Due to the suspension of the Manhattan congestion pricing plan, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced on July 28th that some express bus routes to and from Manhattan will no longer see an increase in service on weekdays and will return to their original schedules.
According to a memorandum released by the MTA on the 28th, the six express bus routes that had increased service starting this summer will no longer see additional services starting in September, reverting back to their schedules from this spring. The six affected express bus routes are: BM2 and BM5 running between Brooklyn and Manhattan, as well as SIM1C, SIM4C, SIM23, and SIM24 running between Staten Island and Manhattan.
The BM5 line, one of the affected routes, serves not only Brooklyn but also communities like Rego Park in Queens.
Christopher Pangilinan, the Chief Operating Officer of MTA, mentioned in the memorandum that the increase in weekday services was related to the proposed Manhattan congestion pricing. By cancelling the additional services on the mentioned routes, it is estimated that the operating costs will decrease by around $883,000 annually, including $629,000 for New York City Transit (NYCT) bus routes and $254,000 for MTA bus routes.
The memorandum clarifies that while the frequencies of these express buses will not increase, they will not be cancelled either, but rather return to their original schedules.