On Sunday night in Aug, I was at 79st on 2nd ave stop. I waited M15 select bus over 20min...... the app said 8 min. So I walked 2blocks to get there. On the same block, M15 local bus was there but they stop exact at the corner. Everyone missed it. it's easy to get to far away, however; on the weekends, we'll never know how long you have to wait. In the summer is ok to wait but do not try during the winter time. It will be freezing here in NYC! Try to use text 511-123 and use the code. App isn't working properly. read more

Since my overall experience using the Select Bus M15 is positive I'm giving it Four Stars. I'm happy to skip every single bus stop during my trip. Just remember, this bus doesn't take cash. You must purchase a ticket before you board. All three doors open making for speedy boarding and disembarking of passengers. Keep your receipt after you buy your ticket. Sometimes a MTA Employee will be at a stop checking to see if passengers paid. The fine for not paying is hefty! The buses are new and have been clean when I ride. Passengers are not as crazy as I remember in the past on this route. I like that this bus stops right on my corner. Especially when I have shopping bags. All major intersections have a bus stop along this route. You need to use your Metro Card to buy the fare. Read all the instructions before you attempt to use this service. Much like all NYC Public Transportation there's lots of rules and regulations. I'm still a fan of faster service. If you're going very far, or out when it's 20 degrees wind chill, you should ride! Check out my photos. read more

See all

Ok people, the Select Bus service has been running since December 2010 and New Yorkers STILL don't know how to use it?! It's very simple, you pay before you enter the bus, you enter any of the three open doors on the bus, and you hold on to your receipt in case the ticket police does spot checks. Note, the ticket machine is NOT touchscreen. So you actually have to press a metal "Start" button.... u stick your card in, wait like 2 seconds, and take the receipt that is printed out. NO MORE TO IT! NO, you cannot pay on the bus. NO, they won't wait for you. NO, they don't accept the excuse of "i didn't know" and you WILL pay the $125 fine if caught without a payment receipt. And finally, YES, it does make the commute MUCH faster! So if you're a hater, just take the local bus or keep your mouth shut while you're on the bus. No one is gonna empathize with you anymore this late in the game!!! read more

M15 Select Bus Service - Public Transportation Near Me - New York, New York

Hot Pursuit Where the car was chasing other cars As seen on the silver screen for $12.50 per adult In the Big Apple For MGM depicts it well Running through numerous red lights Skidding other cars With hairpin turns As the car comes to a screeching halt at 150 mph Capturing the culprit All for a smokin' hottie Hot Pursuit A high-speed chase The anti-lock brakes activated Fully functional Where the seat belt is able to hold me into place At the edge of my seat Ask yourself this: is it worth the wild goose chase? An endless cycle Where one can run but cannot hide Hot Pursuit As I'm tired of seeking a smokin' hottie Yet one to capture my heart For I enjoy life As a single girl With so many options Hot Pursuit As smokin' hottie is hard to find For a man does not validate my life Comfortable to be single My time will come M15 Select Bus Service express for love directly to one's heart? With a fellow Yelp Elite, together, we venture directly from the Financial District to Chinatown who I would never be able to know the intricacies of being a selectee rider. By the bus stop there are machines where riders insert one's existing value MetroCard which would produce a "proof of payment" slip for admission. N.B. Strap hangers must physically present this "proof of payment" slip upon request as the bus gate keeper will randomly inspect for boarding admittance. As a long-time monthly unlimited strap hanger, the M15 Select Bus enables faster and faster... unstoppable... A RUNAWAY DIESEL!! read more

See all

Well we're moving on up, to the east side! To a deee-luxe apartment in the sky! Yeah, sometimes I slum it and jump into a bus to get around town. Mainly for the cold AC most of these buses offer. I after coming across town and running some errands along 1st Ave I got on this one at 68th and 1st ave. It was one of the older versions without the accordion middle. Nice and empty and cool inside. Got me back up to the Yorktown area quickly. Just beware that select service makes only certain stops along the way - 86th, 96th, etc. Don't take a nap or you'll be way uptown before you know it. read more

The M15 Select is a reasonable way to get up to 63rd street from my neighborhood, because it runs on 1st avenue. It's faster than the M15 Limited, but the subway--even the local--is still faster because there's less traffic underground. Pluses, of course, are that you can make a phone call or text. Select Bus Service (SBS) is a step in the right direction--they even have it on 34th street, where it makes a lot of sense by cutting down boarding time--but it's not the be-all and end-all. read more

