look at M60 you will be surprised.
Ohh I also saw buses and trucks on the grandcentral beyond astoria en rte to LGA so you are a bit off to an extent but mostly correct.
Besides I am the opposite of you I avoid manhattan buses like the plague yet I will gladly use buses in other areas like the outerboroughs LI and NJ and even CT. Manhattan buses are just too slow for me to take seriously except the M60.