B41 (New York City bus)

The Flatbush Avenue Line is a public transit line in Brooklyn, New York City, 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.

b41
Flatbush Avenue Line
A B41 Flatbush Avenue bus in Limited-Stop service.
Overview
System	MTA New York City Bus
Operator	New York City Transit Authority
Garage	Flatbush Depot
Vehicle	Orion VII Next Generation New Flyer XD40 Xcelsior
Began service	1860 (trolley line) March 4, 1951 (bus service) September 14, 1992 (limited-stop service)
Route
Locale	Brooklyn
Start	Downtown Brooklyn– Cadman Plaza
Via	Flatbush Avenue
End	Marine Park – Kings Plaza or Bergen Beach – Veterans Avenue
Length	7.9 miles (12.7 km)[1] (southbound)
Service
Operates	24 hours; local-only service at night
Annual patronage	8,113,663 (2017)[2]
Transfers	Yes
Timetable	B41
Route map ← B39  {{{system_nav}}}  B42 →

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, and the Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station, as well as the Atlantic Terminal Long Island Rail Road station.

After this point, the B41 and B67 continue down Flatbush Avenue until the Seventh Avenue station, where the B67 splits off and the B69 joins Flatbush until the Grand Army Plaza 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 Parkway and run through Prospect Park until Empire Boulevard. This portion is parallel to the BMT Brighton Line (B and ​Q trains).

At Empire Boulevard, the route meets up with the B16, B43, and B48, as well as the Prospect Park subway station. After Empire Boulevard, the Brighton Line splits off and the B41 runs straight down Flatbush Avenue through the neighborhood of Flatbush. 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 (2 and ​5 trains).

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. 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 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. During weekdays, limited stop service operates between Downtown Brooklyn 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 alternately serves each southern terminal.

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.[3] 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.[4][5]

Limited-stop service was added on September 14, 1992.[6][7]

References

1. Google (May 10, 2017). "B41" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
2. "Facts and Figures". mta.info. August 28, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
3. "Flatbush Avenue Railroad in Operation". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, NY. July 14, 1860. p. 3.
4. Brian J. Cudahy, How We Got to Coney Island: Development of Mass Transportation in Brooklyn and Kings County, page xvi
5. "ERA to Rattle Out Aboard a Trolley: Buses Will Succeed Old Cars on Brooklyn Thoroughfare at Dawn This Morning" (PDF). The New York Times. March 4, 1951. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
6. Lorch, Donatella (August 6, 1992). "More Buses and Trains Planned to Lure Riders". The New York Times. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
7. "Now you can ride down Flatbush Avenue the way you've always wanted to. Quickly". New York Daily News. September 11, 1992. p. 624. Retrieved February 3, 2019.