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.
History The New York City Omnibus Corporation was formed in 1926 with John A. Ritchie as president. 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The company introduced new bus lines to replace the streetcar lines being withdrawn by the New York Railways Corporation in 1935/36, which The Omnibus Corporation also owned.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. 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.
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. RouteTerminal AMajor streets of travelTerminal B1/2Civic CenterPark Row/City Hall or Astor Place8 Street/4 AvenueFourth AvenueMadison Avenue(1 via Park Avenue)(2 via Madison Avenue)HarlemMadison Avenue/135 Street3/4Gramercy Park23 Street/Lexington Avenue or Astor Place8 Street/4 AvenueLexington Avenue (3 and 4)Lenox Avenue (4 only)East HarlemLexington Avenue/131 Street or HarlemLenox Avenue/146 Street5Civic CenterPark Row/City HallSixth AvenueCentral Park South59 Street/6 Avenue6South FerryBroadwaySeventh AvenueCentral Park South59 Street/7 Avenue7Gramercy Park23 Street/BroadwayBroadwayColumbus AvenueLenox AvenueHarlem146 Street/Lenox Avenue8/9TribecaCanal Street/Varick Street or Astor Place8 Street/4 AvenueSeventh Avenue(8 to Canal and Varick Streets)(9 to 8th Street and 4th Avenue)Central Park South7 Avenue/59 Street10SoHoCortlandt StreetEighth AvenueCentral Park WestPolo Grounds159 Street/8 Avenue11Greenwich VillageAbingdon SquareNinth AvenueAmsterdam AvenueHarlemLa Salle Street/Broadway12SoHoWest Street/Watts StreetSpring and Delancey Streets CrosstownWilliamsburg BridgeMangin Street/Delancey Street13Greenwich VillageWest Street/Christopher Street8 Street CrosstownEast VillageAvenue D/West 10 Street14ChelseaWest 22 Street/11 Avenue14 Street CrosstownEast VillageAvenue D/East 14 Street or Lower East SideDelancey Street/Essex Street15Chelsea11 Avenue/West 23 Street23 Street CrosstownKips BayFDR Drive/East 23 Street16Clinton12 Avenue/West 34 Street or Clinton12 Avenue/West 42 Streetvia 8 Avenue34 Street CrosstownMurray Hill1 Avenue/East 34 Street17Upper West SideWest End Avenue/West 79 Street79 Street CrosstownYorkvilleEast End Avenue/East 79 Street18Upper West SideWest End Avenue/West 86 Street86 Street CrosstownYorkvilleEast End Avenue/East 86 Street or YorkvilleYork Avenue/East 91 Street19Upper West SideWest End Avenue/West 96 Street96 Street CrosstownYorkvilleYork Avenue/East 91 Street20Upper West SideWest End Avenue/West 106 Street116 Street CrosstownEast HarlemFDR Drive/East 116 Street21SoHoWest Street/Watts StreetHouston Street and Avenue C CrosstownKips Bay27 Street/1 Avenue22Lower East SideClinton Street/South StreetPitt StreetRidge StreetLower East SideHouston Street/FDR DriveTBEast HarlemLexington Avenue/East 125 Street or South Bronx138 Street/Jackson AvenueTriborough BridgeRandalls and Wards Islands or Astoria37 Street/24 Avenue
References
External links Bus maps circa 1940s