%


Queens Local Buses: Average Weekday Ridership

Route Service Area 2015 2016 2015-2016 Change % 2016 Rank
Q1 Springfield Blvd/Braddock/Hillside Avenues 4,719 4,381 -7.20% 139
Q2 Belmont Park/Hollis Avenuee 5,691 5,722 0.50% 128
Q3 Farmers Boulevard/JFK Airport 9,667 9,684 0.20% 88
Q4 Linden Boulevard (Regular and Limited-Stop Service) 9,379 9,242 -1.50% 93
Q5 Merrick Boulevard/Green Acres/Rosedale 12,003 11,728 -2.30% 59
Q12 Sanford Avenue/Northern Boulevard 10,889 11,099 1.90% 68
Q13 Northern/Bell Boulevards 8,610 8,516 -1.10% 95
Q15 150 Street 5,729 5,876 2.60% 125
Q16 Bayside Avenue/Willets Point Boulevard 4,052 4,054 0.00% 145
Q17 Kissena Boulevard/Horace Harding Expwy/188 St 17,237 17,224 -0.10% 29
Q20 Jamaica/college Point 13,371 14,192 6.10% 44
Q24 Atlantic Avenue/Broadway 8,846 8,512 -3.80% 96
Q26 46 Avenue/Hollis Court Boulevard 1,397 1,466 4.90% 166
Q27 46 Avenue/Rocky Hill Rd/Springfield Boulevard 24,516 24,580 0.30% 19
Q28 Northern Boulevard/32 Avenue 9,816 9,893 0.80% 85
Q30 Utopia Parkway/Horace Harding Expressway 10,243 10,555 3.00% 71
Q31 Utopia Parkway/Bell Boulevard 5,610 5,692 1.50% 129
Q32 Roosevelt/Fifth Avenues 9,942 9,454 -4.90% 90
Q36 Hillside/Jamaica Avenues 5,943 6,101 2.70% 120
Q42 Jamaica/Archer Av/Liberty Av/174 St 1,195 1,195 0.00% 170
Q43 Hillside Avenue 14,840 14,853 0.10% 40
Q44Lcl/SBS Jamaica, Queen/Bronx Park South, Bronx 27,092 27,712 2.30% 14
Q46 Union Turnpike 21,647 21,468 -0.80% 24
Q48 Roosevelt Av/Ditmars Blvd/La Guardia Airport 2,805 2,854 1.70% 152
Q54 Jamaica/Metropolitan Avenues 11,761 11,952 1.60% 56
Q55 Myrtle Avenue (East) 7,427 7,343 -1.10% 105
Q56 Jamaica Av 8,003 7,862 -1.80% 102
Q58 Fresh Pond Rd/Corona Av 29,027 29,412 1.30% 10
Q59 Grand Street/Grand Avenue 6,844 7,127 4.10% 110
Q76 Francis Lewis Boulevard 5,557 5,742 3.30% 126
Q77 Springfield Blvd/Francis Lewis Blvd 6,306 6,413 1.70% 116
Q83 Liberty/Murdock Avenues 8,827 8,664 -1.80% 94
Q84 Merrick Boulevard/120 Avenue 4,528 4,441 -1.90% 136
Q85 Merrick Boulevard/Conduit Av 12,150 11,820 -2.70% 57
Q88 Horace Harding Expwy/73 Av/Springfield Blvd 10,529 11,010 4.60% 69
Other Queens local routes 698 466 -33.20%
Queens Local routes, total 356,896 358,305 0.40%