The M15 select bus is atrocious. The bus moves at the slowest speed possible and the drivers are the rudest I've ever encountered. I try to walk when time permits. read more

Pros: efficient when it is Cons: super inefficient when it's not Oh... my love and hate relationship with this bus... where do I begin... lol I commute on this bus every morning simply because I do not want to walk to the park Ave for 6 train. First of all, the bus is quite regular and runs on its schedule but when it's not, it will crush you. Sometimes, when the bus runs behind schedule, it will change the destination from South Ferry to say like Houston street or 14th. This will crush me. I need to get to Wall street area to go to work and I'm being forced to get off half way through. This especially happens when the weather is bad, which triples the ordeal of getting off and waiting for the next bus to come in the bad weather. But I can't stop using it because it's half a block away from me and gets me to the front door of my work. Lol Love you and hate you at the same time!!!! Argh! Lol read more

I hate to say this, but It is just a matter of time until there is going to be a serious accident. Too many of the M15 drivers are RECKLESS. Not all the time, but more often than not, I am on the bus and the driver is going faster than what I consider to be safe, considering the traffic. I have found many of the drivers to be extremely rude and disrespectful to the passengers...especially the elderly and anyone who does not have the patience to take their BS. Some of them act as if we work for them. That said, the supervisor who stands on the street near Bowery Wholefoods is a nice guy. read more

The M15 Select Bus Service is faster and more efficient than the normal M15 Route. I can't quite figure out why they needed to put the stop on 2nd street and 1st Avenue instead of first and first, but they are the geniuses, not me. And as a non-genious, I cannot figure out why they didn't put the ticketing system on the buses themselves, like most mass transit in Europe. Having to get a ticket before you board led to the following incident: I see the bus coming (flashing blue lights are very helpful) run for the bus. Run to the ticket kiosk as bus is pulling up, take out wallet, fiddle with bus pass, forget to press 'start', press 'start', swipe bus pass, wait for ticket and... bus is gone. Yes, I am an idiot, but I am not alone, the guy next to me did the exact same thing. Had the kiosk been on the bus, it wouldn't have been an issue. In fact, they could do both to avoid passengers piling up at the on-board machine. My other issue is with the placement of the stops. Instead of stopping healthy distances apart, which makes sense when placing trains stations due to expense, why haven't they placed them at major arterials, even if these arterials are just a few blocks apart? It stops at Grand, then skips Delancey and heads straight to the 'just past the center of the Universe', 1st Ave and 2nd street. There is a Subway station at Essex and Delancey. There is a bus to Brooklyn there too. Why not make this a connection? OK now I'm just FMLing. Other than these things, it works well, and yes, like the other reviewer says, people (including me) should shut up and figure it out. read more

A paper ticket instead of swiping a card? definitely a step backwards!! Yes, it's nice that the bus skips a lot of stops, but the limited busses can do that too. A weekly or monthly card should allow you to get on the bus without that piece of paper.To all reviewers who keep saying "it's easy, no big deal" I say: "MTA, it's easy, just go digital" what a waste of money to put up and maintain all these machines along the route, and you can't even buy tickets from them. read more

First off, thanks to my fellow Yelpers who explained the M15 SB process before I even boarded my first trip. (Essentially, press star, insert your MetroCard into the machine, and retrieve a receipt that you'll hold onto for dear life... or at least while you ride the bus). This bus saves me a good 10 minute walk towards the subway. Instead, I just need to cross a block to board If I'm heading anywhere up 1st Avenue or down 2nd Avenue. The M15 Select Bus is A LOT quicker than the local M15 bus service; the SB stops at around every 10 blocks. Meanwhile, if a local bus is remotely full, it will make stops every two blocks! You'd be better off walking at that point! Plus, hooray for bus lanes! I trust this bus enough to take out-of-towners on. It's quick on the road and comes at regular intervals. I'm not giving it the full 5 stars because if your MetroCard isn't fully loaded, you're toast. The machines don't let you add more money. This isn't an issue if you have a monthly MetroCard or if you're a walking, talking slot machine full of coins. Note: there are separate stops for the Select Bus service and the regular local bus service. If you see those clunky receipt machines labeled Select Bus service, you're in the right spot! More often than not, though, the stations are clearly labeled and not hard to find, and the buses sport a distinctive livery (plus overall, they're much newer and nicer than their local counterparts). read more

