North Shore Bus Company

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The North Shore Bus Company operated public buses in Queens, New York City. It was established in 1920 as the successor to the New York and North Shore Traction Company trolley system, and operated until 1947 when it went bankrupt, and its operations were taken over by the New York City Board of Transportation.

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History

Origin: New York and North Shore Traction Company

1891 coverage of a former NY&NST streetcar. The street railway review (1891) (14572020749).jpg
1891 coverage of a former NY&NST streetcar.

The company was established in 1902 as a trolley company called the Mineola, Roslyn & Port Washington Traction Company, but as it grew into Queens it was renamed in 1907 as the "New York and North Shore Traction Company." [1] It had a line from Flushing, Queens to Roslyn in Nassau County named the North Shore Line, as well as another from Flushing to Whitestone–14th Avenue Station on the Whitestone Branch of the Long Island Rail Road, better known as the Whitestone Line. [1] Within Nassau County, it had lines from Port Washington to Mineola which was known as the Port Washington Line, and from Mineola to Hicksville, called the Hicksville Line. [1]

The trolley cars on this system were considered to be the largest and most powerful on Long Island and in Queens. As powerful as they were, however, they still had difficulty climbing the hills of such areas as Douglaston and Manhasset. [1] [2]

Transition to buses

By the late-1910s many trolley systems began to decline, but rather than collapse or sell themselves to other companies, the NY&NST replaced their trolley cars with buses, the majority of which operated in Queens. The economic impact of the Great Depression forced them to sell off many of their routes to other companies during the 1930s, most notably to the Triboro Coach Corporation, one of the last surviving private bus lines in New York City. In spite of this, the company was still occasionally able to purchase routes from Bee Line, Incorporated in Nassau County. North Shore acquired the Flushing Heights Bus Corporation and its Q17 and Q25 routes on September 22, 1935, although that company was never merged into NSB. [3]

On November 9, 1936, North Shore acquired the franchise to all bus routes in Zone B (Flushing and Northern Queens), except those operated by the New York and Queens Transit Corporation. The Q26 and Q27 were transferred to the North Shore Bus Company from Z & M Coach Company, while the Q1 and Q32 were transferred to Z & M. [4] In addition, North Shore restored service to the Bayside West–Jamaica route, which had been discontinued a year earlier by S & C Buses. [5]

On June 25, 1939, North Shore acquired the remaining Bee Line routes and Bee Line's 165th Street Bus Terminal in Jamaica, [6] as part of the company's takeover of nearly all routes in Zone D (Jamaica and Southeast Queens). [7] [8] By the 1940s, North Shore operated nearly all the bus routes in Zone B (Flushing and Northern Queens) and Zone D. [9] [10] [11]

On March 30, 1947 the company went bankrupt after its drivers and other employees went on strike. Its operations were taken over by the New York City Board of Transportation, which was superseded by the New York City Transit Authority in 1953. [12] [13] [14] [15]

Depots

Prior to takeover by the city in 1947, the company based its operations out of two depots:

Flushing Depot

The Flushing Depot of the company was located on the south side of Roosevelt Avenue in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, west of 126th Street and east of the New York City Subway's Corona Yard. This depot opened sometime in the 1900s, and housed buses serving northern Queens. It is now the Casey Stengel Depot under the MTA.

Jamaica Depot

The company's Jamaica Depot was located on the west side of Merrick Boulevard just south of Liberty Avenue in Jamaica, Queens. The depot lies between Merrick Boulevard to the east and 165th Street to the west, and spans about three blocks north-to-south between South Road and 107th Avenue, located across from the campus of York College. This depot, which housed buses serving the Jamaica and Southeastern Queens area, opened in 1939, and expanded in subsequent years following takeover, adding bus storage areas and a washing area. It is now the Jamaica Depot under the MTA.

For many years after the takeover, both of the depots were overcrowded with buses due to lack of storage space. In 1968, the MTA, which now ran the NYCTA, acquired land to build another depot, the Queens Village Depot, to relieve crowding at the other two depots. This depot, located at 97-11 222nd Street between 97th and 99th Avenues in Queens Village, Queens, west of Belmont Park, opened in 1974, which took a number of routes from the depots, mainly those serving the Queens Village and adjacent areas. However, despite this move, the Jamaica Depot was still overcrowded, since the capacity for that depot is 150 buses and is assigned 200 buses. As a result, the 50 additional buses at that depot park on surrounding streets. A project to rebuild the depot would begin in 2018, with all of its routes and buses temporarily sent to other depots.

