by New York City, NY – Two of New York City’s busiest bus lines have been singled out for unwanted recognition this week, as a local transit advocacy group named them the slowest and most unreliable in the city.
Transit Group Calls Out City’s Slowest and Most Unreliable Buses
The nonprofit TransitMatters announced its annual “Pokey” and “Schleppie” awards — tongue-in-cheek honors given to highlight poor bus performance across the city.
According to the group, the M42 route, which travels crosstown along 42nd Street in Manhattan, took home the “Pokey Award” for being the slowest bus line in New York City, averaging a crawl of just 5 miles per hour.
“The M42 is practically slower than walking,” said a TransitMatters spokesperson. “That says a lot about how much work still needs to be done to prioritize bus movement in Manhattan.”
Despite the undesirable title, there was one bright spot — speeds on the M42 have slightly improved since the launch of congestion pricing, which helped reduce car traffic in the area.
Queens Route Named Most Unreliable
Meanwhile, the Q8 in Queens earned the equally frustrating “Schleppie Award” for being the most unreliable bus line in the five boroughs. On average, the Q8 runs over three minutes late to nearly every stop, TransitMatters reported.
Frustrated riders say that despite years of investments in red bus lanes and camera enforcement, service remains inconsistent.
“There’s cars that block the bus lane,” said commuter Irwin Mensch. “So the buses end up in the regular traffic lane — that’s why they’re slower, because the bus lanes aren’t open.”
Some Bright Spots Amid the Delays
It wasn’t all bad news for the MTA. The M79 route on the Upper West Side received the “Mazel Award” for being the most improved line in 2025, thanks to better scheduling and faster service times.
Still, transit advocates argue that systemic change is needed to make bus service more reliable for everyday riders.
“There has to be a continuation,” said Lisa Daglian, of the MTA Citizens Advisory Committee. “We need a real bus mayor who wants to see those improvements for real bus riders.”
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Looking Ahead: Will NYC See Faster, Free Buses?
Incoming Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has pledged to make public transit more efficient — and even free — for New Yorkers. While Albany hasn’t shown support for funding those plans, Mamdani remains optimistic.
“I’m just as excited about free buses today as I was more than a year ago,” he said.
Advocates agree that enforcement and consistent funding will be key to improving service citywide. Until then, the M42 and Q8 will remain symbolic of the daily struggle New Yorkers face in their commutes.
What do you think about NYC’s slowest and most unreliable bus lines? Share your thoughts in the comments at mikeandjonpodcast.com.