I HATE the Select Bus Service. So I have, well had, a monthly unlimited metro card (keep in mind that they cost over $100). To get your ticket with for the bus you have to put in the machine. So I put in my metro card and it works, but then when I get on my crosstown bus, it says that there is an Error on the metro card. This is because the machine. I did this again with a non-monthly unlimited and it totally wiped it of the $30 that was on it. The drivers do not wait for you to get on either. I find that the people that I encounter on the uptown or the downtown line are very rude and non caring to other people or elderly people! The time difference for taking the local and the select is the same. This is because the amount of people getting on and off of the select and the people who check to see if you have your ticket or not is very time consuming. I very rarely take the Select Bus Service and just stick to the Local M15, and now I am reminded of why. Take the extra time and take the local, you won't have to walk extra blocks if your stop is in between two of the select bus stops. For example, if you were getting off at 76 nd Street and 1st ave. You would either have to get off at 68th and walk up or 79th and walk down. This can all be changed with just taking the local and getting off right on 76th for example. read more

My rating might be a little high due to the fact that Im comparing it to other bus lines. I guess I got spoiled taking the bus line along fifth avenue and people/park watching before getting off the bus for the N train. Now that Im downtown, the M23 does not cut it. I take the M15 SBS in the morning, south bound, from Grand Central, and its really fast, compared to the time it would take me to transfer among the insane amount of people for the 6 train and then trek to the east side. It comes regularly, I made sure to read up on how to use the machines (really simple.) Pros: 1) Fast service, I get to where I need to be from Grand Central in about 7 minutes as compared to the 25-30 it would take maneuvering around crowds of people, transferring, and walking. 2) Comes regularly and stays if youre still printing your ticket. Cons: 1) Today, one of the receipt machines wasn't printing out receipts so people who had paid had to get on at their own risk. Oh, and I have never seen an MTA inspector checking tickets, in the 10 times or so I have taken the South Bound service. I guess they figured getting someone to check tickets would be too costly or something. read more

For real? You people still don't know how this works? It truly couldn't be simpler...you swipe your card before you get on the bus, and receive a receipt to prove you did so. There, I explained it all in one simple sentence! So can you please stop acting like it's SUPER complicated? When you get on the bus after the bus driver had to walk you through the process, and give the other passengers a look as though the system is SO bad, and it isn't YOUR fault you held up the whole bus - we all think you're an idiot. We're all sitting (with varying degrees of patience) waiting for you because we already figured out the very self-explanatory 2-step process involved here. Bottom line: to the 95% of people who have somehow unraveled the metaphysical conundrum that is the SBS, it's a quick, easy way to get around without having to go down in the pits of (subway) hell. read more

If you don't know how to use SBS, just ask the bus driver. 9/10 times they'll explain it and I promise you, it's incredibly easy. PROS: Limited stops, pay before boarding, runs frequently, and service doesn't end until around 11pm, when the regular M15 is moving pretty quickly anyway. Super fast service up first avenue; it takes less than 15 minutes most nights to get from 14th street to 79th, which is A) faster than the local train, and B) three avenues closer to my apartment. Any east sider knows that that's a score. CONS: The construction on 2nd avenue makes driving in any type of vehicle a nightmare; if you can avoid it, just take the train to go downtown. Also, the lack of ticket-checkers makes it really tempting to not pay, especially if you're pressed for time or don't have an unlimited metrocard. But like a few reviewers pointed out, the fine if you're caught riding for free is absurd, and probably not worh the risk. read more

Much faster bus service, agreed. I will be the bad guy and take all sinister remarks for the benefit of other unknowing new NYC-ers or tourists. People- there is even a separate "select bus" service apart from the normal one. Don't make the mistake I did - I have an unlimited metrocard and got on the bus and was confused (there is nowhere for you to put in the card). I was stupid enough to just stay on the bus, still confused, without asking questions. You have to pay/swipe your metrocard before you get on- regardless of whether or not you have an unlimited card or not (you just get a receipt if you do, you do not have to pay). Suddenly the big mad MTA cops are on the bus treating you like you stole something, escorting you off the bus and writing you a $100 ticket, even if you provide proof that you are paying customer and just didn't know. They don't care. And then they mockingly invite you back onto the next select bus, with your citation as your "ticket". Psh. $100 fine. BAM. Consider yourself warned! read more

