B12 (New York City bus)

b12
Clarkson Avenue Line
East New York Avenue Line
A 2007 Orion VII OG HEV (6833) at the Alabama Avenue station in October 2018. This bus is retired.
Overview
SystemMTA Regional Bus Operations
OperatorNew York City Transit Authority
GarageEast New York Depot
VehicleNew Flyer Xcelsior XD40
New Flyer Xcelsior XDE40
Orion VII NG HEV
Began serviceNovember 23, 1931
Route
LocaleBrooklyn, New York, U.S.
Communities servedProspect Lefferts Gardens, East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Brownsville, Ocean Hill, East New York, Cypress Hills
StartLefferts Gardens – Ocean Avenue and Parkside Avenue at Parkside Avenue ("Q" train train)
ViaClarkson Avenue, Empire Boulevard, East New York Avenue[1]
EndCypress Hills[2][3] - Fulton Street and Alabama Avenue at Alabama Avenue ("J" train​"Z" train trains)
Length4.1 miles (6.6 km)
Service
Operates24 hours
Annual patronage1,938,474 (2023)[4]
TransfersYes
TimetableB12
← B11  {{{system_nav}}}  B13 →

The B12 is a bus route in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, which serves the corridors of Clarkson and East New York Avenues. Originally operated by the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation, it is now operated by MTA Regional Bus Operations under the New York City Transit brand.

Route description

The B12 bus route starts at Ocean and Parkside Avenues, at the Parkside Avenue station. Eastbound buses head to Clarkson Avenue via Parkside and Bedford Avenues, while westbound buses head back to the station via Woodruff and Ocean Avenues. It then continues on Clarkson Avenue until turning left on Albany Avenue, followed by a right on East New York Avenue, which is split into two for the B12. Eastbound buses make a left on Troy Avenue, a right on Lefferts Avenue, and continues onto Empire Boulevard before heading back onto the eastern part of East New York Avenue.

Westbound buses head straight to the western part of East New York Avenue from Empire Boulevard via Schenectady Avenue. On the eastern side, the B12 continues until the end of the corridor, and onto Fulton Street, before terminating at the Alabama Avenue station. The first westbound stop is on Alabama Avenue, and buses deadhead via Mary Warren Place and Atlantic Avenue.[5][6]

History

A 1998 Nova Bus RTS-06 (4985) on the B12 at the Alabama Avenue station in October 2018

The B12 began service on November 23, 1931 under the operation of Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit, which was sold to the city on June 1, 1940. It initially ran between the Parkside Avenue station and Sheridan/Liberty Avenues.[citation needed] On June 11, 1954, a public hearing was held on a proposed modification to the route to provide more convenient service to the Kings County Hospital Center from Bedford-Stuyvesant.[7] Some buses also used to terminate at Alabama/Liberty Avenues.[8] On June 27, 2010, all B12 service was cut back on its eastern end to the Alabama Avenue station due to a budget crisis.[citation needed]

On December 1, 2022, the MTA released a draft redesign of the Brooklyn bus network. As part of the redesign, the B12 would keep its current route, but service would be complemented by the new B10 Limited east of Empire Boulevard, which would continue to run on Empire to the Prospect Park station,[9] and the modified B16, which would now run on Clarkson Avenue between Ocean and Utica Avenues, debuting bus service east of Albany Avenue and providing additional service to two hospitals and three transfer points.[10] Closely spaced stops would be eliminated.[11]

References

  1. ^ "MTA Bus Time: B12". Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "Cypress Hills, Brooklyn" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  3. ^ "East New York, Brooklyn" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  4. ^ "Subway and bus ridership for 2023". mta.info. April 29, 2024. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  5. ^ MTA Regional Bus Operations. "B12 bus schedule".
  6. ^ "Brooklyn Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  7. ^ "Public Notice". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 7, 1954. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  8. ^ "Brooklyn Bus Map: February 2004". Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  9. ^ "Draft Plan: B10 Limited". Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  10. ^ "Draft Plan: B16 Local". Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  11. ^ "Draft Plan: B12 Local". Retrieved December 28, 2024.