M86 (New York City bus)

The route originally ran between Central Park West (Eighth Avenue) and the 92nd Street ferry terminal in Yorkville.

At the terminal, passengers connected to ferries traveling across the East River to Astoria, Queens.

[1][7][8] Unlike other SBS routes and most bus rapid transit lines, the M86 SBS does not have long bus lanes, but rather employs short queue jump lanes, which give buses priority at intersections.

[6] On April 30, 1890, the two companies agreed to give each other rights to operate on the trackage of the 86th Street Line.

[6] Around this time, the City of New York constructed trolley tracks on the 85th/86th Street Transverse Road crossing Central Park.

[6] On June 11, 1896, the New York and Harlem Railroad leased its streetcar lines to the Metropolitan Street Railway.

Travel to the 92nd Street Ferry required transferring between trolleys and paying additional fare.

[19][20] Beginning on June 1, 2010, the M86 was part of a six-month trial testing MasterCard PayPass as a tap-and-go smart card payment system.

In January 2023, the MTA released a strategic action plan called "Extending Transit's Reach".

Fare inspected onboard an articulated bus on the M86 SBS
A geographically correct map of the M86 Select Bus Service route, showing all stations and connections. The route is in light blue.
A 1920 map of the 86th Street Line (far right), and the competing public bus route known as "Route D".
A 2000 D60HF (1001) on the Yorkville-bound M86, prior to SBS implementation
A 2010 Nova Bus LFS Articulated (1268) on the M86 SBS at 86th St/Park Ave during its debut in 2015.
A 2019 XE60 (4953) on the Yorkville-bound M86 SBS at the NYPD’s Central Park Police Precinct