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Triboro Coach

From Alfawiki
Triboro Coach Corporation
Company typePrivate
IndustryPublic transport
FoundedApril 10, 1931; 95 years ago (1931-04-10)
FounderSalvatore Fornatora
DefunctFebruary 20, 2006 (2006-02-20)
FateOperations taken over by MTA Bus Company
Headquarters
Queens, New York City
,
United States
Area served
Queens, New York City
ProductsBus services (local and express routes)

Triboro Coach Corporation was a bus operator in New York City, providing local service throughout Queens and express routes to Manhattan until its operations were taken over by the MTA Bus on February 20, 2006.

History

The company originated in April 1919 when Salvatore Fornatora established the Woodside-Astoria Transportation Company, initially serving the eastern portion of what is now the Q19 route, linking Corona Plaza station with Flushing. By the 1930s, the company managed several routes across the Astoria, Woodside, and Maspeth neighborhoods. On April 10, 1931, it was incorporated as Triboro Coach Corporation and operated routes including the Q18 and Q24. In 1936, Triboro secured a municipal franchise covering nine routes in northwestern Queens—known as the "Long Island City zone"—and took over multiple lines from rival operators.

Following financial struggles after World War II, Triboro was purchased in 1947 by shareholders of Green Bus Lines but continued to function autonomously. The East Elmhurst garage was inaugurated in 1954. Notable growth milestones included launching the express Q53 line between Woodside and Rockaway Park in 1956, substituting for the defunct Long Island Rail Road Rockaway Beach Branch, and acquiring the Q72 (formerly B72) from the New York City Transit Authority in 1961. During the 1970s and ’80s, Triboro introduced five express routes to Manhattan, becoming a pioneer in private express bus operations within New York City.

The fleet consisted of diesel-powered buses alongside vehicles fueled by methanol and compressed natural gas (CNG). The East Elmhurst depot housed fueling stations for methanol and CNG installed in 1989 and 1994 respectively, supporting alternative fuel programs that included General Motors methanol buses and TMC RTS-06 CNG models ordered in collaboration with other regional transit providers.

On February 20, 2006, Triboro's services were absorbed into the Metropolitan Transportation Authority under the MTA Bus Company umbrella, marking the final step in consolidating privately operated subsidized bus lines citywide. The former Triboro depot was renamed LaGuardia Depot but sustained major damage due to a natural gas explosion two months post-transition. Former CNG buses from Triboro were reassigned to other garages until they were phased out.

Bus routes

Prior to integration into MTA Bus, Triboro Coach managed multiple routes primarily operating from its East Elmhurst base.

Route Terminal A Primary thoroughfares Terminal B Remarks
Queens Local
Q18 Astoria 30th Avenue, 58th Street, Woodside Avenue, 65th Place, 69th Street Maspeth
Q19 via Astoria Boulevard Flushing
  • Established by founder Salvatore Fornatora in April 1919.
  • Operated intermittently from College Point Depot between 2010 and 2025.
Q19A Long Island City 21st Street, Ditmars Boulevard Jackson Heights
  • Initially ran from Queens Plaza to Astoria–Ditmars Boulevard station.
  • Renumbered as Q69 in 2008.
Q19B Jackson Heights 35th Avenue, 89th/90th Streets, Astoria Boulevard East Elmhurst
  • Redesignated as Q49 in 2008.
Q23 East Elmhurst 108th Street Forest Hills
  • Acquired from North Shore Bus Company in 1936.
  • Operated from College Point Depot during 2017–2025.
Q29 Jackson Heights 80th Street Glendale
  • Obtained from Kings Coach Company in 1936.
  • Transferred to NYCT in 2025.
Q33 82nd/83rd Streets, 23rd Avenue, 94th Street LaGuardia Airport Central Terminal
  • Acquired from Municipal Motorbus Company in 1936.
  • Route shortened in 2013 following introduction of Q70 airport service.
Q38 Middle Village Eliot and Penelope Avenues 'Rego Park / Corona
  • Taken over from Affiliated Bus Transit Corporation in 1936.
  • Operated out of College Point Depot between 2010 and 2025.
  • Transferred with route changes to NYCT in 2025.
Q39 'Long Island City' 'Forest Avenue' 'Ridgewood'
  • Acquired from National City Bus Lines in 1936.
  • Transitioned to NYCT in 2025.
Q45 'Jackson Heights' '69th Street' 'Middle Village / Juniper Valley Park'
  • Merged into an extended Q47 route in 2011.
Q45X 'Rego Park / Woodhaven & Queens Blvd' or 'Corona' 'Eliot Avenue' 'Middle Village / 69th Street'
  • Established as "Q45 Extension" in 1943.
  • Preceded Q50 and later became part of Q38.
  • Replaced by Q14 service in 2025.
Q47 'Jackson Heights' '69th and 80th Streets' 'LaGuardia Airport / Marine Air Terminal'
  • Incorporates former Q45 line segments.
Q53 'Woodside' 'Woodhaven Blvd., Cross Bay Blvd., Rockaway Beach Blvd.' 'Rockaway Park' 
*Introduced in 1950 as replacement for part of Long Island Rail Road’s Rockaway Beach Branch.
*Converted to Limited and Select Bus Service after MTA takeover.
*Operated from College Point Depot between 2014–2017.
Q72 Rego Park Junction Boulevard LaGuardia Airport 
*Originated as trolley lines acquired from NYC Transit Authority in 1961.
Queens-Manhattan Express
QM10 Midtown Manhattan Manhattan: branches on 3rd Ave & 6th Ave; Queens: Queens Blvd., Linden Blvd., etc. Lefrak City 
*LeFrak City Express; former Third Avenue service reclassified as QM40 in September 2016.
QM11 Financial District / Wall Street Manhattan: Water & Church Streets; Queens: Queens Blvd., etc. 
*Downtown Manhattan branch of QM10 route.
QM12 Midtown Manhattan Manhattan: Third & Sixth Avenues; Queens: Queens Blvd., Yellowstone Blvd. Forest Hills 
*Forest Hills Express; adjusted January 2011; Third Avenue service split off as QM42 in September 2016.
QM22 Midtown Manhattan Manhattan: branches on Third & Sixth Avenues; Queens: Ditmars Blvd., etc. Jackson Heights 
*Service discontinued June 2010 due to budget reductions.
QM24 Midtown Manhattan Manhattan: Eighth or Third Avenues; Queens: Queens Blvd. Glendale 
*Glendale Express; Third Avenue service became QM34 as of September 2016.
QM24W Financial District / Wall Street Manhattan: Madison Avenue area; Queens: Queens Blvd. 
*Renamed QM25 in June 2010.

