STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- In an effort to optimize the borough's recently redesigned express bus network, the MTA has announced service changes for three of the new routes.
"As part of our ongoing adjustments to tailor the new Staten Island Express Bus to our customers' needs based on their feedback and our observations on the ground, we're announcing numerous new trip options for Staten Islanders in the morning and evening," said MTA officials.
Major changes have been implemented for the SIM5x and SIM6x, which had been running an experimental single-stop service from the South Beach Park-and-Ride to Downtown and Midtown, respectively.
As a result of low ridership, the MTA has expanded the routes to make additional stops on Hylan Boulevard in hopes of better utilizing the lines to service more passengers.
"In order to provide more options to our customers going to Downtown and Midtown Manhattan from Hylan Boulevard, we're adding SIM5x and SIM6x stops on Hylan Boulevard in the mornings starting Friday, Sept. 7," announced MTA officials.
The SIM5x will start at Hylan Boulevard-Tysens Lane at 6 a.m. and run every 20 minutes until 8 a.m. with an additional trip at 8:30 a.m. It will stop at Hylan Boulevard-Lincoln Avenue and the South Beach Park-and-Ride on Father Capodanno Boulevard before entering Manhattan.
The SIM6x will start at Hylan Boulevard-Tysens Lane at 5:50 a.m. and run every 20 minutes until 6:50 a.m., after which it will run every 30 minutes until 8:20 a.m. It will also stop at Hylan Boulevard-Lincoln Avenue and the South Beach Park-and-Ride on Father Capodanno Boulevard before entering Manhattan.
This week, the MTA announced that it will be moving the Hylan Boulevard-Tysens Lane stop back to Hylan Boulevard-Cannon Boulevard for the SIM1, SIM5, SIM6, SIM7 and SIM10. However, it was unclear whether the SIM5x and SIM6x will continue to stop at Tysens Lane after the stop is moved to Cannon Boulevard.
EXPANDED SERVICE FOR SIM7
In addition, the MTA has announced expanded evening service for the SIM7.
"In order to provide additional service for our customers on the west side of Manhattan, we are expanding the span of SIM7 service in the evening by 18 minutes," according to MTA officials.
The new trip will leave Broadway-13th Street at 7:18 p.m., stopping at West Street-Vesey Street at 7:42 p.m., before heading back to Staten Island.