Bus routes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q4 (New York City bus)</span> Bus route in Queens, New York

The Q4 bus route constitutes a public transit corridor running along Merrick Boulevard and the easternmost portion of Linden Boulevard in southeastern Queens, New York City. The route runs from the Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer station to Cambria Heights near the Queens–Nassau County border. The Q4 also provides limited-stop service along the corridor during peak weekday hours. The route is now operated by MTA Regional Bus Operations under the New York City Transit brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q17 (New York City bus)</span> Bus route in Queens, New York

The Q17 bus route constitutes a public transit line in Queens, New York City, running primarily along Kissena Boulevard, the Long Island Expressway service road and 188th Street between two major bus-subway hubs in the neighborhoods of Jamaica and Flushing. It is one of the busiest local bus routes in Queens. Operated by the North Shore Bus Company until 1947, the route is now operated by MTA Regional Bus Operations under the New York City Transit brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q27 (New York City bus)</span> Bus route in Queens, New York

The Q27 bus route constitutes a public transit line in Queens, New York City, running primarily along 46th Avenue, Rocky Hill Road and Springfield Boulevard between a major bus-subway hub in Flushing and Cambria Heights. The route is operated by MTA Regional Bus Operations under the New York City Transit brand.

The Q74 bus route constituted a public transit line in Queens, New York City. It ran primarily along Main Street, Vleigh Place, and Union Turnpike between Queens College and the Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike subway station. Operated by the North Shore Bus Company from the 1930s to March 1947, the route was later city operated by MTA Regional Bus Operations under the New York City Transit brand until June 27, 2010, when it was discontinued under system-wide service cuts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bus depots of MTA Regional Bus Operations</span> New York City Suburban Bus Depots

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">165th Street Bus Terminal</span> Bus terminal in Queens, New York

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q3 (New York City bus)</span> Bus route in Queens, New York

The Q3 bus route constitutes a public transit line in Queens, New York City, operating via Farmers Boulevard between the 165th Street Bus Terminal in Jamaica and John F. Kennedy International Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q58 (New York City bus)</span> Bus route in Queens, New York

The Q58 and Q58 Limited are bus routes that constitute a public transit line operating primarily in Queens, New York City, with its southern terminal on the border with Brooklyn. The Q58 is operated by the MTA New York City Transit Authority. Its precursor was a streetcar line that began operation in November 1899. and was known variously as the Flushing–Ridgewood Line, the Corona Avenue Line, and the Fresh Pond Road Line. The route became a bus line in 1949.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q111, Q113, and Q114 buses</span> Bus routes in Queens, New York

The Q111, Q113, and Q114 bus routes constitute a public transit line between the Jamaica and Far Rockaway neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, running primarily along Guy R. Brewer Boulevard. The Q113 and Q114 provide limited-stop service between Jamaica and Far Rockaway, connecting two major bus-subway hubs, and crossing into Nassau County. The Q111 provides local service exclusively within Queens, with the exception of select rush-hour trips to or from Cedarhurst in Nassau County. Some of the last bus routes to be privately operated in the city, they are currently operated by the MTA Bus Company brand of MTA Regional Bus Operations. The Q113 and Q114 are one of the few public transit options between the Rockaway peninsula and "mainland" New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q72 (New York City bus)</span> Bus route in Queens, New York

The Q72 bus route constitutes a public transit route along Junction Boulevard and 94th Street in Queens, New York City. It operates between the Rego Park and East Elmhurst neighborhoods of Queens, and extends into LaGuardia Airport at the north end of the borough. It is city-operated under the MTA Bus Company brand of MTA Regional Bus Operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodhaven and Cross Bay Boulevards buses</span> Bus routes in Queens, New York

The Q11, Q21, Q52, and Q53 bus routes constitute a public transit corridor running along Woodhaven and Cross Bay Boulevards in Queens, New York City. The corridor extends primarily along the length of the two boulevards through "mainland" Queens, a distance of 6 miles (9.7 km) between Elmhurst and the Jamaica Bay shore in Howard Beach. The Q52 and Q53 buses, which provide Select Bus Service along the corridor, continue south across Jamaica Bay to the Rockaway peninsula, one of the few public transit options between the peninsula and the rest of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q65 (New York City bus)</span> Bus route in Queens, New York

The Q65 bus route constitutes a public transit line in Queens, New York City. The south-to-north route runs primarily on 164th Street, operating between two major bus-subway hubs: Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue station in Jamaica and Flushing–Main Street station in Flushing. It then extends north along College Point Boulevard to College Point at the north end of the borough. The route is city-operated under the MTA Bus Company brand of MTA Regional Bus Operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q25 and Q34 buses</span> Bus routes in Queens, New York City

