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

Judge Orders Trump to Restore $34M in Security Funding to MTA

DHS overstepped its authority when it attempted to tie money from the Transit Security Grant Program to the Trump administration's efforts to deport immigrants, Judge Lewis Kaplan said.

October 16, 2025

Friday Video: Drool Over This London School Street

That's cricket! Check out how London transformed a roadway around a big stadium into a play street.

October 16, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Gateway ‘Terminator’ Edition

President Trump abruptly announced he'd "terminated" the Gateway Tunnel project while taking aim at Chuck Schumer. Plus more news.

October 16, 2025

Trump’s Electrification Cuts are Short-Sighted: Report

EV infrastructure is far more valuable to the nation's prosperity and jobs market than the White House believes, according to a new report.

October 16, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines: Another Highway Boondoggle Erased Edition

Maybe the worm has turned on these awful boondoggles? Plus other news.

October 15, 2025

Book Excerpt Special: ‘War on Cars’ Hosts Explore Life After the Automobile

...and why it's so urgent that we work for a better future.

October 15, 2025
See all posts