In some ways, the new service is a godsend but in other ways, it is one of the most inefficient and expensive systems implemented. I love the limited stop service- much improved from the previous M15 Limited. I get on at the first stop and it get off at Grand Street. What used to take at least a half hour has been significantly cut down to 15 minutes. It's an even quicker trip if you're going in the other direction, southbound - it's clocked in at 7 minutes before! It's always a clean bus and very rarely will you have trouble finding a seat (it's basically the length of two regular buses). What my major gripe with this bus line (and system) is really the machines and the people who still don't know how it works! Let's start with the "unlearned" persons. I get on at the first stop, South Ferry and during the AM rush, the ferry unloads about 35-50 M15 passengers. It's one line, people! You stand on one line for the two fare machines. It doesn't make sense to line up behind individual machines- the sidewalk is not wide enough for that, duh! Anyway, you gotta keep an eye out for those types who refuse to respect the one line rule and then they get up to the machine and stall the entire line by not knowing what the hell to do have gotten to the machine. So, you've cut us all on line and you can't read the instructions? IT'S THREE STEPS! How do you even get your shoes on in the morning?! It's written in three languages and you can watch the person in front of you as they demonstrate the process. Really, you can confront them but some people are just absolutely incorrigible. My second issue is with the machines. You'll find one and on rare occasions, both machines out of service. That probably means you'll still be online watching the bus driver load passengers and then shuts his doors on the rest of you who are stalled by a simpleton or a malfunctioning machine. Or sometimes, it's neither because the bus driver has an imaginary "bus schedule" to adhere to. read more

Wow waiting at the stop in the AM and they drive past as if I don't exist. Happened several times now, correct stop etc. Ridiculous. Seconded the rude driver problem. Also, there's an undeniable reason they were featured as the city's Most Unreliable Bus (Town and Village). read more

Select Bus Service is just aggravating. What's the point of paying one way for one bus, and another way for a different bus when they look the same and travel the same route. And this one is worse than most because there's an M15 Select AND an M15 non-select. And if you get your receipt at a machine, you can't take a regular M15 if it comes first, because you already paid and you'll have to pay again. Just have the damned SBS's accept a Metrocard. Problem solved. read more

This is my review of the "Select Bus Service" in general, because I did not find one for the 34th Street Line. As a native New Yorker, I experienced "Select Bus Service" for the first time Sunday October 6th. Long story short, I didn't get a fine, despite experiencing a VERY rude driver, not knowing about the receipt / ticket nonsense, nor did I witness any speedy change in riding time over any other "regular" NYC bus. Until today, I'd never heard of the service and was completely confused as to 1) why it's needed when limited service/stops works just fine, 2) when the program was implemented, and 3) saw zero increase in speed or ease of flowing through traffic along 34th street. I assumed this "Select" bus I took after getting off 34th Street Penn Station Subway (A Train), was a simple crosstown bus as I needed to get to 12th avenue. Never had an issue putting my metro-card in the slot of a "regular" bus, and having it read my transfer from the subway. Simple. Works. NO hassle. No itty bitty useless piece of paper. I took a visit to the MTA website later that evening, to read up on this "Select Bus Service". After reading many of the reviews here, and articles via search engines, I understand why MANY of us native New Yorkers have zero clue that these buses exist! ONLY SIX ROUTES exist in the city! "Select Bus Service" is a horrible idea and WASTE of MTA funds because it only benefits a "select" few, and a "select" few neighborhoods! Next time, I'll just walk from 8th avenue to 12th avenue; and get there faster. The service is just as pointless as those silly ticket / receipt machines. read more

Does not make my trip much faster. And lots of times the machines are broken.

Yes it's much faster than the regular bus. But men why such delay problems on the regular basis? I've been here for 15 minutes with 30 other people and I know in 5 minutes 5 of them will magically appear at the same time. So frustrating. read more

Yes I am a fan. Basically this bus runs express and I can get to midtown at times in 20 min. from upper manhattan and that to me is a big plus. But yes a paper ticket and having no transfer from bus to train if need be SUCKS!!!!! MTA, THINK OF SOMETHING BETTER! read more

M15 & M15+ are really frequently, you may see they runs same route, check their real-time location & alert here : https://moveonmap.com/nyc/lnM15+_M15/ read more

Quebec City has a good system. Each door of the bus has a scanner. You walk by and your card is read. No time consuming dipping and you can use every door. More to the point, no second wasteful paper ticket that as you're waiting in line to get it from the machine, you miss the bus. read more

