The B44 bus line in central Brooklyn, New York City’s fifth busiest route, carries more than 40,000 riders a day. But it hardly provides sterling service. Last year, the Straphangers Campaign found that the route was the least reliable in Brooklyn, and the limited-stop service was the fourth slowest in the borough.

Luckily for riders, the line is slated to become New York City’s next Select Bus corridor. Select Bus is a package of improvements to speed up the city’s bus system so it better compliments the subway. The B44 will follow the Bx12 on Fordham Road in the Bronx and the M15 along First and Second Avenues in Manhattan, the first and third busiest bus routes in the city, respectively.  Also planned are lines along Hylan Boulevard on Staten Island and 34th Street in Manhattan.

Earlier this summer, I spoke with riders about their experiences on, frustrations with, and expectations for the  bus — and also experienced the route’s problems first-hand. It was clear that Select Bus would be a big improvement.

Rider Frustrations

The current route, which runs along Bedford, Nostrand, Rogers, and New York Avenues, connects Sheepshead Bay to Williamsburg and links the 2, 3, 5, A, C, G, J, M, and Z trains. There is poor north-south rail connectivity in this part of the borough because trains run, in typical New York fashion, to and from Manhattan. The most common complaint I heard from riders of the B44 pertained to speed and frequency.

One young woman I spoke with has been taking the B44 for two years from Avenue X to Clarkson Avenue to transfer to a train to Downtown Brooklyn for high school, a trip that she said takes about 45 minutes to an hour each way.  The bus needs to come on time and the limited service must run past 9 pm, she told me.  While she would prefer a subway to take her to her destination, she acknowledged that a rail line is out of the question and “simple” relatively low-cost improvements are necessary.

An older woman I spoke with near the Bedford-Nostrand Station of the G train didn’t try to contain her frustration with the incomprehensible layout of bus stops near the station: the stop adjacent to the subway is only for local buses while the limited stop is two blocks north on DeKalb Avenue.  “Why,” she asked in bewilderment, “isn’t there a limited stop in front of the train station?”  Even more frustrating than the stop location was the imbalance of Limited buses compared to local buses.  While we waited, the woman I spoke with became exasperated as one Limited bus after another sped past, with three Limited buses passing before a local arrived.

During another ride I spoke with a woman who pointed out that people tend to stand in the front of the bus, leading to congestion and slow boarding, which averaged between 15 seconds and 1.5 minutes at each stop by my watch.

Additionally, one rider was concerned that removing parking would harm businesses along the corridor. Given that 62% of households within a quarter-mile of the corridor don’t own cars, there’s a strong argument that improved bus service would more than make up any loss of parking — and in fact, as currently planned, the Select Bus will have little impact on parking because buses will run in “offset” lanes (second out from the curb). But regardless of eventual impact, public perception is critical in getting this type of infrastructure off the ground.  Aware of this concern, the Pratt Institute for Community Development and Nostrand Avenue Merchants Association are surveying businesses along the corridor to ascertain exactly how the MTA can provide improved bus service with as few side effects as possible.

How Can Select Bus Help?

Surprisingly, not one person I spoke with was aware that the city and MTA plan to improve the B44, although there was unanimous support for any changes that would make their trip faster and easier.  Importantly, many of the proposed SBS changes will directly address the concerns riders voiced to me.

The keystone of the City’s Select Bus system is to dedicate a lane for the sole use of buses.  The B44 corridor dedicated lane would run from Flushing Avenue on the north to Flatbush Avenue on the south, leaving buses to compete with traffic for the remainder of the route. In addition to dedicated bus lanes, though, riders will pay their fare before boarding the bus, buses will be given priority at traffic signals, and “bus bulb” sidewalk extensions will add to convenience.  All of these changes, coupled with lower, easier to board buses making fewer stops, will reduce travel time along the B44 corridor by 25%, based on an MTA report. The roughly $40 million project, which is more than 70% funded by the federal government, is slated to be operational by winter 2012-2013. The plan will:

1. Make the route faster and more reliable: By creating a dedicated bus lane and penalizing drivers who obstruct it, buses – both limited and local – can avoid traffic congestion.  Additionally, off board fare collection will speed boarding and alighting and reduce “bunching” of buses, which should improve the imbalance between local and express buses seen by one rider.
2. Improve bus and train connections: Rather than prioritize bus to bus connections, the Select Bus will connect bus to train, stopping directly in front of the Lafayette Avenue G stop (going south), for example.
3. Reduce congestion in the front of the bus: Off board fare payment will allow riders to enter through front or back doors.
4. Extend hours of operation: The Select Bus will run until 10 pm, an hour and a half later than the current Limited, and will begin operations at 5:30 am rather than 6:00 am.

The Need is Clear

The time has come to equitably distribute the benefits of public transportation in New York City.  According to the MTA, 62% of households within a quarter-mile of the B44 do not own cars, and 28% are below the poverty line.  Central Brooklyn can no longer be burdened by a Manhattan-centric subway system and slow buses when tens of thousands of people are demonstrating the need for improvements.  The Nostrand Avenue Select Bus would be a major upgrade and has the potential to be the first of many truly rapid buses in Brooklyn. From the high school student to the retiree I spoke with, I can happily say that their demands are largely being answered.

The MTA’s latest Nostrand Avenue SBS newsletter can be found here.

Drew Goldsman is a TSTC summer intern.