Bx18 (New York City bus)
bx18A bx18B | |||
---|---|---|---|
170th Street Circulator Loop Line | |||
Overview | |||
System | MTA Regional Bus Operations | ||
Operator | Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority | ||
Garage | Kingsbridge Depot | ||
Vehicle | Nova Bus LFS Nova Bus LFS HEV New Flyer Xcelsior XE40 | ||
Began service | June 22, 1941 | ||
Route | |||
Locale | The Bronx, New York, U.S. | ||
Communities served | Morrisania, Morris Heights, Highbridge | ||
Start | Morrisania – East 170th Street & Grand Concourse (clockwise) | ||
Via | Macombs Road, Undercliff Avenue, West 168th Street (Bx18A only), Sedgwick Avenue, Macombs Road (Bx18B only) | ||
End | Morrisania – East 170th Street & Grand Concourse (counterclockwise) | ||
Service | |||
Operates | All times except late nights | ||
Annual patronage | 292,659 (2023)[1] | ||
Transfers | Yes | ||
Timetable | Bx18 bus | ||
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The Bx18A and Bx18B (collectively referred to as Bx18A/B or Bx18) bus routes constitute the 170th Street Circulator Loop Line. These bus routes run through a loop after 170th Street. The Bx18A goes through Undercliff Avenue while the Bx18B follows Sedgwick Avenue until turning back to 170th Street.
Route description
The Bx18A and Bx18B loop route begins at 170th Street and Grand Concourse near the 170th Street station. Then it continues on through the street line until at the 170th Street-Jerome Avenue station. Turning around against to loops. The Bx18A goes through Macombs Road then turns slightly left to Undercliff Avenue. The Bx18B does the same thing at Macombs but it only turns slightly left to Sedgwick Avenue. Those two bus routes finally meet again via 168th Street. And lastly, their destination is at 170th Street and Grand Concourse near the 170th Street station as of an clockwise.
History
The Bx18 started as a single route on June 22, 1941. The original eastern terminus was at Claremont Parkway-Webster Avenue.
Service was cut back to its current terminus in July 1974. The original western terminus was at Andrews Avenue-West 175th Street. It was extended west via the former Bx39 service (which was discontinued in 1953) to the River Park Towers in July 1974.
On June 26, 2022, the route was extended south from River Park Towers to 168th Street and east on 168th Street, Shakespeare Avenue, and 170th Street to the Grand Concourse, making it a loop route. On January 8, 2023, the Bx18 was split into the Bx18A and Bx18B to label each loop.[2][3][4]
As part of a pilot program by the MTA to make five bus routes free (one in each borough), the Bx18 was selected alongside the B60, M116, Q4 and S46/96 to become fare-free in July 2023.[5][6] The pilot program would last six to twelve months and buses would display a "Fare Free" sign, similar to the one used on the Q70.[7] The pilot will run from September 24, 2023 until at least March 30, 2024.[8][9][10] Though ten U.S. Congress members requested in April 2024 that the state government provide additional funding for the fare-free pilot program,[11][12] state lawmakers declined to reauthorize funding for the program.[13] The fare-free program ended on August 31, 2024.[14][15]
References
- ^ "Subway and bus ridership for 2023". mta.info. April 29, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
- ^ "DRAFT PLAN:Bronx Bus Network Redesign" (PDF). MTA. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
- ^ "FINAL PLAN:The Bronx Bus Network Redesign". MTA. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
- ^ "Final Plan:Bx18 Local". MTA. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
- ^ Brachfeld, Ben (July 17, 2023). "MTA announces five bus routes for fare-free pilot". amNewYork. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ "Free bus routes will be part of MTA pilot program heading to NYC this fall". NBC New York. July 17, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ "Governor Hochul Announces Fare Free Bus Routes Included in MTA Pilot". www.governor.ny.gov. New York State Government. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
- ^ "Fare-free pilot on five MTA bus routes". new. Metropolitan Transit Authority. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Charlesworth, Michelle (September 23, 2023). "NYC officials assures New Yorkers new MTA fare-free bus program is 'not a pipe dream'". abc7ny.com. ABC 7 New York. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ "Free NYC bus routes in each borough start Sunday as part of MTA program: What to know". nbcnewyork.com. NBC New York. September 20, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Shkurhan, Iryna (April 6, 2024). "Members of Congress ask Hochul to fund more fare-free buses amid state budget negotiations – QNS". QNS. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Brachfeld, Ben (March 12, 2024). "State lawmakers propose $90 million for more frequent buses, fare-free pilot in budget response". amNewYork. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Brachfeld, Ben (April 21, 2024). "MTA's free bus experiment will end after not being reauthorized in state budget". amNewYork. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Matteo, Mike (August 29, 2024). "NYC fare-free bus pilot to end this weekend: What riders on Staten Island need to know". silive. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
- ^ Dawson, Athena (August 29, 2024). "MTA's fare-free bus program slated to end in Queens this week". QNS. Retrieved September 1, 2024.