Lewis BarbaraGiven such a busy traffic flow in America’s largest cities, it is understandable that not everyone who comes here can bring a personal car. In this case, public urban transportation becomes especially important. First of all – bus routes.
All of us are well aware of the legendary American muscle cars or huge powerful trucks. Even people who are far from cars are familiar with them, thanks to American adventure films. Buses of the North American continent are quite another matter.
They are a kind of enclosed space, designed for indoor use only. In fact, few people in Europe would be able to name several local companies specializing in city or intercity buses.
In addition to buses, of course, there are other urban transport. They include the traditional subway, ferries and even a cable car. All of them are vital for a metropolis, daily drowning in numerous traffic jams. In this case, the subway, of course, can come to the rescue. But, in fact, from the window of his car you can not see the local beauty. And here comes to the aid of the city bus.
Even if you own a car, it’s easy to get lost in the vast New York City. Walking through the vast urban area and seeing the local sights is out of the question. So, however you look at it, you simply can’t do without public transportation in the Big Apple. An interactive route planner from the MTA company can help with that.
Bus service in the metropolis is more than very well developed. There is a huge number of different routes, affecting not only the central streets, but also the outskirts and suburbs. Despite the traditional American carelessness, ground transport runs with German pedantry. Although traffic jams everywhere can make a nuisance of their own.
You can easily find out the time-table of the bus you need from the bus stop or route map (unlike in our country). You are offered a booklet with detailed information about the schedule of each route absolutely free of charge. They are available near any subway station or at special information boards located in libraries. By the way, it’s important to remember that bus schedules change on holidays.
The total number of main routes is 254. There are also several dozen additional express lines. As of 2022, they are distributed by sections as follows:
Queens – 80 regular and 30 express
Brooklyn – 58 and 7
Stat Island – 31 and 29.
Bronx – 44 and 11
Manhattan – 41 regular routes.
Coins can be used to pay for your ride when boarding the bus. The readers do not work with paper money. Change is also not given out, so you must have the right amount to pay. Although metal dollars can be used, a 50-cent coin is not suitable for payment because of its large size. One-cent coins cannot be used for payment either. If you have to transfer, you must notify the driver. The driver will give you a disposable MetroCard with a black stripe on the back. You can use it on the next train.
However, the main and most convenient way to pay is the reusable MetroCard. At the entrance it is inserted into the reader next to the driver. After that, the card is returned to the owner. This differs from the magnetic tape reader system by simply swiping the card used in the subway.
When the passenger has reached his/her stop, he/she should exit through the middle door. This can be done by first informing the driver by pressing the red “Stop” button on the handrail. The doors will open automatically or you will have to press the yellow bar in between. In addition to the MTA, there are many smaller private companies. There are also Chinatown social buses, where the fare is only $2 (instead of the usual $2.75). However, there is no possibility of a free transfer to another route.