New York City Omnibus Corporation

The New York City Omnibus Corporation (NYCO, later Fifth Avenue Coach Lines, Inc.) ran bus services in New York City between 1926 and 1962. It expanded in 1935/36 with new bus routes to replace the New York Railways Corporation streetcars when these were dismantled. It further expanded with the acquisition of the Fifth Avenue Coach Company from The Omnibus Corporation in 1954. NYCO was renamed the "Fifth Avenue Coach Lines, Inc." in 1956, becoming bankrupt in 1962, after which operations were taken over by the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority.

New York City Omnibus Corporation
A restored New York City Omnibus 1948 GMC Bus at the Circle Line terminal in 2009
Founded1926 (1926)
Ceased operation1962 (1962)
DefunctYes
HeadquartersNew York City
LocaleManhattan & Queens
Service typeBus
Routes23
Stops
Fifth Avenue Coach Lines bus in special holiday service in Times Square, 2009

History

The New York City Omnibus Corporation was formed in 1926 with John A. Ritchie as President.[1] Richie was also president of The Omnibus Corporation founded a year earlier.

The company introduced new bus lines to replace the streetcar lines being withdrawn by the New York Railways Corporation in 1935/36,[2] which The Omnibus Corporation also owned.

In 1954, the company purchased the Fifth Avenue Coach Company from The Omnibus Corporation and renamed itself as "Fifth Avenue Coach Lines, Inc." on May 14, 1956.[3][4] They also acquired the Third Avenue Railway-owned Surface Transportation Corporation on December 17 that same year, and created an operating subsidiary, Surface Transit, Inc., to administer their routes.[5]

The company went bankrupt in 1962 and the services were taken over by the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority.

Routes

The routes that were operated by the New York City Omnibus Corporation are listed below.[6]

Route Terminal A Major streets of travel Terminal B
1/2

or

Fourth Avenue
Madison Avenue
(1 via Park Avenue)
(2 via Madison Avenue)
Harlem
Madison Avenue/135 Street
3/4

or

  • Astor Place
    8 Street/4 Avenue
Lexington Avenue (3 and 4)
Lenox Avenue (4 only)

or

  • Harlem
    Lenox Avenue/146 Street
5 Civic Center
Park Row/City Hall
Sixth Avenue Central Park South
59 Street/6 Avenue
6 South Ferry Broadway
Seventh Avenue
Central Park South
59 Street/7 Avenue
7 Gramercy Park
23 Street/Broadway
Broadway
Columbus Avenue
Lenox Avenue
Harlem
146 Street/Lenox Avenue
8/9

or

Seventh Avenue
(8 to Canal and Varick Streets)
(9 to 8th Street and 4th Avenue)
Central Park South
7 Avenue/59 Street
10 SoHo
Cortlandt Street
Eighth Avenue
Central Park West
Polo Grounds
159 Street/8 Avenue
11 Greenwich Village
Abingdon Square
Ninth Avenue
Amsterdam Avenue
Harlem
La Salle Street/Broadway
12 SoHo
West Street/Watts Street
Spring and Delancey Streets Crosstown Williamsburg Bridge
Mangin Street/Delancey Street
13 Greenwich Village
West Street/Christopher Street
8 Street Crosstown East Village
Avenue D/West 10 Street
14 Chelsea
West 22 Street/11 Avenue
14 Street Crosstown
  • East Village
    Avenue D/East 14 Street

or

15 Chelsea
11 Avenue/West 23 Street
23 Street Crosstown Kips Bay
FDR Drive/East 23 Street
16

or

  • Clinton
    12 Avenue/West 42 Street
    via 8 Avenue
34 Street Crosstown Murray Hill
1 Avenue/East 34 Street
17 Upper West Side
West End Avenue/West 79 Street
79 Street Crosstown Yorkville
East End Avenue/East 79 Street
18 Upper West Side
West End Avenue/West 86 Street
86 Street Crosstown
  • Yorkville
    East End Avenue/East 86 Street

or

  • Yorkville
    York Avenue/East 91 Street
19 Upper West Side
West End Avenue/West 96 Street
96 Street Crosstown Yorkville
York Avenue/East 91 Street
20 Upper West Side
West End Avenue/West 106 Street
116 Street Crosstown East Harlem
FDR Drive/East 116 Street
21 SoHo
West Street/Watts Street
Houston Street and Avenue C Crosstown Kips Bay
27 Street/1 Avenue
22 Lower East Side
Clinton Street/South Street
Pitt Street
Ridge Street
Lower East Side
Houston Street/FDR Drive
TB
  • East Harlem
    Lexington Avenue/East 125 Street

or

Triborough Bridge

or



References

  1. "Gas-Electric Motorbus Co., Roland Gas-Electric Vehicle Co., New York Motor Bus Co..." New York City Omnibus Corp. was formed in 1926 with Ritchie president)
  2. "Securities and Exchange Commission". 1945. p. 238. The New York Omnibus Corporation, successor to the New York Railways Corporation commenced the operation of bus route in 1936. In all but one year since then it has been profitable
  3. "Guide to the Fifth Avenue Coach Company Collection 1895-1962". New York History Society. In 1954, after acquiring the Hertz car rental business, the Omnibus Corporation sold the assets of the Fifth Avenue Coach Company to the New York City Omnibus Corporation, which was renamed Fifth Avenue Coach Lines in 1956.
  4. "Sidelights: Curve of Market at Tricky Spot." The New York Times, May 15, 1956. ("Stockholders of the New York City Omnibus Corporation have approved a change in name to Fifth Avenue Coach Lines, Inc.")
  5. Sparberg, Andrew J. From a Nickel to a Token: The Journey from Board of Transportation to MTA. Oxford University Press, 2014, p. 117. ("...on December 17, 1956, Fifth Avenue's management purchased Surface outright.... Upon the takeover, Fifth Avenue created an operating subsidiary named Surface Transit Inc. for the new acquisition.")
  6. "www.nycsubway.org - Bus Maps".
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