Why in the eff is the southbound bus always stopping at 14th Street? Please, FOR THE LOVE, someone at least explain it instead of just Trumping me and doing whatever you want assuming I'll eat whatever you serve. read more

First of all, I do not see what's the difference of this bus compared to limited bus, or the goodness to users. Losing and misplaced a ticket after back from tiring work and in addition to humiliation to be escorted out from bus and written a fined by down the street in front of onlooking public eyes is the worse. That was the first and last time I ever rode on this insulting M15 Select Bus. It's traumatized me and everyone who had this experience. Please boycott this M15 Select Bus! read more

I wish the buses would run more frequently, had more seats and spaced the stops more sensibly. All that griping only cost one star. It's a quick and clean ride. read more

Northbound service is really bad after 5:30pm from wall st. Rarely does the bus even come every 15-20min (2 days in a row at 20+ min). Their bus info app is pretty useless, says 2 stops away for 10min...then you realize there aren't 2 stops ahead of wall st...only south ferry! Their digital signs near the bus stop are useless also, only display the time when the bus is 2min away...so exactly what is the point cause I can see the bus coming by then? Junk! It's like the digital signs for the PATH trains at new WTC...don't tell you when next train is leaving. read more

This service, despite being so long overdue, is definitely working properly. Only thing is that it either helps you alot, or hurts you like hell, no in between. By hurting you, I mean that buses short turn at houston street or pike street instead of south ferry, and that other bus drivers park their buses in the bus lane on second avenue... Which both lag buses at an unbearable rate, and bunch up with 3 buses arriving at the exact same time at the exact same stop... read more

A representative of the MTA spoke at a community board meeting and told me the reason most M15 buses don't go all the way to South Ferry and instead turn around further north is so they can get back to the upper East Side faster. This explains why the M15 to South Ferry is fairly infrequent and often crowded. read more

Is anyone able to explain why buses randomly stop off all passengers before the last stop, without any warning?

come on new york public transit riders it's the mta do deal with it and i will do just that. the m15 select express is the way to go up and down 1st and 2nd ave via the south ferry to east harlem back and forth. when ever i do my pay it foward st nyu hospital i usually grab it a few blocks away to go back uptown and with stops only ever 10 blocks or so the trip is quick most of the time unless someone is taking all their sweet time getting on.the first time i took this bus line i had no clue that i had to get a ticket from one of the mta machines with my metro card before i got on (no swiping on board) i felt like an idiot but the lady bus driver was nice and gave me a break . also an added bonus is that mostly each stop has an clearly lite electronic board with arrival times so if the bus is 2 or 20 minutes away you have the option of waiting or not. yes this bus line can get crowded and some of the folks look like weirdos but to get around to the extreme upper and lower east side when the subway is too far away or taking a cab is a waste of money this bus will do just dandy. whenever i want to go to the upper east side to catch a movie, grab a bite or drink and don't feel like walking or waste money on a cab i jump on the m15 select express and in less then 10 minutes i am there . p.s. i always enter the bus from the middle or rear and most of the time i never get a receipt ticket cause i usually don't have a metro card on me and i have never been stopped by the let me see your receipt police , let's keep that a secret between us please. read more

This bus service has come a long way but there are still some kinks that need to be worked out. During morning rush hour, these buses run VERY frequently, i.e. back-to-back. As soon as one bus departs a stop, another pulls in right behind it. This make the commute much more comfortable b/c you can usually get a seat. The only issue I have is, most buses only run to either 14th St or Houston St. So, if you work in FiDi, you have to transfer to a local M15 to complete your route or wait for an eternity for an M15 Select that is headed to South Ferry. And usually, when that south Ferry M15 Select arrives, it's packed to capacity. Sooo, if you work in mid-town, this is a great service to use. But, if you work in lower Mnhtn, not so much. The buses are usually clean and the drivers have gotten better about not waiting for people to pay at the machines before pulling off. To explain, this service is designed so that the bus scoops up the folks at the bus stop and keeps it movin. However, there are drivers who will wait for everyone at the machine to pay before pulling off, incl the folks who are trying to figure out how to use the machine and those that are paying with coins. Another good thing is, the drivers on this route navigate traffic much better than in the past! Previously, the drivers would stay in the bus lane the entire trip and drive with no sense of urgency. It was so bad, but it was taking me nearly an hour just to get from uptown to midtown. But now, the drivers pull out of the bus lane and use other lanes of traffic to go around idling vehicles and turning traffic (which usually clogs up the bus lane). read more