Flatbush Avenue Line (surface)

B41 / B41 Limited
Flatbush Avenue Line
A B41 Flatbush Avenue bus in Limited-Stop service.
Overview
System	MTA Regional Bus Operations
Operator	New York City Transit Authority (NYCT)
Garage	Flatbush Depot
Vehicle	Nova Bus RTS-06 Orion VII Next Generation New Flyer XD40 Xcelsior
Began service	1860 (trolley line) March 4, 1951 (bus service) 1993 (Limited Stop service)
Route
Locale	Brooklyn
Start	Downtown Brooklyn – Cadman Plaza West
Via	Flatbush Avenue Avenue N, Veterans Avenue (Bergen Beach trips)
End	Marine Park – Kings Plaza / Flatbush Avenue & Avenue U (full route) (full-time service) Bergen Beach – Veterans Avenue / East 71st Street (part-time route)
Service
Operates	24 hours: Kings Plaza and Bergen Beach service. All times except late nights: Kings Plaza Limited service. Weekdays only: Bergen Beach Limited service
Daily ridership	9,389,497
Fare	$2.75 (MetroCard or coins)
Cash	Coins only (exact change required)
Transfers	Yes
Timetable	B41
Route map ← B39  {{{system_nav}}}  B42 →

The Flatbush Avenue Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, running along Flatbush Avenue between Downtown Brooklyn and Marine Park. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the B41 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority.

Route Description

The B41 service begins at Downtown Brooklyn at Cadman Plaza West by the Borough Hall station. This terminus is shared by the B26, B38, B52, and B103 Limited. The bus then runs via Adams Street to Livingston Street, meeting up with the B45, and B67. Buses then run via that street stopping at locations nearest to the stores along that street, until Flatbush Avenue. Here, buses take Flatbush, making no stops until 4th Avenue, where the B45 splits to turn left onto Atlantic Avenue since left turns are not allowed from Flatbush Avenue to Atlantic Avenue. Also at this location is the Barclays Center, the Atlantic Terminal (shopping mall), and the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center (New York City Subway) station, as well as the Atlantic Terminal Long Island Railroad station. After this point, the B41 and B67 continue down Flatbush Avenue until the Seventh Avenue (BMT Brighton Line) station, where the B67 splits off and the B69 joins Flatbush until the Grand Army Plaza (IRT Eastern Parkway Line) station. The whole portion from Downtown Brooklyn and Grand Army Plaza is parallel to the IRT Eastern Parkway Line. After Grand Army Plaza, buses make a stop at Eastern Pkwy and run through Prospect Park until Empire Blvd. This portion is parallel to the BMT Brighton Line.

At Empire Blvd, the route meets up with the B16, B43, and B48, as well as the Prospect Park (BMT Brighton Line) station. After Empire Blvd, the Brighton Line splits off and the B41 runs straight down Flatbush Avenue through the neighborhood of Flatbush. Along this stretch, riders can transfer to routes line the B12 at Clarkson Avenue, the B35 at Church Avenue, among others. Once it reaches Nostrand Avenue, it meets up with several busy bus lines, such as the B44/B44 Select Bus Service. Also at this location is the Flatbush Avenue–Brooklyn College station of the IRT Nostrand Avenue Line, a spur of the Eastern Parkway Line. At this point, the Q35 and B103 LTD joins and splits from Avenue H repectively. Until recently, Q35 service terminated along Avenue H, by the station, and reenter service by the station entrance. It now terminates in front of the Target store.

Once out of the area, the route continues down Flatbush through the neighborhood of Flatlands until Avenue L, where the B9 joins the B41 and Q35. The Q35 originally ran non-stop on Flatbush Avenue, making their first stop in Queens. It now runs Limited Stop service alongside the B41 Limited, making stops at Kings Highway, Avenue P, Avenue S, and Kings Plaza. Once it reaches Avenue P, service is split into two branches: most buses continue down Flatbush with the B9 and Q35 to Kings Plaza, where the line terminates, and the Q35 continues down Flatbush to the Rockaways. the rest run along Avenue N and Veterans Avenue to its terminal at Veterans Avenue and East 71st Street, near Avenue U, in Bergen Beach.

During the day, the B41 employs Limited Stop service between Atlantic Avenue and Avenue P, and local elsewhere. The Q35 is the limited stop service south of Avenue P. During weekdays, limited stop service operates between Downtown Booklyn and both of its southern terminals. There is usually more service operating to Kings Plaza than Bergen Beach, especially during off-peak hours. During weekends, all Bergen Beach service is local, with Limited service going to Kings Plaza.

During overnight service, the Limited does not run, and the B41 Local serves each southern terminal alternately.

History

The Brooklyn City Railroad opened the line, a branch of their Fulton Street Line, to the city line on July 14, 1860, and to Vernon Avenue in Flatbush about a week later.^[1] The Vernon Avenue Depot was built on the east side of the line at the terminal. The line was later extended to Bergen Beach along Flatbush Avenue and Avenue N, and later still the line along Flatbush Avenue was extended to Avenue U in Marine Park; the older route became the Bergen Beach Shuttle. Buses were substituted for streetcars on March 4, 1951.^[2][3]

Limited stop service was added in 1993.

References

1. ‹The template Cite BDE is being considered for deletion.› "Flatbush Avenue Railroad in Operation". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. July 14, 1860. p. 3.
2. Brian J. Cudahy, How We Got to Coney Island: Development of Mass Transportation in Brooklyn and Kings County, page xvi
3. "ERA to Rattle Out Aboard a Trolley: Buses Will Succeed Old Cars on Brooklyn Thoroughfare at Dawn This Morning". The New York Times. March 4, 1951. Retrieved 19 January 2016.