Bus Number Lingo

[MrTransitMan]

For those not from the New York or outter areas often consider New York City being all 5 boroughs, but then when you get there residents call the city only Manhattan. Is that the same for buses? If you live in Brooklyn do you say B25 or just the 25?

[Gorgor]

For those not from the New York or outter areas often consider New York City being all 5 boroughs, but then when you get there residents call the city only Manhattan. Is that the same for buses? If you live in Brooklyn do you say B25 or just the 25?

 

 

I live in Manhattan and tend to vary how I say it dependent on who I'm talking to. If I'm talking to somebody who doesn't like in Manhattan I'll usually say something like "take the M31 bus." so that it's clear. If I'm talking to somebody who lives in Manhattan, I'll say something like "take the M31," and if I'm talking to somebody who lives by the route or would know what I'm talking about, I'll sometimes drop the prefix and say "take the 31." I think that it's much more common to drop the prefixes in the outerboroughs rather than Manhattan.

 

Whenever I'm referring to the M15 Select Bus Service, I'll just say "take the select," and other times when I'm talking about going crosstown and it's obvious what bus I'm referring to, I'll just say "take the crosstown."

 

And there's this one person I know from Staten Island who refers to express buses by putting the prefix at the end, for example he'll say something like "I was on the 10X."

[MHV9218]

^ They used to be numbered like that, with the X at the end IIRC.

 

I tend to say "the 41 bus" or the "2 bus," rarely say the prefix unless it's a cross-borough bus like the Q32.

[Turbo19]

When giving directions, I used to specifically say the borough prefix before the route number, so there would be no need to clarify. With people in the area, you could just say the route number and likely they'll understand it.

[checkmatechamp13]

Sometimes my grandmother refers to "the Coney Island Avenue bus" or "the Victory Blvd bus", but she's the only one I know who says it like that.

 

Yeah, generally, I just refer to the number, because usually the person knows what borough I'm referring to. Even with express buses, when I talk about "the 17", it's implied I'm talking about the X17, because obviously SI has no local buses lower than the S40. (My dad even shortens it to "the A/C/J" for the different X17 patterns, which sometimes throws me off for a little, because the X17A/C connect with the (A)/© subway lines. But that's only if he's talking with a family member).

 

But if I'm giving directions to somebody, I'll usually put the prefix, especially if the trip involves crossing borough lines (If you want to transfer from the S53 to the B70, obviously, you can't have the person thinking there's an S70 or something).

 

^ They used to be numbered like that, with the X at the end IIRC.

 

 

I think so too. I remember an R8X that ran from Port Richmond to Downtown Brooklyn.

[S78 via Hylan]

Since, I live in Brooklyn, I just say the route number. As for SI, same thing, but when I write, I put the "S".

For express routes, I say X, BM.... etc.

[CDTA]

I always put the prefix on there, even if it's a route that I took everyday. Although when I asked someone in the bronx where I could pick up the Bx12, they were confused because of the prefix.

[Metro CSW]

I fan a lot about the city. So I just go by what each borough denotes...

[QM1to6Ave]

I always drop the letter prefix outside of manhattan, but in manhattan I always add it in. Never even thought about that until right now lol. Dunno why I add it in in manhattan

[jgood6195]

R8X is one strange route.

[Fresh Pond]

I usually just say the route and drop the letter prefix. If im talking about an express route then I'll say the letter prefix(es)

[Blitz]

I always use the borough prefix when giving directions or talking about a bus route. This is because there are several routes that travel to or through Manhattan from different boroughs and I just want my explanations to remain clear. (Example: Both the M15 and Bx15 have stops on 125th street)

[mtattrain]

R8X is one strange route.

 

 

So is n6X lol.

 

But all SI routes were labeled "R" once.

[Quill Depot]

I dont use the prefix once people know what i'm talking about. For example we were talking about Queens routes. "The 23 is…"

 

When helping people, I always use the the prefix, where to get the bus, and the road it runs on

 

Take the M9, runs via Avenue C. You can get it around City Hall. Walk south from here 1 or 2 blocks.

[Quill Depot]

Oh, and for BxM, I'll say take the Bronx-manhattan __. For express, Ill say take the express __ but X on the X1

[checkmatechamp13]

Oh, and for BxM, I'll say take the Bronx-manhattan __. For express, Ill say take the express __ but X on the X1

 

 

I think that makes it more confusing. I mean, the signage doesn't say "Bronx-Manhattan 1", it says "BxM1". The person might not know that "Bronx-Manhattan" was abbreviated as BxM, so while I doubt they'll actually look for a bus saying "Bronx-Manhattan 1", it's not really useful to them. The same thing with the "X" buses.

[SoSpectacular]

I only add in the prefixes if I am talking about a bus that runs in another borough that begins in the one I am currently in, to avoid confusion. And definitely for the express buses.

[Baseball02]

Hmm... I only say the prefix when it's an express bus, to avoid confusion between express and local.

[GojiMet86]

For me, it's almost always with the prefix.

[RookiePhenom]

The one time I asked for directions while in Brooklyn, I was given the route number (the 61); but when I was in Manhattan and someone asked for directions, I gave them the prefix then the number (M1). 

 

[i'm one weird tourist]

[CDTA]

If it's something like the BxM1 I will call it the Bronx-Manhattan 1. That's the only borough I do it for tough.

 

This also applies to local routes in the Bronx. I always call the Bx6 the Bronx 6.