In summer 2018, the MTA announced that it was considering delaying the implementation of SBS routes outside Manhattan until 2021 because of the city's upcoming bus-network redesign.

In 2002, Schaller Consulting conducted a study on potential bus rapid transit services in New York City.

[13][14] At the time of the announcement, the MTA and then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg had stated that implementation on other corridors was contingent on the passage of congestion pricing, which ultimately did not make it for a vote in the legislature.

Key features of bus rapid transit include dedicated lanes, alignment of lanes to reduce conflicts with other vehicles, frequent service, off-vehicle fare collection, sheltered stations, platform-level boarding, and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) features such as transit signal priority.

When implemented, the local and Select Bus Service route of the B46 changed northern terminals to improve reliability.

As opposed to other SBS routes, the Q70 is wrapped in a light blue scheme with clouds and airplanes in order to encourage more people to use public transportation when using the airport.

[31] Select Bus Service along Woodhaven and Cross Bay Boulevards was implemented on the Q52 and Q53 routes in November 2017.

[32][33] Select Bus Service along Kings Highway was implemented on the B82, which replaced the former Limited-Stop route, on October 1, 2018.

[35] A temporary M14 Select Bus Service route was proposed for implementation in early 2019, in preparation for the 14th Street Tunnel shutdown.

[36] However, on January 3, 2019, the shutdown plan was altered by Governor Andrew Cuomo and the proposed SBS routes were put on hold.

[53][54] This route uses rigid 40-foot Nova LFS diesel buses, and is the only SBS line that does not utilize off-board fare collection.

Initially planned for the end of 2011, then later the summer of 2012, the start date was pushed to November 2013 as the buses for the service did not arrive until early 2013.

The elimination of the Avenue L stop, located adjacent to a school, from the SBS route, was controversial, with local elected representatives and community members starting a petition and calling for its restoration.

NYC Bus: B24, B32, B39, B46, B60, B62, Q54, Q59NYC Subway: ​ trains at Marcy Avenue The M60 operates between the Upper West Side of Manhattan and LaGuardia Airport, providing crosstown service along 125th Street in Harlem.

Select Bus Service was originally scheduled to begin in mid or late 2013, but was pushed to May 2014 due to community opposition, citing loss of available parking spaces along 125th Street in Manhattan.

The Q44 is the first Q-prefixed route to have Select Bus Service, which replaces both the Q44 late-night local and daytime limited-stop buses.

[25] The B46 local was extended along Broadway to replace limited-stop service to the Williamsburg Bridge Plaza Bus Terminal at all times.

[88][90] In 2009, the MTA and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) identified the M14A/D, on parallel 14th Street, as a potential corridor for Phase II of SBS, the city's bus rapid transit system, as well as finalized plans to implement SBS on the M16/M34 along the also-parallel 34th Street.

[92] After lengthy consultation, the M23 was converted to SBS in November 2016, replacing the identical local counterpart bus line.

The Bx6 SBS supplements the existing Bx6 local service, making stops at select high-ridership locations and all transfers points to Metro-North and subways.

[96] Originally, a similar provision of median bus lanes was planned for the 34th Street Corridor in Manhattan.

The Q25 or Q34 Limited, running primarily along Parsons and Kissena Boulevards in Queens, has been proposed for conversion to Select Bus Service.

As of Spring 2019, all future proposals, except for the North Shore BRT study, have been postponed, while awaiting the Bus System Redesign.

Corridors and Neighborhoods include: High-volume express bus corridors include: "Difficult trips", trips that are difficult to make and/or require many transfers, as identified by the MTA: The following subway lines have been flagged for being at or above 95% of New York City Subway loading guidelines during rush hours: Areas that are undergoing or may undergo significant growth in housing units and that have limited transit access: Additional Study Areas include: There are also "tiered" corridors based on importance, identified in the Pratt Center report in December 2013 and a previous report from 2007.

Select Bus Service fare machines consist of modified versions of existing MTA and DOT devices.

Older buses are painted mostly white, with a blue stripe just below the windows and a teal pattern with plus signs and "+selectbusservice" logos.

The bottom of LaGuardia Link buses contain a wave pattern in various shades of teal and blue, with plus signs and the SBS logo on the front of the bus.

While some, including bus operators, claimed the flashing blue lights helped improve travel times for buses, they were controversial due to some drivers mistaking them for emergency vehicles.

Starting with the Q44 in November 2015, the blue background is kept when the front signage transitions to show the terminal of the route and the main streets traveled.

[129][130] In December 2019, the MTA unveiled its first 15 fully electric articulated buses, the XE60 fleet by New Flyer Industries, which now operate on various Michael J. Quill Depot SBS routes.