Staten Island Local Buses: Average Weekday Ridership

Route Service Area 2015 2016 2015-2016 Change % 2016 Rank
S40/90 Richmond Terrace 4,671 4,629 -0.90% 133
S42 St Marks Place/Bay Street 905 914 1.00% 172
S44/94 Richmond Avenue 7,240 7,016 -3.10% 112
S46/96 Castleton Avenue 7,626 7,299 -4.30% 106
S48/98 Forest Avenue 7,975 7,702 -3.40% 103
S51/81 Bay Street/Father Capodanno Boulevard 4,248 4,169 -1.90% 144
S52 Tompkins Avenue/Cebra Avenue 3,615 3,450 -4.60% 149
S53 Clove Road/Verrazano Narrows Bridge 9,497 9,378 -1.30% 91
S54 Manor Road 1,447 1,315 -9.10% 169
S55 Annandale Road/Richmond Avenue 390 355 -9.00% 181
S56 Richmond Avenue/Arthur Kill & Foster Rd 532 515 -3.20% 179
S57 Rockland/Brielle/Bradley Aves 1,494 1,436 -3.90% 167
S59 Richmond Avenue 3,749 3,592 -4.20% 148
S61/91 Victory Boulevard/Bradley Av 4,492 4,385 -2.40% 138
S62/92 Victory Boulevard 4,386 4,431 1.00% 137
S66 Victory Boulevard/Jewett Avenue 1,677 1,659 -1.10% 165
S74/84 Richmond/Arthur Kill Roads 5,512 5,411 -1.80% 131
S76/86 Richmond Road/New Dorp Lane 4,724 4,617 -2.30% 134
S78 Hylan Boulevard 6,211 6,163 -0.80% 119
S79Lcl/SBS Verrazano Narrows Bridge/Hylan Boulevard/Richmond Avenue 11,070 11,378 2.80% 62
S89 Richmond Av/Bayonne, New Jersey (Limited-Stop Service) 781 756 -3.20% 175
S93 Clove Road/Verrazano Narrows Bridge (Limited-Stop Service) 3,235 3,686 13.90% 147
Other Staten Island, buses 310 279 -10.00%
Staten Island Local buses, total 95,787 94,535 -1.30%


Express Buses: Average Weekday Ridership

Route Service Area 2015 2016 2015-2016 Change % 2016 Rank
X1 Hylan Boulevard 5,963 6,019 0.90% 2
X2 Hylan Boulevard 1,639 1,550 -5.40% 10
X3 Hylan Boulevard 500 486 -2.80% 23
X4 Hylan Boulevard 628 645 2.70% 19
X5 Hylan Boulevard 1,849 1,865 0.90% 8
X7 Hylan Boulevard 1,815 1,753 -3.40% 9
X8 Hylan Boulevard 862 817 -5.20% 16
X9 Hylan Boulevard 1,198 1,105 -7.80% 12
X10 Richmond & Gannon Avs and Victory Blvd/Gannon Av 2,784 2,825 1.50% 4
X11 Richmond & Gannon Avs and Victory Blvd/Gannon Av 724 705 -2.60% 17
X12/42 Watchogue Rd/Forest Av/South Av 2,248 2,235 -0.60% 7
X14 Port Richmond & Forest Avs/Clove Road 885 894 1.00% 14
X15 Richmond Road/Arthur Kill Road 1,242 1,149 -7.50% 11
X17 Richmond/Hugenot/Arden Avs 5,812 6,114 5.20% 1
X19 Richmond/Hugenot/Arden Avs 940 1,018 8.30% 13
X21 Richmond Av/Arthur Kill Rd 393 488 24.20% 22
X22 Bloomingdale/Amboy Roads (via Pleasant Plains) 2,198 2,304 4.80% 6
X27/37 Bay Ridge – Downtown/Midtown Manhattan 3,121 3,106 -0.50% 3
X28/38 Sea Gate/Bensonhurst – Downtown/Midtown Manhattan 2,616 2,634 0.70% 5
X30 Forest Av/Victory Blvd 843 860 2.00% 15
X31 Travis Avenue/Forest Hill Road 687 675 -1.70% 18
X63 Rosedale/Midtown Manhattan 614 598 -2.60% 20
X64 Cambria Heights/Midtown Manhattan 335 319 -4.80% 24
X68 Floral Park/Midtown Manhattan 557 546 -2.00% 21
Other express buses 21 23 9.50%
Express routes, total 40,474 40,733 0.60%