The Q25 and Q34 bus routes constitute a public transit line in Queens, New York City. The south-to-north route runs primarily on Parsons Boulevard and Kissena Boulevard, serving two major bus-subway hubs: Sutphin Boulevard–Archer Avenue–Jamaica and Flushing–Main Street. The Q25 terminates in College Point, and the Q34 in Whitestone, both in northern Queens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Q20 and Q44 buses</span> Bus routes in Queens and the Bronx, New York

The Q20A and Q20B and Q44 bus routes constitute the Main Street Line, a public transit line in Queens, New York City, running primarily along Main Street between two major bus-subway hubs in the neighborhoods of Jamaica and Flushing. The Q20A/B terminates in College Point at the north end of Queens. The Q44 continues north into the borough of the Bronx, terminating in the West Farms neighborhood near the Bronx Zoo. The Q44 is one of two Queens bus routes to operate between the two boroughs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merrick Boulevard buses</span> Bus routes in Queens, New York

The Q5 and Q85 bus routes constitute a public transit corridor running along Merrick Boulevard in southeastern Queens, New York City. The routes run from the Jamaica Center transit hub and business district to Rosedale, with continued service to Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream, Nassau County. The Q4 and Q84 buses also serve the northern portion of the corridor, before diverging east along Linden Boulevard and 120th Avenue respectively. The Q4, Q5, and Q85 also provide limited-stop service along the corridor. The routes on the corridor mainly serve as feeder routes to New York City Subway services at Jamaica Center–Parsons/Archer station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillside Avenue buses</span> Bus routes in Queens, New York

The Q1, Q36, and Q43 bus routes constitute a public transit line in Queens, New York City. The routes run primarily along Hillside Avenue from the Jamaica, Queens commercial and transportation hub towards several eastern Queens neighborhoods on the city border with Nassau County. Originally operated by the North Shore Bus Company until 1947, all three routes are now operated by MTA Regional Bus Operations under the New York City Transit brand.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Seyfried, Vincent F. (1956). New York & North Shore Traction Company; Trolleys in: Whitestone, Flushing, Bayside, Roslyn, Pt. Washington, Mineola [and] Hicksville. Orlando, Florida: F. E. Reifschneider.
  2. ↑ Meyers, Stephen L. (2006). Lost Trolleys of Queens and Long Island. Images of Rail. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. pp. 57–60. ISBN   0-7385-4526-0.
  3. ↑ "North Shore Company Takes Over Rival's Routes". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 24, 1935. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  4. ↑ State of New York Department of Public Service Metropolitan Division Transit Commission Eighteenth Annual Report For The Calendar Year 1938. New York State Transit Commission. February 14, 1939. pp. 608–609. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Jamaica, Bayside West Bus Route Is Resumed Today. North Shore Bus Company Takes Over Z. And M. Line". Bayside Times. November 12, 1936. pp.  1, 6.
  6. ↑ "North Shore Buses Start From Terminal Today". Long Island Star-Journal. Fultonhistory.com. June 25, 1939. p. 3. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  7. ↑ "North Shore May Take Over Z & M And Schenck Lines on Saturday: Franchise for Zone D Area Is Legalized". Long Island Daily Press. Fultonhistory.com. June 27, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  8. ↑ Abelman, Lester (February 2, 1939). "Court Upholds Bus Permit; City Defeats Bee Line In Zone D Fight; Way Cleared for North Shore to Take Over Routes in Jamaica Area". Long Island Daily Press. Fultonhistory.com. p. 1. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  9. ↑ North Shore Bus Company (February 1, 1946). "To Our Riders". Long Island Star-Journal. Fultonhistory.com. p. 20. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  10. 1 2 North Shore Bus Company (July 29, 1942). "For the Convenience of Queens Bus Riders". Long Island Daily Press. Fultonhistory.com. p. 4. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Bus Service Increased By North Shore: 156 Trips a Day Added, Most of The During Rush Hours". Long Island Daily Press. Fultonhistory.com. June 29, 1941. p. 11. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  12. ↑ Sparberg, Andrew J. (October 1, 2014). From a Nickel to a Token: The Journey from Board of Transportation to MTA. Fordham University Press. ISBN   978-0-8232-6190-1.
  13. ↑ "CITY TAKES OVER BUS LINE: O'Connor Selected to Operate North Shore System" (PDF). The New York Times . March 30, 1947. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
  14. ↑ "120-Passenger Vehicles Added For Next Week: 10 City Lines Will Have All New Equipment by Wednesday". Fultonhistory.com . Long Island Star-Journal. December 31, 1948. p. 2. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Major Improvements Ordered in Zone D". Long Island Star-Journal. Fultonhistory.com. April 10, 1947. p. 2. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  16. ↑ "New Bus Line to City Airport". The New York Times. April 5, 1940. p. 43.


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