Additionally, Triboro operated the Q57 express route connecting Queensbridge with LaGuardia Airport beginning in 1990. Dubbed the "QT LaGuardia Express," this service was discontinued by May 1991 due to insufficient ridership despite offering features such as luggage racks and air conditioning. It ran every twenty minutes with a fare of $5 plus subway fare.

Astoria depot

Triboro Coach's initial garage was situated at 29-28 Vernon Boulevard, also referenced as 23-29/29-23 Vernon Boulevard, in Astoria, Queens, close to the western endpoint of its Q19 route.[1] This single-story brick structure encompassed and functioned as the primary maintenance and repair facility.[1][2]

On July 19, 1926, a basement explosion followed by a fire tragically resulted in the death of a teenage worker at the garage.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name During the 1940s, the city condemned this property to develop the Astoria Houses public housing complex, which still occupies this location today.[2]


Woodside depots

In addition to its Astoria location, Triboro Coach managed two garages within Woodside, Queens. The first facility, leased in 1939, was positioned at the southwest corner of Queens Boulevard and 51st Street, near the 52nd Street subway station on the IRT Flushing Line and adjacent to New Calvary Cemetery. The second garage, a larger site leased in 1941, was found at 69-01 35th Road (also cited as 65-10 35th Avenue), bordered by 65th Street, 35th Avenue, 69th Street, and 35th Road. This site was just north of Broadway’s 65th Street subway station on the IND Queens Boulevard Line.

Both Woodside garages were condemned by municipal authorities in 1947; specifically, the second location was appropriated for constructing the Brooklyn–Queens Expressway (BQE). Following eviction proceedings, this site closed in 1954 and was succeeded by the East Elmhurst depot. The BQE now occupies what was once this garage’s grounds.


East Elmhurst depot

Triboro Coach’s last operating garage was a two-block complex located at 85-01 24th Avenue within the East Elmhurst and Jackson Heights areas of Queens, near LaGuardia Airport. Opened on January 15, 1954, with an investment of $1 million, this facility accommodated up to 130 buses indoors with additional outdoor parking space. It transitioned to become MTA Bus’ LaGuardia Depot on February 20, 2006.

In 1989, a methanol fueling station was installed here to service six RTS model buses powered by methanol fuel supplied by General Motors. During the early 1990s, this depot supported fueling for a New York City Transit Authority demonstration bus alongside three Triboro-operated RTS buses equipped with Detroit Diesel Series 92 engines. Beginning in 1994, compressed natural gas (CNG) buses operated alongside traditional diesel vehicles. Nevertheless, after coming under MTA management, CNG bus operations were discontinued in 2006 owing to concerns related to safety and environmental impact.

On April 10, 2006, an explosion occurred at a gas compressor station during CNG tank removal and nearby construction activities. This incident triggered a significant fire that destroyed one bus and inflicted damage on twelve others.


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LIStar-Triboro-GrewFast-1932
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LIStar-TriboroCoach-Condemn-1947

External links

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