Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bus Rapid Transit

Bx6 Riders Rave About Bus Lanes and All-Door Boarding

A new center-running bus lane and median island bus stop at East 161st Street and Sherman Avenue. Photo: TransitCenter

Dedicated bus lanes and all-door boarding debuted on the Bx6 earlier this month, and riders are noticing the difference.

Three weeks after DOT and the MTA launched Select Bus Service on this high-ridership route across Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx, TransitCenter staff checked in with people who ride the Bx6. It looks like changes have made tangible improvements -- riders say their trips are faster and they're saving time:

The Bx6 is the ninth SBS route to debut under de Blasio. Similar improvements could be extended to dozens of routes in a relatively short amount of time.

TransitCenter and the Bus Turnaround Coalition are pressing DOT and the MTA to speed up many more bus routes via modern, faster fare collection and rapid roll-out of bus lanes and signal priority for buses at intersections.

It should be an easy call for Governor Cuomo, de Blasio, and the transportation agencies that report to them. Tens of thousands of people ride the Bx6 every day -- and they're getting more time for themselves and less aggravation thanks to these changes. Millions more New Yorkers stand to benefit from a systemwide turnaround of NYC bus service.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Oonee, The Bike Parking Company, Files Formal Protest After DOT Snub

Brooklyn bike parking start-up Oonee is calling foul play on the city's selection of another company for its secure bike parking program.

December 12, 2025

OPINION: I’m Sick Of Unsafe 31st Street And The Judge Who Killed Our Shot at Fixing It

An Astoria mom demands that the city appeal Judge Cheree Buggs's ruling ordering the removal of the 31st bike lane.

December 12, 2025

‘I’m Always on the Bus’: How Transit Advocacy Helped Katie Wilson Become Seattle’s Next Mayor

"I really think that our public transit system is such a big part of people's daily experience of government," says the incoming mayor of the Emerald City.

December 12, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Blue Highways Edition

The DOT showed off its first water-to-cargo-bike delivery route. Plus other news.

December 12, 2025

Court Docs Shed Light on Instacart’s Car-Dominant Delivery Business

Instcart's reliance on cars adds traffic, pollution and the potential for road violence to city streets.

December 11, 2025

More Truck Routes Are Coming To A Street Near You

The DOT wants to rein in freight trucks by adding more than 45 miles to the city’s existing network of truck routes.

December 11, 2025
See all posts